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How does Agnihotra Enrich the soil fertility ?
Swamidham Trust is promoting Homa Organic Farming by introducing Vedic scientific techniques to agricultural practices. It is a system of land cultivation based on the Vedic life sciences.
This has been demonstrated by farmers across the world to improve plant health, soil fertility, and nutrient density of fruits and vegetables.
Use of ash (burned dried-twigs of plants; cow dung; vegetable waste, etc.) in fields to increase crop production is a common practice in India since ancient time. Agnihotra ash when applied to seeds, it enhances germination process with the increase in plant growth. In vitro experiments were conducted by Abhang.
While that of actual field experiments were done by Devi (2004) on rice seeds and Punam (2012) on lemon grass. Seeds of moong (Vigna radiata) when treated with Agnihotra ash show faster germination as compared to control ashes (cow dung ash, rice ash, normal ash).
Treatment with Agnihotra ash influences rice seed germination from primary stage, i.e., radical emergence from seed coat due to its higher rate of increase in respiration, which was measured in terms of shoot and root length with fresh and dry weight.
Efficacy of Agnihotra in accelerating rice seed germination is not dependent on seasonal variations; it is effective in summer, winter and autumn as well as in adverse conditions also.
A traditional farming system utilizes organic homa farming or Agnihotra technology to maintain disease free local crops. Farmers utilize their indigenous knowledge about Agnihotra or homa farming to predict harvesting conditions, seasons, crops
behavior, soil conditions and other factors. It shows complex interactions between the environment and farmers. Agnihotra technology is nature-friendly and is about the agricultural, environment, animal and other plant welfare, farming communities, use of sensible energy, conservation of soil and water, etc. Grape seeds show increase germination rate in the environment of Agnihotra. The time required for germination can be reduced, i.e., dormancy will break faster due to Agnihotra treatment. Fumes of
Agnihotra may contain signal molecules required to break dormancy and for seed germination. Plants became disease free, and hence, there is an increase in plant growth and ultimately there is an increase in yield and productivity. There is no any loss during grape harvesting process due to Agnihotra treatment. Agnihotra is also helpful in the production of raisins from grapes. It ensures reduced microbial count in
area hence raisins remains disease free. The process of drying of grapes is faster in Agnihotra atmosphere. During cultivation of mushroom, the straw substrate when supplemented with Agnihotra ash, show increase in the nutritive values and yield of
mushroom. Carbohydrate, amino acid and protein content of fruiting bodies increased along with size and fresh weight of mushroom due to the addition of Agnihotra ash. Biological efficiency and biological profile of mushrooms increase due to the addition of
ash in the substrate during its cultivation. The time required for harvesting spawns significantly reduced due to the addition of Agnihotra ash.
Homa farming with Agnihotra and Tryambakam Yajnya shows an increase in growth and yield of soybean plants. Biosol, a special organic fertilizer prepared by using ash of Agnihotra when applied as foliar application shows an increase in organic carbon, phosphorus, copper, manganese, iron, zinc, total protein and oil content. There is a drastic increase in soil dehydrogenase activity as well as the decrease in insect attack and incidence of rust in the plant due to the application of Tryambakam Yajnya
ash and foliar application of Agnihotra ash. Due to the use of Agnihotra ash as a Biosol, there is an accumulation of dry matter in stem and increase in plant growth in terms of shoot and root lengths. Root nodules formation enhances due to the application of
Agnihotra ash in the soybean plant. Tryambakam Yajnya ash treated seeds along with the foliar application of Agnihotra ash as Biosol, increases yield and productivity of soybean by providing necessary trace metals and other elements due to which there is
an increase in metabolism. Increased metabolic rate is responsible for expression of proteins and increase in production of enzymes due to which plant become resistant against pathogenic attack.
Agnihotra fumes accelerated the germination of rice seeds. There is an increase in root length, shoot length, dry weight and fresh weight of rice plant after treatment with Agnihotra. Statistical records suggest that there is a predominant increase in the shoot
length as compared to other parameters due to the treatment of Agnihotra.
