J. L. HUDSON, SEEDSMAN, BOX 337, LA HONDA, CALIFORNIA 94020-0337 USA
2009 GIBBERELLIC ACID PRICELISTGIBBERELLIC ACID KITS and SUPPLIES
Kits and Supplies
Gibberellic Acid-3 Information Sheet
GA-3 Quick-Start Instructions
Is GA-3 Natural and Organic?
Safety
We are the original home of GA-3 and GA-3 Kits made available to the public for seed germination.
Other sites copy our Gibberellic Acid Information and Instructions on their websites, but rest
assured that you have come to the original source!
Gibberellic Acid-3 (GA-3) is a naturally occurring plant growth regulator which
may cause a variety of effects including the stimulation of seed germination in some cases. GA-3
occurs naturally in the seeds of many species and is produced commercially by growing Gibberella
fujikuroi fungus cultures in vats, then extracting and purifying the GA-3. Presoaking seeds in
GA-3 solution will in many cases cause the rapid germination of many types of highly dormant seeds
which would otherwise need cold treatment, after-ripening or aging, or other prolonged
pretreatments. Many different types of dormancy are overcome with GA-3, and we are having excellent
results with many ordinarily difficult seeds, including some types which we have never before
succeeded with. Not all seeds respond well. A great deal of research needs to be done to determine
which species benefit, and the proper concentration of GA-3 for each type. We are pleased to offer
the following kits which contain everything you need to presoak seeds and study GA-3 effects.
For information on using GA-3 to germinate seed, see our Gibberellic
Acid Information Sheet, below, and our GA-3 Quick-Start
Instructions.
GA-3 is safe to use. It is naturally present in many foods, is routinely
sprayed on food crops, and is approved by most organic
certification programs.
Sold for the study of seed germination only.
—GA-3 BASIC KIT: $19.00, plus postage and packing.
ADD Postage and Packing: USA & Canada: $3.50, All other countries: $8.00
for Airmail. Shipping weight 9 oz.
Contains two 100mg packets of 90% pure GA-3, each packet being sufficient to treat about 50 - 100
packets, or 100 to 200 grams (3 - 7 oz) of seed, depending on type. Includes two 125ml HDPE bottles
for the 500ppm and 1000ppm stock solutions, 100 2x2" zip poly bags and 100 10cm filter papers
for the presoak, dispo-pipettes, dispo-gloves, culture tubes, and full instructions including the
Deno Method and the Bertrand Method. Items would cost over $30.00 if ordered separately.
—GA-3 ADVANCED KIT: $55.00, plus postage and packing.
ADD Postage & Packing: USA & Canada: $14.00. All Other Countries: $25.00 for Airmail. Shipping weight 2 1/2 lb (40 oz).
Contains one 1000mg packet of 90% pure GA-3, sufficient to treat 500 - 1000 packets, or 1000 - 2000
grams (35 - 70 oz) of seed, depending on type. Includes two 1000ml dispensing bottles for the 500ppm
and 1000ppm stock solutions, 300 2x2" zip poly bags and 300 10cm filter papers for the presoak,
20 6ml culture tubes, 20 60mm petri dishes, dispo-pipettes, dispo-gloves, and full instructions
including the Deno Method and the Bertrand Method. Items would cost $90.00 ordered separately.
90% GA-3 PREMEASURED PACKETS
Full instructions included. All count as one packet for figuring postage.
—100mg (for 100ml 1000ppm)........................ | $5.00 |
—500mg (for 1 liter 500ppm).......................... | $10.00 |
—1000mg (for 1 liter 1000ppm)...................... | $15.00 |
—5 grams Bulk Pack....................................... | $60.00 |
—10 grams Bulk Pack..................................... | $100.00 |
SUPPLIES FOR GA-3 RESEARCH
Add postage according to
shipping weight.
—Filter Paper 10cm, per 100. 2 Oz................. | $9.00 |
—Zip Poly Bags 2x2", per 100. 3 Oz............... | $2.50 |
—Dispo-Pipettes 5 pack. 1 Oz.......................... | $3.00 |
—Dispo-Gloves 5 pair. 3 Oz............................. | $2.50 |
—Culture Tubes 6ml, 10 pack. 2 Oz................ | $3.50 |
—Culture Tubes 25 pack. 4 Oz........................ | $7.00 |
—Culture Tubes 100 pack. 12 Oz.................... | $25.00 |
—Petri Dishes 60mm 20 pack. 6 Oz................. | $15.00 |
—125ml HDPE Bottle. 2 Oz............................. | $3.00 |
—1000ml Dispensing Bottle. 5 Oz.................... | $10.00 |
For More Information on GA-3.
