Jacqueline Cahoon wrote:
I was listening to NPR this morning in the car, a program called The
People's Pharmacy. They were discussing the pharmacological use of
cornmeal to treat fungal infections. The called who introduced the
topic mentioned that he also uses cornmeal worked into the soil
around his roses to prevent blackspot. Has anyone heard of this before?

replied:
No. Why would it work?
Blackspot is spread by spores that overwinter on the plant as well as
in the ground.

The research on cornmeal was done by the Texas A&M Research Station in
Stephenville. Dr. Joe McFarland headed that work before his retirement.
The discovery of cornmeal¹s fungal disease control came about by
noticing the peanut crops. Under research observation at the research
center these crops didn¹t have fungal diseases when they followed the
corn planting in rotation. Lab tests related to that later discovered
the beneficial organisms in cornmeal were as effective or more than
chemical fungicides at shutting down fungal diseases. That¹s why we now
recommend it for use on brown patch in St. Augustine grass, damping off
in seedlings, black spot on roses and many other fungal diseases.

Also Dr. Nick Christian¹s staff at Iowa State University discovered the
use of corn gluten meal for use as a natural weed and feed. Time to put
it out right now before weed seed germination, at 15-20 lbs. per 1,000
square feet.

[http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_org_research.php?id=32]
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