Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Healing Response to Disease
In addition to benefits that can come about as a result of improved growth and nutrition,
electricity can assist in boosting the tissue regeneration and the general self-healing
capabilities of plants as well.
While it has been known that electric fields have long been used in promoting healing in
people,itseemsreasonablethatsimilareffectscouldberealizedonplanttissuesaswell.In
mammals, for instance, one place where electricity is used in healing is in the accelerated
healing ofbones orskin wounds. After a traumatic bone orspinal injury,doctors have seen
greatbenefitfromelectrically-stimulatedboneregrowth.Thesamemethodshavealsobeen
applied to skin injuries, where electrodes applied to either side of a gaping wound have
beenfoundtonotonlyaccelerate therateofhealing,buttoreducethelevelofpainaswell.
With respect to plants, a number of research projects are going on covering the topic of
electrotherapy, or the healing of plant-based diseases with electricity. Since the purpose of
this topic is to focus on the acceleration aspects of plant growth, only a brief listing will be
presented.
Plants, like people, have been found to respond very favorably to electrotherapy. This can
be both a side-effect of soil-based or direct-to-plant electrostimulation. Below is a list of
some of the healing and rejuvenatory effects that can be realized:
• Destruction of parasites
• Prevention of root rot
• Reduction or prevention of frost damage
• Reduction or prevention of mildew and other fungi
• Revival after wilting
• Healing of blight
• Healing of phylloxera in grape vines
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• Destruction of superbugs like
E. coli
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• Prevention or treatment of chlorosis
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