The Influence of Lunar Phase on the Germination of Creole Corn in a Controlled Environment

Abstract

Although the influence of lunar phase on plant growth and development has been disregarded by most researchers, there is still little data in the literature regarding the influence of lunar phase within a controlled environment. Objective evaluates the influence of lunar phase on the germination of creole corn and on seedling development in a controlled environment. The experimental design was completely randomized with the following treatments: four lunar phases (full, waxing, waning and new), with four replications totaling 50 seeds per treatment. The treatments started on the first day of the waxing phase and extended to the full phase within the same month, respecting the germination period (nine days) and the length of each moon phase (roughly seven days). The following parameters were evaluated: germination rate, seedling length, fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots. Seedlings germinated during the waning lunar phase were longer and had greater fresh root weight and greater fresh and dry shoot weights than did seedlings germinated during the other phases. However, some limiting factors (long term experiments and in different places in the world) must be considered in future research to determine whether moon phase affects germination. Thus, longer-term, controlled, and modeled studies are needed to analyze external factors, which may influence the germination of cultivar seeds.