Homoeopathy in Agriculture

Dr Navjot Singh

Abstract
Agrohomeopathy is one of the newest approaches in agricultural research. In recent years various scientific studies showed that potentised homeopathic medicines can alter physiological activities of plants. Agricultural homoeopathy is being increasingly implemented worldwide to mitigate the negative effects caused by the indiscriminate use of chemical products in conventional agricultural practices. It is a viable alternative to improve organic agriculture, since homoeopathic medicines are innocuous substances with a capability to activate measurable response mechanisms when used in plants, animals and humans. Basic principles of Homoeopathy and drug administration are being discussed. The science of Homeopathy has great potentials and could give a new direction that requires attention of the researchers in alternative agriculture.

Keywords
Agrohomoeopathy , plants, homoeopathy, agriculture, roots, leaves, insecticides, soil, roots, spray, environment, potentised medicine.

Introduction
Homoeopathy has found recognition in healing human being .The Science of homoeopathy has great potential and besides its role in animal husbandry, it is doing wonders in agricultural field also. The science of homoeopathy has great potentials and could give a new direction that required attention of the alternative agriculture. Find suitable remedy for many problems in agriculture, so making it feasible for farmers to use reduced or even zero inputs of herbicides and insecticides. The result is that the health of plants becomes immune to the disease agent. The harvest is increased so that the inputs of artificial fertilisers can be correspondingly reduced or even almost turn down. We have Improve growth, germination, and control pest, any bacterial or viral infection also control with the help of homoeopathic science.

Definition
Agrohomeopathy is a branch of homeopathy science where the homeopathic medicines are used in the field of agriculture that is on crops, plants, trees and on soil to cure their illness with the tools of homoeopathic science. It is an alternative to use of chemical fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides in agriculture.

Official research
Vaikunthanath Das Kaviraj author of the book HOMOEOPATHY FOR FARMING AND GARDEN set out to systematically test homoeopathy remedy on garden plants.He reported his experiences of using belladonna to treat apple tree rust, effect of helix tosta on snails and slugs. Effect of silicea that enables soil to hold large amount of water and nutrients for long periods.

HOW HOMOEOAPTHY WORK IN AGRICULTURE
One things needs to be clarified right away you don’t kill or fight bacteria, pathogens or harmful pests using homoeopathic medicine. In fact you are doing just the opposite. You are strengthening the plants. And its organism to such an extent that vital energy can once flow unhindered. Helping the plant to regain its full strength. In this way it may achieve its full potential and can heal itself.

HOW TO SELECT MEDICINE
The plant body is ‘upside down’, the roots being the equivalent of the mouth, the stem is the backbone, while the leaves form the respiratory, digestive and urinary systems. Therefore we begin at the bottom, just like in most materia medica fro humans the division begins at the head. The flowers are either separated in sex, with male and female characteristics, or are hermaphrodite, meaning that both sexual functions are found in the same flower. The male characteristic is found in the stamen, which produces pollen, the plant equivalent of semen. The female characteristic is found in the ovaries, which after pollination produce the seed, nut or fruit. So we have study maximum body parts present in plants. Then we have observed any minimum changes seen in the structure of plants that is help to form the totality of symptoms. Because plants are nonverbal communication to tell their problems but plants represent their sign and symptom through structure like roots, stem, leaves, flowers and also observe changes in soil, weather, nutrients, flora and fauna, habitat. so observation is a great tool to select medicine for plants. Secondly Nutrients deficiencies in soil/plants also cause disease condition. So this problem is cure by to fulfil the nutrients deficiency through homoeopathic medicine.

POTENCY AND DOSE
This aspect should be given the most attention in terms of plant treatment. This is the absolute necessity of administering only one remedy at a time.In chemical agriculture, the substance is used to restore “Material Imbalance’’ administered in physical doses. But in homoeopathy the mode of action of small, but potentize substance is to stimulate the organisms. Re-establish the balance of vital forces. Disease is ultimately an affair of the reaction of protoplasm, considering only the behaviour of protoplasm; cells especially in need of a stimulus, that stimulus will be found in a small dose of agent. This in large dose can damage or destroy precisely those particular cells.

ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION

Two type of route = 1.) Through Roots

2.) Through Leaves

1.) Through Roots = Roots take water and nutrients from the soil, so roots is the good route for the administration of medicine. But homoeopathy influence may lose effect if administrated through roots due to contamination with soil and energetic forces present within the soil.

2.) Through Leaves= Leaves could be considered as to be the tongue of the plants. As plants too are made of cell this could get stressed and become diseased. The remedy is better sprayed compare to irrigation.

Obstacle
Some factors that is important to plants health, which must always be investigated before treatment.

• AIR – is the plant situated in a negative place? Does it get enough fresh air? Has it been placed next to a busy road where it suffers from exhaust emission? Was a chemical sprayed nearby, which got into the plant?
• WATER- is the plant getting too little or too much? Can it absorb it properly?
• CLIMATE /WEATHER – was the plant exposed to large fluctuation in temperature? Is it burning or freezing?
• CARE/HYGIENE– is the plant being looked after properly? Is the environment hygienic? Are sick leaves and twigs lying around on the ground? Has it been infected by a contaminated  garden implement
• SPACE/ENVIRONMENT- Does the plants have enough space? How is its social life? Plants like society too, they even need it to exchange important information and enter into symbioses. Therefore, if possible always put two of the same plant together. Some plants combinations harmonise very well and even protect each other. Equally, some plant varieties cannot stand each other. E.g.= cabbage family planted with beets and members of the green leafy vegetable family.
• PEACE– Has the plant been able to rest, could it regenerate? E.g.= Solomon island tribe.
• FOOD/SOIL- Is the plant getting all the necessary nutrients? Does it have the right sort of soil?
• LIGHT- Is the plant getting too much or too little light?

Medicine
Basically homeopathic treatment for living beings that is whether person, plant or animal. To understand what needs to be cured, we must carefully examine the complete picture of the disease in terms of all the signs & symptoms expressing departure from health, then match this “symptom totality” to the single individual medicine that most closely resembles it, the “simillimum”, following the Law of Similars. With this we have also some therapeutics hints. This is very useful for layman peoples or farmers.

ACONITE -leaf rust, bean rust, banana rust. Rapid onset of symptoms

SILICEA-  silicea that enables soil to hold large amount of water and nutrients for long periods. Interruption of growth. Delay in production.

CALENDULA– Mechanical injury damage, repotting (act of moving a plant into a different pot).Suitable for cases where bark is broken Lacerations, wounds on roots that have been cut or ripped while transplants, calendula comes to rescue Calendula heal the plants and promote growth.

CARBO VEG- after attacks of defoliating insect, water deficiency, change of temperature, flowers falling off bud death, plant in compact  soil.Slow recovery or dying plants after transplants. Carbo veg is rescuer of near death plants. Appearance- wilted and wasted. Plant nearly lost all leaves. Looks weak and dying plants due to lack of water. Reddish brown streaks on leaves.

NUX VOMICA– For plants intoxicated by agrochemical.

ARNICA- it is first aid remedy for trauma in all forms and varieties Crop damage by heavy rain and wind.

CHAMOMILLA–is utilized to increase absorption of nitrogen in plants.

Reference

1. Singhania PK, Singhania A. Homoeopathy in agriculture. Building Organic Bridges. 2014;2:667-70.
2. Das KV. Homoeopathy For Farm and Garden. Mark Moodie Publication, Oaklands Park, Newnham-on Severn, Gloucester, FL14 1EF, UK. 2006.
3. Maute C. Homeopathy for plants. Kandern/Germany: Narayana Publishers. 2011.
4. Kaviraj, V. D. (2006). Homoeopathy for Farm and Garden: Toward a Homoeopathic Agriculture. United Kingdom: Mark Moodie.
5. Boericke W. Materia medica with repertory. InMateria medica with repertory 1927 (pp. 1049-1049).
6. Gupta G, Vyas H, Sharma B. Agrohomoeopathy-Does Homoeopathy have Role in Agriculture?

Dr Navjot Singh
MD Part-2
Department of homoeopathic Materia Medica
Sri Guru Nanak dev homoeopathic medical college and hospital.
Ludhiana Punjab