Compositae

FERRUM SULPHURICUM

Sulphate of iron. FeSO4. Trituration of freshly prepared crystals or solution.

CLINICAL
Impaired photosynthesis, deformed flowers, straggly, twisted, deformed appearance. Tree cancer. Moulds and mildews, black point, septoria blotch.

GENERAL
Ferr. sul. corresponds, like Calc. carb., Calc. fluor and Silica fluor., to the condition of cancer in trees. Nutrients are not taken up. It may be suited to removing mercury from plants or modifying mercury uptake in plants. All symptoms are worse in summer, on warm days, at night and in the morning. Afternoons generally give the best appearance.

The roots may appear discoloured, red, or have bright red papular eruptions. Swelling of parts of the roots. There is a dry feeling under the epidermis of the root (in healthy plants, this is moist). Nutrient uptake is impaired or absent.
Moulds of all kinds; powdery mildews, downy mildew, grey mould of all species, sooty mould of all species, some black moulds. The exception here is slimy moulds which, on account of similarity in appearance, have been grouped with snails and slugs and covered by Helix t.

APPEARANCE

GREY MOULD (BOTRYTIS SPP.).

This fungus produces sclerotia and can be present throughout the whole year in plant debris. Grey furry surface indicates spore formation. Cool, humid conditions are required. The spores are spread by wind. All above ground parts are affected, although there is an affinity for fruit. Pears develop a soft brown rot and the spores develop typically grey and powdery, assuming conditions are favourable.

Dying flowers are often the first affected, from whence the fungus spreads. In cyclamen, attack begins usually at soil level because of the higher humidity. On lily leaves, oval or round spots, yellowish or reddish brown, and visible on both the top and bottom of the leaves. In damp conditions, the colour fades with an increase in size. Gradually, the spots converge, and the leaf dies. Stems can be spotted and break when they converge. Affected buds produce distorted flowers that wither and drop; many of them brown or destroyed. n humid conditions, spores will be formed.

POWDERY MILDEW (ALTERNARIA SPP.),

SOOTY MOULD-BLACK POINT (BIPOLARIS SPP.) FUNGI:

The embryo end of the growth darkens. It is caused by the two fungi and lives on decaying grasses and is very common. Spores are carried everywhere. Rain during grain development and filling enables the fungus to infect the seed or grain, and develops slowly during the ripening process. The grains may still used for seed stock because “the germination is rarely affected” (Grains R&D Corp., 1992).

However, this makes the grain more susceptible, and a larger amount of grain can be affected. Continued use of this infected seed will result in sterility and crop loss. It is better, when using infected seed, to spray shortly after seeding, with Ferrum phosphate to reduce infection and thus have clean seed for the next crop. In this way, resistance is built up and carried into the next generation, thus making susceptibility obsolete. What takes, through genetic engineering, enormous amounts of time and money can be achieved cheaply and quickly through homoeopathic treatment.

SEPTORIA BLOTCH (MYCOSPHAERELLA SPP., NO FUNGI)

Blotches on leaves, irregular in shape, tan to brown, occasionally silvery with yellow rims. Along leaf veins, blotches have straight margins. Black specks, which are fruiting bodies, can be seen inside the blotches. The fungus survives in wheat residues. After rain in fall, the spores are produced in great quantity, spread by wind, and can be carried over long distances in waterlogged areas, particularly in the hills, where spores are carried by running water. Infection is most likely in newly sown crops. After three weeks to a month, small black fruiting bodies form on the leaves. This is the time to spray Ferrum sul. In moist conditions spores are produced and are carried from leaf to leaf by rain splash. In heavy rainfall, crop loss of up to 30% has been recorded. It is much less likely to spread in dry spells lasting for up to a month. It does not affect grazing animals since it is a less lethal fungus than Secale or Ustilago. It is more similar to black spot than to ergot or smuts.

SEPTORIA NODORUM BLOTCH (LEPTOSPHAERIA NODORUM):

Blotches on leaves that are yellow or tan to brown, oval shaped, turning to grey as they enlarge. Leaves die with yellow tops. Chlorotic appearance. Fruiting bodies are grey-brown with specks within blotches. Later in the season the stems and glumes become infected. Heavy infection often results in loss of the whole ear. Grey and brown blotches with shriveling of the grain. Seed loss may be complete. Fruiting bodies with spores are frequently found on both stem nodes and glumes.
The fungus survives in stubble and stalk debris. It affects wheat, barley, barley grass and brome grass. Spores develop after rain and are wind dispersed over large areas. Early sown crops are easily infected. The ideal environment for infection is during warm, wet weather with heavy frequent rain. Spores spread from plant to plant by rain splash.

RELATIONS
Compare: Sul.,
Antidote to: Calc., Cup., Phos..
Inimical: Kali., Molyb., Phos..
Antidoted by: Cup., Mang., Zinc.

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V.D. Kaviraj is a Dutch homeopath, author, researcher and pioneer in Agrohomeopathy. He has written textbooks on various aspects of homeopathy including “Homeopathy for Farm and Garden”.