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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.
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