Abstract
M.Tech.
The tobacco species Nicotiana tabacum has been cultivated in South Africa since 1657, South Africa is considered to be a major producer and exporter of tobacco worldwide. The chlorine percentage of the leaf is very important to cigarette manufacturers when purchasing tobacco from farmers, as a high chlorine percentage value affects the burning quality of the cigarette. The chlorine percentage of the leaves depends on many factors such as rainfall, fertilizer, soil content of chlorine and irrigation. If tobacco with a high chlorine content is not phased out, South African tobacco will lose its export value and the value of the farmers crop may decrease by up to 35%.
The research study was undertaken to establish the effect of an isopathically prepared treatment, Chlorine 9CH, on the chlorine percentage levels of (growing) Nicotiana tabacum plants.
The research was conducted on the farm J151 in Marble Hall, Mpumalanga from 15 November 2004 to 4 March 2005. Two groups each containing fifty plants were randomly chosen to serve as the Control and Experimental group. There was an initial control period of four weeks during which two Pre-tests were performed on ten plants in each group at two week intervals. The experimental component of the study took place over two months during which the Experimental group was treated with Chlorine 9CH via a knapsack and the Control group was treated with filtered water only via a knapsack sprayer. Both groups were treated twice daily. During the experimental component, two Post-tests were performed on ten plants from each group (at week 8 and week 12) and the third Post-test was performed on the cured leaves the final row of each group (at week 12 and week 14).