Influence of moon rhythms on yield of carrot (Daucus carota L.), under biodynamic management
PEDRO JOVCHELEVICH
Key words: moon rhythms, cronobiology, biodynamic agriculture, lunar phases
Abstract
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the influence of moon rhythms on yield of carrot roots under biodynamic management sowed in different dates. The experiment was carried out over a two period on a biodynamic farm, in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Rhythms were tested observing the effects of seeding at different planting dates. The experiment was performed with four randomized blocks and 31 treatments (different dates) in 2005, and fourteen treatments in 2006. The harvest was made 82 days after sowing. Effects associated with planting at a specific lunar position were measured by the deviations from the trend curve. The following characteristics had been evaluated: fresh mass of roots and leaves and dry mass of roots. Dry mass was the only one that in the contrast between averages showed significant results in the two periods of the experiment. Result was that the synodic new phase was superior to the first quarter, and full phases and in the ethno synodic rhythm, the full phase was inferior to the other.