Re: [compost_tea] A peculiar question

From: Mike Harvey <mharvey_at_westnet.com.au>
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2004 08:50:39 +0800
The concept of using soft drink as a component in folia sprays dates I
believe to Carey Reams and is promoted by such people as Arden Andersen, Da= n
Skow and other consultants.
There are a number of theories that explain this.
1. The phos acid in the spray goes into the plant and increases Phosphate levels this then leads to higher photosynthsis and higher sugar in the
plant- plant Brix is increased. It may also help reduce nitrate levels by turning excess nitrates in the plants into true protein- another  prod= uct of
photosynthesis
Thus insects feeding on this higher brix plant juice end up producing
alcohol and this kills them or may cause them to leave the plants and move<= BR> elsewhere.
2. The increase in Plant Brix causes a change in vibrationary
frequencies-see Phil Callahans work and Dr BruceTanio. This change causes the plant to not attract insects and indeed repel them because the plant is=
no longer garbage and the garbage collectors (pest insects) do not then nee= d
to do their job.
3. Long chain proteins are made when plants are higher brix- these are more=
difficult for the insects to eat and process- again the nitrate to higher protein/ funny protein to true protein concept.
4. higher brix plants produce higher and more complex essential oils - thes= e
repel insects.
5. Other reasons yet to be discovered.
In answer to your questions I will give my opinion.
The amount of sugar etc applied in these foliar sprays is very small- not enough to affect the soil to any extent. It will be enough to cause some growth of whatever Microbes are on the plants (others can better answer
this one).
It is unlikely to attract beneficial insects per se, however you will be able to better manage beneficials since there is no need for toxic
materials to be in the area and the pest insects are weakened thus
beneficials can control them easier. IPM seems to work better using this strategy at least that has been my experience.
I am no expert on organic status- however phosphoric acid is not allowed unless used to preserve things such as liquid fish etc.
Building soil biology is more effective in  the long term since this w= ill
make the phosphates and calciums available to the plants and thus enable high brix plants to be produced that will be resistant to all insect attack=
(since they will no longer be garbage!!)

regards Mike Harvey
B. Hort Sci
www.newlifesoils.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Elizabeth" <spacecitydx_at_webtv.net>
To: <compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 3:57 AM
Subject: [compost_tea] A peculiar question




The article below has been sent out on both the local harvest and Market Farming list serves. I`ve taken an excerpt of all our questions and
comments; would you please answer my questions, based on the article I have=
included and all your expertise with soil?

Our question to the below article is if you are applying phosphoric acid an= d
CO2 (which increases photosynthesis).....

1. What is the corn syrup and fructose doing to the soil?

2. What fungi would/could develop on the plants as a result?

3. Would it attract more beneficial insects?

4. Any idea using this as a foliar spray do to our organic status?

*************ARTICLE*****************
Things grow better with Coke
John Vidal
Tuesday November 2, 2004
The Guardian

Indian farmers have come up with what they think is the real thing to keep<= BR> crops free of bugs. Instead of paying hefty fees to international chemical<= BR> companies for patented pesticides, they are reportedly spraying their cotto= n
and chilli fields with Coca-Cola. In the past month there have been reports=
of hundreds of farmers turning to Coke in Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh states.

But as word gets out that soft drinks may be bad for bugs and a lot cheaper=
than anything that Messrs Monsanto, Shell and Dow can offer, thousands of others are expected to switch. Gotu Laxmaiah, a farmer from Ramakrishnapura= m
in Andra Pradesh, said he was delighted with his new cola spray, which he applied this year to several hectares of cotton. "I observed that the = pests
began to die after the soft drink was sprayed on my cotton," he told t= he
Deccan Herald newspaper.

Coca-Cola has had a bad year in India.
Other farmers in Andra Pradesh state accused the company of over-extracting=
underground water for its bottling plants and a government committee upheld=
findings that drinks made in India by itself and PepsiCo contained
unacceptable amounts of pesticide residue. But Mr Laxmaiah and others say their cola sprays are invaluable because they are safe to handle, do not need to be diluted and, mainly, are cheap.

One litre of highly concentrated Avant, Tracer and Nuvocron, three popular<= BR> Indian pesticides, costs around 10,000 rupees (£120), but one-and-a-half<= BR> litres of locally made Coca-Cola is 30 rupees. To spray an acre would be a<= BR> mere 270 rupees.

It is clearly not Coke's legendary "secret" ingredient that is up= setting the
bugs. The farmers also swear by Pepsi, Thums Up, and other local soft
drinks. The main ingredients of all colas are water and sugar but some
manufacturers add citric and phosphoric acids to give that extra bite to human taste buds.

Yesterday a leading Indian agriculture analyst, Devinder Sharma, said: &quo= t;I
think Coke has found its right use. Farmers have traditionally used sugary<= BR> solutions to attract red ants to feed on insect larvae. "I think the c= olas
are also performing the same role." The properties of Coke have been discussed for years. It has been reported that it is a fine lavatory
cleaner, a good windscreen wipe and an efficient rust spot remover.

Uncorroborated reports from China claimed that the ill-fated New Coke was widely used in China as a spermicide.

Yesterday a spokesman for Coca-Cola in Atlanta said: "We are aware of = one
isolated case where a farmer may have used a soft drink as part of his crop=
management routine.

"Soft drinks do not act in a similar way to pesticides when applied to= the
ground or crops. There is no scientific basis for this and the use of soft<= BR> drinks for this purpose would be totally ineffective."








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Received on Wed Nov 03 2004 - 22:51:24 EST

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