Intoxication of wheat seedlings with 50 mM NaCl and follow-up attempt to “cure” by extremely diluted NaCl (30cH)

Authors

  • P.C. Endler Interuniversity College Graz
  • Pia Lamest
  • Elke Liebig

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51910/ijhdr.v14i2.770

Keywords:

homeopathy, wheat stalk growth, NaCl, salt, high dilution

Abstract

Background: “High level of salinity deteriorates seed germination, growth and yield of crops in cultivated lands all over the world. There is no effective remedy to mitigate this global problemâ€, Mondal, Sukul et al.1 summed up the background of their study that led to the conclusion that homeopathically prepared, extremely diluted Natrum muriaticum (NaCl) 200cH promotes seed germination in seedlings of cowpea under salt stress.1 Aim: To investigate if the wheat germination model standardized at the Interuniversity College2,3 can be useful in investigating the NaCl issue; i.e. the study was not designed as a replication of the study by Mondal, Sukul et al.1 Methods: Grains of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) were observed under the influence of extremely diluted NaCl (10-60) prepared by stepwise dilution and agitation according to a protocol derived from homeopathy (“N30câ€). Analogously prepared water was used for control (“W30câ€). Grains (500 per group) were pretreated (intoxicated) with (non-agitated) NaCl 50mM (“Nâ€) or with water (“Wâ€) prior to treatment with N30c or W30c. Seedlings were allowed to develop under standardized conditions for 32 h; germination of stalks and of roots were monitored at intervals of 4 h. Results: With regard to intoxication, the groups treated with N exhibited less growth than the W control groups. With regard to the attempt to “cureâ€, the N+N30c group was not statistically different from the N+W30c group, and the W+N30c group was not statistically different from the W+W30c group. Conclusion: The hypothesis that treatment of wheat seedlings with the extreme dilution NaCl 30cH will “cure†the effect of previous intoxication with NaCl 50 mM on seed germination could not be accepted. If further experiments are to be performed on the wheat model, these should include different intoxication solutions (e.g. 100mM1), different treatment dilutions (e.g. 200cH1) or different durations of the experiment3. The use of cowpea1 instead of wheat should also be considered.

Author Biography

P.C. Endler, Interuniversity College Graz

Director of Interuniversity College Graz

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Published

2021-08-27

How to Cite

Endler, P., Lamest, P., & Liebig, E. (2021). Intoxication of wheat seedlings with 50 mM NaCl and follow-up attempt to “cure” by extremely diluted NaCl (30cH). International Journal of High Dilution Research - ISSN 1982-6206, 14(2), 04–06. https://doi.org/10.51910/ijhdr.v14i2.770