HOMA FARMING  - AGNIHOTRA AND GRAPES

Excerpts from the report of

Dr. B. G. Bhujbal
Research Officer Maharashtra State
Grape Growers' Association, Poona, India


Grapes are a difficult crop to grow under Maharashtra's climatic conditions and also equally difficult to study. I have been associated with research work on grapes while studying for my M.Sc. degree at the University of Poona, India since 1967. Various problems faced by the workers then, were finally put before the research team at the Agricultural College, Poona.  I have been observing the results of that work. It was reported that the germination of hybrid grape seeds had been very late and low. When I conducted hundreds of crosses at the Ganeshkhind Fruit Experimental Station, Poona-7 and sowed the seeds after treatment by advanced techniques which included hormones, scarification, stratification etc., the results were discouraging. The germination percentage was very low, i.e. below 20 % and some of the seeds even took 300 days for germination.
Meanwhile I came to learn of Agnihotra and Homa Therapy farming and thought why not have a trial of this therapy in grape research. I had read previously that the no-moon day was the best day for seed treatment and sowing. With this background and not to miss the opportunity I collected seeds of the Anab-e-shahi, Pandhari Sahebi and Kali Sahebi varieties, local vinifera varieties, as well as some crossed seeds which were collected using the Thompson seedless variety as a male parent to make the cross. Some unrooted cuttings of local grape varieties were also collected for additional treatments.
Experimental Plot
All the seeds and the unrooted cuttings were kept in an environment open to Agnihotra fumes. As far as mantras were concerned, I began with the "Tryambakam" Mantra and Homa continued for 2 hours, after which the samples were treated with Agnihotra ash and then put into pots ready for planting. An untreated lot of samples served as a control.
Observations
It was indeed a surprise not only to me and my wife but also to friends who had been laughing at my experiments to observe the first seedlings sprouting on the 21st day of sowing. Some of the recorded observations are given in a table below.
The second experiment concerned making raisins. At present, raisin-making is not carried out in Maharashtra except on an experimental basis using the dehydration and sun-drying methods. I collected a few bunches of grapes from growers and hung them in the environment where I was performing Agnihotra. Similar clusters were kept with the growers for making raisins using their own method of sun-drying. After 21 days the drying was almost complete, and after 35 days I collected the clusters and tested them. The raisins were very good in appearance and taste. Special interest rallied around the evidence that the raisins prepared from the Anabe-shahi variety and having low TSS contact were also good. Equally good results were obtained by the Thompson seedless variety growing in the Agnihotra environment as compared to those varieties generally available in the market.
Another experiment was performed in a grower's field. Mr. Pundlik Khode, a small farmer from the village of Pimpalgaon-Baswant, Nasik District had been much worried about his crop and was doubtful regarding repayment of his bank loan obtained for the vineyard. Agnihotra was done regularly and Agnihotra ash was applied to his vines. The observations which were recorded at harvest time proved very good. The grower, Mr. Khode, had never believed in such a possibility until he saw the actual results. The individual berry as well as the cluster was superior in color, taste, sweetness and weight. About 150 observers said that the crop was the best in that locality.

EFFECTS

REGULAR FERTILIZING PRACTICE

ONLY AGNIHOTRA

REGULAR FERTILIZING AND AGNIHOTRA

Seed germination

More than 6 months required for germination

21 to 28 days required

***

Rooting of cutting

80 % rooting

100 % rooting

100 % rooting

Bunch development

Av. bunch wt. 0.45 Kg.

Av. bunch wt. 0.45 Kg.

Av. bunch wt. 0.525 Kg.

Disease

More disease

No disease

Less disease

Colour

Green yellow

Golden yellow

Pale yellow

Quality

TSS 22 %

TSS 24 %

TSS 23 %

Loss of harvest

About 30 % loss

No loss

10 % loss