Foliar applications of alcohols failed to enhance growth and yield of C 3 crops

Abstract

Nonomura and Benson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 89, 1992, 9794–9798, applied methanol to foliage of numerous C 3 crops in the warm and arid growing conditions of Arizona, and established marked increases in biomass production and water-use efficiency. The main objectives of our experiments were to: (1) evaluate whether methanol and ethanol enhance growth of C 3 crops; (2) determine the most efficacious alcohol concentration for foliar application; (3) establish the optimal time and number of applications; and (4) assess whether methanol, which is toxic, could be substituted with ethanol. Experiments were done in the field and greenhouse conducted at Viikki Experimental Farm, University of Helsinki, Finland (60°13′N) in 1994 and 1995. Crops included spring cereals (barley, wheat, and oat), pea and summer turnip rape. Leaf chlorophyll content, fluorescence, phytomass, grain yield, hectoliter weight, thousand kernel weight, and harvest index were measured. The results from these experiments indicated that, in general, alcohols did not affect growth and yield in any of the crop species examined and therefore, seem to be ineffective as a growth enhancer.