You might be interested in a newspaper clipping on sugar killing
nematodes I found in my Dad's copy of the 1959 edition of Encyclopedia
of Organic Gardening: The clipping is a column called Flowers and
Gardens in the Omaha World Herald, date unfortunately torn off. The
article reads:
Sugar in Soil
Destroys Pest . . .
Nematode 'Exploded'
in Plant Tests
By Dr. R. M. Carleton
A discovery just announced by the Department of Agriculture may be the
key to the defeat of the worst agricultural pest of much of the
nation--the nematode.
It is the discovery that if two parts of sugar are mixed with one
hundred parts of soil, nematodes in the soil literally explode. The day
after treatment, not a living nematode can be found.
The principle is extremely simple. It builds up in the soil a
concentration of a solution which is higher than the concentration of
fluid inside the nematode.
This causes fluids inside the nematode to flow out through its skin,
killing it.
The scientist who made this discovery was not trying to kill nematodes
but to find out whether he could feed plants with sugar solutions. Sugar
is used by plants for growth and a quick method of feeding this
substance might mean improved growth.
His test plants showed better growth, but not because they used the
extra sugar. It was due to the death of nematodes.
The method for treating soils for pot plants is simple: measure and mix
two parts of granulated sugar and one hundred parts of soil. This ought
to be done a week or two before the soil is used.
END OF ARTICLE
I wonder what ever became of this supposedly important 1950's discovery???
Bruce
[NAFEX] RE: Sugar that's not so sweet,
bruce, 06/02/2005