Get the book 'Seed Germination, Theory and Practice', available for $20.00 postpaid worldwide
from: Dr. Norman C. Deno, 139 Lenor Dr., State College, PA 16801. Describes testing 4000 species and
gives pre-germination requirements, plus how to use GA-3. Two supplements listing additional species
have been published, and are available for $15.00 each postpaid.
GIBBERELLIC ACID-3 INFORMATION SHEET
THE HISTORY, ORIGIN AND USES OF GIBBERELLINS
Gibberellins were discovered by Japanese plant pathologists studying
"bakanae" disease ("foolish seedling") of rice, in which seedlings grow
elongated and die. In 1898 Shotaro Hori demonstrated that it was caused by a fungus, now known as Gibberella
fujikuroi. In 1926 Eiichi Kurosawa reported that a chemical produced by the fungus caused the
symptoms, and that the substance was heat-resistant, not losing its activity after 4 hours at 100°C
(212°F). In 1935 Teijiro Yabuta first isolated a non-crystalline solid and named it Gibberellin. In
1938, Yabuta and Yusuke Sumiki first isolated a crystalline compound from the cultured fungus.
Since this time, 79 different gibberellins have been isolated, many of these from the seeds of a
wide variety of species. Gibberellic acid-3 (GA-3) is the most widely used, and is produced
commercially by growing the fungus in huge vats and then extracting and purifying the GA-3.
Many different gibberellins are present in common plants. Rice contains fourteen GAs, and rice
anthers contain up to 3.4 micrograms of GA-4 per gram fresh weight. Maize (corn) seed contains
twelve GAs, maize pollen 9 GAs, wheat and barley contain 5, and 4 day old wheat seedlings contain
11. GAs are produced in the roots of onions and act as bulb suppressants, preventing the swelling of
the bulb until the proper time. GAs control sex differentiation in cucurbits, spinach, hemp, and
maize. GAs control shoot elongation in many plants, and dwarf forms of some plants are due to GA
deficiencies. Developing peach seeds are rich in GA-32 and extracts have been used to induce
flowering in Xanthium and Perilla. Ferns produce GA-related compounds called
antheridiogens which trigger antheridia formation.
Gibberellins are used in agriculture for various purposes. GA-3 is sprayed on seedless grapes to
increase grape size and yield, and it is used on navel oranges, lemons, blueberries, sweet and tart
cherries, artichokes and other crops to decrease or increase fruit set, delay rind aging, etc. These
effects are highly dependent on concentration and stage of plant growth. For example, 0.02
micrograms GA-3 promotes flowering of dwarf Ipomoea nil, but 2 - 20 micrograms inhibits
flowering. Ten micrograms of GA-3 applied to pea seedlings nearly doubled shoot length if applied at
3 days old, but barely affected 9 day old seedlings. GA-3 and GA-13 trigger female cone formation in
almost all Taxodiaceae and Cupressaceae— an 8 month old seedling of Sequoiadendron
produced a female cone after weekly GA applications. Extremely small amounts of GAs may cause
effects- as little as 2 nanograms (billionths of a gram) can trigger cone formation in a Cupressus
arizonica shoot-tip. The Pinaceae do not form cones with GA-3, but need GA-4, 7 & 9.
This property is used to speed up tree-breeding programs. GA is used to trigger flowering of sweet
potatoes in breeding programs, to help tomatoes set fruit at high temperatures in the tropics, &
to stimulate flowering in the Araceae, such as in breeding taro. GA-3 applied to seed of
chinese cabbage overcomes the need for chilling or long days to trigger flowering, so is used in the
tropics for breeding.