A comparative study between seeds treated with Agnihotra and non-treated (i.e. (a)
without fire and mantra, (b) with only fire and (c) with the only mantra) revealed that chanting of mantra as well as the ignition of fire both contribute to Agnihotra for the increase in germination rate a plant growth. Major operational parts of Agnihotra are chanting of mantra at sunrise or sunset timings and ignition of fire, both shows interactive effects and not merely additive effects. Emission of fumes after
combustion of Agnihotra materials alters the composition of surrounding environment. This change in environment influences the emergence of radical
from the seed coat, the first stage of seed germination.
This may be due to the increase in respiration rate of seeds after imbibition. Noticeable results of growth which is not relying on seasonal variation; they are similar in winter, summer as well as autumn.
Treatment with Agnihotra to the seeds neutralizes adverse environmental conditions, resulted in normal germination of seeds and plant growth as compared to control (seeds germinated in an adverse environment). Homa organic farming which is done by performing Agnihotra increases yield and productivity of horticultural crops like rose, gerbera, carnation, etc. Flower diameter, height and fresh weight increases with a higher shelf life of rose, carnation and gerbera plants due to fumes Agnihotra. The
productivity of cabbage and potato increases due to the performance of Agnihotra and use of homa farming practices. Horticultural crops become disease free due to the reduction of insect attack and microbial control by the performance of Agnihotra in
a field. Agnihotra ash increases soil nutritive value which might be responsible for the increase in nutritive value, yield, and productivity along with the quality of crop. Agnihotra ash mixed with yellow soil enhances the yield of Zea mays (maize) by
regulating the growth of crops. Homa atmosphere shows a drastic increase in productivity of guava fruits with high quality as compare to other organic
and normal farming systems.
Agnihotra ash treatment shows better productivity and quality of lemon grass as compared to other organic inputs (viz. vermicompost, neem powder and farm-yard manure). Comparative Homa and Biodynamic farming, i.e., addition of Agnihotra ash during sowing with respect to moon positions resulted in higher yield and oil content in the lemon grass as compared to control (sowing without moon positions). Both Agnihotra ash and moon positions may contribute to plant growth by higher germination rate, higher water absorption, and increase in plant metabolism.
Agnihotra may contribute towards plant growth by adding healthier chemical, physical and biological condition to the soil and in ambient environment. Dormancy of plants is broken in Agnihotra atmosphere and there is an appearance of new leaves.
Fumes and ash of Agnihotra may alter metabolic activities of plant cells; they provide necessary signal molecules as well as trace metals required for expression of different enzymes which may alter metabolism, hence break dormancy and affect plant
growth. Materials used in Agnihotra are responsible for the production of medicinal fumes, which are responsible for the healthy growth of a plant.
Comparative study between Agnihotra performed by using polished and unpolished (brown) rice revealed that there is no breaking of dormancy, rapid cell division, new leaves arise and cause yellowing of leaves is also faster in plants due to fumes of polished rice, while there is breaking of dormancy, no insect attack, increase in plant metabolism and hence increase in growth, generation of new green healthy leaves and increase in distance between internodal regions. Agnihotra fumes, as well as ash, maintained shoot-root balance in plants according to surrounding environment and seasonal variations.
Agnihotra ash contains ions of potassium, calcium, aluminum, iron and magnesium in readily soluble forms, which acts as macronutrients or micronutrients and is essential for plant growth. Although more amount of phosphorus is available in the soil, most of it is not in soluble form; hence, it will not be utilized by plants. Application of Agnihotra ash increases soluble phosphate content in the soil. There is a great impact of Agnihotra mantra and sunrise/sunset timings on Agnihotra ash. Use of Agnihotra ash prepared by chanting of mantras at proper timings show an increase in phosphate content as compared to control (i.e. Ash prepared without mantra and not at
proper timings), hence, it directly affects the plant growth. Agnihotra enhances soil nutritive value or fertility by controlling a microbial load. Nitrogen fixing and phosphate solubilizing bacteria get increased due to the addition of Agnihotra ash into the soil. At the same time ash also kills the fungal pathogens. This will directly affect on yield and productivity of crops growing in the field.
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