Gibberellic acid potency on wheat
Posted: 11 Nov 2014, 09:03
Seasonal variation of the effect of extremely diluted agitated gibberellic acid (10-30) on wheat stalk growth – a multi researcher study
Peter Christian Endler, Christian Reich, Wolfgang Matzer, Thomas Reischl, Anna Maria Hartmann, Karin Thieves, Andrea Pfleger, Jürgen Hofäcker, Harald Lothaller, Waltraud Scherer-Pongratz
ABSTRACT
Control experiments were performed at different seasons of the year as a follow-up to pilot experiments [1]
where a homeopathic high dilution of gibberellic acid had influenced growth in a wheat bio assay (7 days).
Grains of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, Capo variety) were observed under the influence of extremely
diluted gibberellic acid (10-30) prepared by stepwise dilution and agitation according to a protocol derived from
homeopathy (“G30x”). Analogously prepared water was used for control (“W30x”). Following up on 5 pilot
experiments (4 in autumn 2007, 1 in spring 2008), 10 experiments were performed (5 in autumn 2008 or 2009
and 5 in winter 2009 or 2010) with a total of 9 experiments in autumn season (5 researchers, about 9,000
grains), and 6 in winter/spring (4 researchers, about 6,000 grains).
Germination rates after 7 days were slightly higher for the autumn experiments (96.1%) than for the
winter/spring experiments (94.8%) (p > 0,05), with a non significant trend of more seedlings having
germinated in the verum group in the autumn experiments (p > 0,05). All of the 9 autumn experiments (i.e.
pilot as well as repetition experiments) showed less stalk growth in the verum group (statistically significant
with p < 0.01 in 4, with p < 0.05 in 3 cases, trend in 2 cases). Mean stalk lengths (mm) were 46.97 + 20.50 for
the verum group and 50.66 + 19.77 for control (mean + S.D.) at grain level (N = 4,440 per group) and + 3.87
and + 3.38 (+ S.D.) respectively at dish level (217 cohorts of 20 or 25 grains per treatment group). In other
words, verum stalk length (92.72%) was 7.28% smaller than control stalk length (100%). The effect size (D
means : S.D.), calculated on the basis of dishes, was high (d = 1.02). In contrast, no reliable effect was found in
experiments performed in winter/spring (less stalk growth in the verum group in one case, no difference in 2
cases, and more growth in 3 cases). Overall verum stalk length (103.64%) was slightly greater than control
stalk length (100%). The effect size, however, was small (d = 0.45). The new data are in line with the 2007
findings, i.e. confirm that gibberellic acid 30x does influence stalk growth.
Peter Christian Endler, Christian Reich, Wolfgang Matzer, Thomas Reischl, Anna Maria Hartmann, Karin Thieves, Andrea Pfleger, Jürgen Hofäcker, Harald Lothaller, Waltraud Scherer-Pongratz
ABSTRACT
Control experiments were performed at different seasons of the year as a follow-up to pilot experiments [1]
where a homeopathic high dilution of gibberellic acid had influenced growth in a wheat bio assay (7 days).
Grains of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, Capo variety) were observed under the influence of extremely
diluted gibberellic acid (10-30) prepared by stepwise dilution and agitation according to a protocol derived from
homeopathy (“G30x”). Analogously prepared water was used for control (“W30x”). Following up on 5 pilot
experiments (4 in autumn 2007, 1 in spring 2008), 10 experiments were performed (5 in autumn 2008 or 2009
and 5 in winter 2009 or 2010) with a total of 9 experiments in autumn season (5 researchers, about 9,000
grains), and 6 in winter/spring (4 researchers, about 6,000 grains).
Germination rates after 7 days were slightly higher for the autumn experiments (96.1%) than for the
winter/spring experiments (94.8%) (p > 0,05), with a non significant trend of more seedlings having
germinated in the verum group in the autumn experiments (p > 0,05). All of the 9 autumn experiments (i.e.
pilot as well as repetition experiments) showed less stalk growth in the verum group (statistically significant
with p < 0.01 in 4, with p < 0.05 in 3 cases, trend in 2 cases). Mean stalk lengths (mm) were 46.97 + 20.50 for
the verum group and 50.66 + 19.77 for control (mean + S.D.) at grain level (N = 4,440 per group) and + 3.87
and + 3.38 (+ S.D.) respectively at dish level (217 cohorts of 20 or 25 grains per treatment group). In other
words, verum stalk length (92.72%) was 7.28% smaller than control stalk length (100%). The effect size (D
means : S.D.), calculated on the basis of dishes, was high (d = 1.02). In contrast, no reliable effect was found in
experiments performed in winter/spring (less stalk growth in the verum group in one case, no difference in 2
cases, and more growth in 3 cases). Overall verum stalk length (103.64%) was slightly greater than control
stalk length (100%). The effect size, however, was small (d = 0.45). The new data are in line with the 2007
findings, i.e. confirm that gibberellic acid 30x does influence stalk growth.