Radko Tichavsky is a Czech born Mexican Agrohomeopath. He is a co-founder and director of Instituto Comenius in Mexico and author of Handbook of Agrohomeopathy, 2007 (Spanish) and Homeopathy for Plants, 2009 (Spanish) and creator and teacher of Holohomeopathy.
Agrohomeopathy Course!
Radko Tichavskyi is now offering a one semester virtual course in Agrohomeopathy (in English). You can learn how to define and analyze holons and how to repertorize the specific homeopathic treatment beyond just disease or pest names. You can find out more here: www.icomenius.edu.mx
A Materia Medica and Repertory for Plants: Mark Moodie hosts the website “Considera”, which provides a growing M.M and Repertory for plants and discusses resources for biodynamics and Agrohomeopathy .The website allows the world community to contribute their experiences in planting.
Greetings Mr. Tichavsky,
I have a rice crop in Tamil Nadu, India. The last two years it was infected with Rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) and rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV). plant stunting, yellow or orange discoloration of leaves, and reduced tiller number. The discoloration starts from the leaf tip and extends to the lower part. Discoloured leaves may have irregular, small, dark-brown blotches. The plant growth is stunted and there is a yellow color to the leaves, sometimes with brown blotches. The weather is rather hot except at Monsoon time. It is a tropical climate. Can you make any suggestions for the future?
Thank you
Ahsan
Radko Tichavsky:
Dear Ahsan,
The RTBV and RTSV virus are really little studied. The probable transmitter agent (vector) is the leafhopper Nephotettix virescens, so control of leafhoppers is essential in your crop, mainly to avoid reinfections. You can apply Allium sativum 12 C, Apium graveolens 12 CH or Foeniculum vulgare 12 CH sprayed in the crop with vegetable oil as adjuvant in periods of rain and with sap of Opuntia ficus-indica as adjuvant in time of great sun. This virus is believed to be lodged in wild plants around the rice crops and is not transmitted by the sap or by the seeds.
One possibility to eliminate it, is to switch from one rice variety to another more resistant one, or to perform holohomeopathic treatment that broadens the epigenetic response of the plant to the virus. The virus by definition is not alive, it is a DNA or RNA detachment, and in the case of RTSV it is a DNA pararetrovirus, and in the case of RTBV it is a double-stranded DNA virus. You can treat the seeds with Vitis vinifera 12 CH (made of fruits, seeds and leaves) and in young rice plants apply Camelia sinensis 6 CH, made from hydroalcoholic mother tincture from black tea leaves. Apply it in irrigation or by spraying, once the plants emerge, with sap of Opuntia ficus-indica as adjuvant on the rice crops and also over the native plants around your crops. It is also very important to perform crop alternation and not plant the rice in consecutive crops in the same place.
Dear Radko Tichavsky,
We live in the city of Bakersfield in Southern California (U.S.) The Postal Code is 93314. Some of our apple trees have the bacterial disease called Fire Blight ( Erwinia amylovora ). The leaves and tips of the branches turn brown (sometimes black). The bark has reddish lesions from which an orange-brown liquid seeps out. Is there something we can do about those trees, or to prevent other trees from being infected? It’s sunny about 270 days of the year and the temperature ranges from 56- 97 F. We get about 6.4 inches of rain a year.
Thank you
Martin Abelman
Radko Tichavsky:
Dear Martin,
It is possible to prevent the Erwinia amylovora by induction of Systemic Activated Resistance (SAR) in the plants. The remedy has to be applied when the plant has green buttons just before flowering. In order to prevent bacterial infections, it is very important to maintain very good mulching under the trees, and avoid an excessive fertilization of nitrogen. To correct the excess apply Carbo vegetabilis 6 CH. The homeopathic remedies used to prevent Erwinia amylovora are Salix alba (elaborated from bark of young branches of this tree) and Paeonia lactiflora (elaborated from the root of this plant). Both remedies are used in low potency between 6-12 CH. The remedies used in the treatment of infected trees are Kalium phosphoricum, Colocynthis, Laurus nobilis (made from fruits), Citrulus lanatus (made from watermelon roots). In the case of a major infection by the Erwinia a., injections of Kalium phosphoricum 6 CH into the xylem are performed on all four sides of the trunk approximately 25 cm above the soil.
Dear Mr. Tichavsky,
We live in Port St. Lucie, in South Florida , U.S. Our zip code is 34945. Some of our Palm trees developed Bud rot, which is caused by the fungus Phytophthora palmivora. The leaves turn brown, there is also yellowing and the leaves wither. The buds that are dying emit a very bad odor. It seems to be worse when we’ve had excessive rains. The climate is tropical. May to October is the rainy season. In summer the temperature often goes to 900 Fahrenheit. Is there anything you can suggest?
Thank you
Norma
Radko Tichavsky:
Dear Norma,
The problem of Phytophthora palmivora is intensified due to the combination of two factors: rainy weather and wind gusts (for example during the hurricane season) and it attacks a large number of tropical plants including papaya, citrus, coconuts, durian, but also cocoa, pineapple, oil palm, fig, cotton, pepper, yucca, rosemary, lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, lime, olive, nutmeg and lavender. Some other plants also serve as a fungus reservoir and later its spores are dispersed by the wind.
For a control of this disease it is very important to recognize the symptoms early. The homeopathic remedies indicated for this symptomatology in palms are Daucus carota (elaborated from root and carrot seeds) Selenium metallicum and Yodium at low potencies sprayed on the palm crown, which is the most sensitive part for the attacks of fungus. Applications have to be made after continuous rain or hurricane season. It is also important to control the pest of Rhynchophorus palmarum, living in the soil near the palms, as its habit is oviposite inside the crown and helps reinfection with the fungus. In this case Azadirachta indica 6 CH is applied to the soil around the palms, with a little palm oil as adjuvant.
Hello Mr. Tichavsky,
I have had a small maidenhair fern houseplant in the Boston, Massachusetts area (very close to the ocean) since November. The last two months I had to change where the plant was located in my apartment. It is receiving the same amount of indirect light, a healthy amount I think. I water it the same amount as before I moved it, from the bottom, letting the plant sit in a container with water in it for a day or two. I water every 5-7 days, whenever the pot feels light again. I also use worm casings for fertilizer every now and then as I did before a fungus developed. Within the past few weeks it has developed a white crystalline looking fungus on the soil. Also, overall, the plant does not appear to be thriving very well. Please help save my little plant! Ferns are sensitive, I have heard.
Thank you
Raina Siladi, CCHcand
Radko Tichavsky:
Dear Raina,
The Adiantum spp. (Maidenhair fern) are usually plants very resistant to fungi and moderately sensitive to salinity. First you must ensure good drainage of the soil, which will help to minimize the fungus. The best soil mix consists of 2 parts peat moss to 1 part loam to 2 parts sand, adding 2 tablespoons of ground limestone (for every 15cm) to change the pH and get good drainage. You can apply Silicea terra 6 CH in irrigation water to finish correcting the problem.