Developing seeds are active sites of GA biosynthesis, and studies have found increases in GA levels
in seeds during cold treatment and germination. The germination of old seeds has been improved with
use of GA. Applied GA-3 may trigger dormant seed germination, in many cases overcoming the need for
special or prolonged dormancy-breaking conditions such as cold. treatment, light, after-ripening,
etc. We have designed these kits for the study of this effect.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND RECORDKEEPING
While many ordinarily difficult seeds will readily germinate using GA-3,
it may kill other seeds or produce badly etiolated (elongated) seedlings that will not survive. Some
species will be killed by 1000ppm (parts per million), not affected by 500ppm, but 750ppm will
produce healthy seedlings. The aim of your research is to determine which species benefit, and what
treatment will produce healthy, normal seedlings and plants. Each type of seed should have a control
- a test of untreated seed to compare against the GA-3 treated test. Otherwise, you will have no
way of knowing whether GA-3 made a difference. We keep records on 3x5 cards, with the name of the
plant, seed source and date or year of harvest, the number of seeds tested, the treatment given, and
the date test begun. As the seeds germinate, the number of seedlings, their condition and the date
are recorded on the card. Often we record the control test on the left side and the GA-3 test on the
right side of the same card, for easy comparison. Once GA-3 is found to help a particular species,
the next step is to test different concentrations to find the best solution to use. Please share
your results with us! Follow-up observations should include whether the plants develop, mature and
bloom normally, since occasionally GA-3 will cause lifetime effects in the plant, as we have seen
with the chinese cabbage mentioned. Also note that if GA-3 is used for many generations of a plant,
this may cause natural selection and result in a strain that will not germinate without added GA-3.
Your best source of information on using GA-3 to stimulate seed germination is Seed Germination,
Theory and Practice, available for $20.00 postpaid worldwide from the author: Dr. Norman C. Deno,
139 Lenor Dr., State College, PA 16801 USA. We wish every one of our customers would get this book -
it absolutely will increase your success with seeds. It reports the results of testing over 4000
species, and a supplement is available. Get this book! Two supplements listing
additional species have been published, and are available for $15.00 each postpaid. This book will absolutely increase your success with seeds! NOTE: We do not sell Deno's book - you must order it directly from him.
THE DENO METHOD
Developed by Dr. Norman Deno, this method dispenses with making stock
solutions, so you may store the powdered GA-3 for long periods, and avoid discarding unused
solution. For full details you should consult Deno's book.
Briefly, a high wet-strength paper towel is folded in half 3 times to give a pad about 2 1/2 x 4
1/2" and is moistened with water. The last fold is opened, and a 3 x 3" piece of
polyethylene cut from a plastic bag is placed in the center. A 2 1/2 x 2 1/2" piece of toweling
is folded into a pad 1/2 x 1" and moistened with about 6 drops of water, and this is placed on
the polyethylene. The seeds are placed on this inner pad and 1 cubic millimeter of the GA-3 powder
is sprinkled on the pad. "This amount of GA-3 is about the amount that can be balanced on
the 1/2mm tip of a toothpick using a type of toothpick that is pointed at both ends."—Deno.
This produces about a 1000ppm solution, and the outer pad is placed in a plastic bag and provides
the humidity to prevent the inner pad from drying out. The amount of GA-3 can be varied as well as
the time of exposure. The seeds can be germinated directly on the pad and removed as soon as they
sprout to avoid overexposure. Advantages of this method are ease and extreme efficiency of use of
GA-3. The disadvantage is variation in concentration of GA-3 due to difficulties 'eyeballing' the
amount on the end of the toothpick. For slightly larger amounts of seed, I have used a paperclip
with one end bent outwards and flattened with a hammer, and the tip bent at right angles to form a
tiny scoop measuring slightly over lx2mm. A rounded pile of GA-3 on this is about 1 milligram, which
is added to 1 ml (about 17 - 20 drops) to make 1000ppm. Again, everyone should get Deno's book!
THE BERTRAND METHOD
Developed by Stephen Bertrand, proprietor of The Perennial Flower Farm in
northern Iowa, this is an efficient method for treating large numbers of seeds. Unbleached or
oxygen-process whitened (chlorine-free) coffee filters are cut into 3" squares (larger for
larger amounts of seed), and folded diagonally. The seed is placed in the center, the ends folded
towards the center, and the top folded over and tucked in (jewelers fold). The name of the seed or a
number can be written on the fold with indelible pen. GA-3 solution is placed in the wells of a
small plastic cocktail-type ice cube tray (the type for tiny cubes), or in a regular ice cube tray
for large amounts of seed. Each seed fold is placed in a well to wick. up the solution. If different
concentrations of GA-3 are being tested at the same time, only every other well is used, to prevent
cross-mixing. After 24 hours the folds are removed, blotted dry on a pad of toweling, and either
sown or placed in new folds for pre-chilling (cold treatment) as described in Deno's book. The
advantage of this method is that the GA-3 concentration can be accurately controlled, a necessity
for certain seeds. The disadvantage is that the solution will eventually break down, resulting in
decreasing concentrations or waste of solution.
PREPARING SOLUTIONS
The basic stock solution of 1000ppm (parts per million) is prepared by
dissolving GA-3 in water at a rate of 1mg (milligram, one thousandth of a gram) in 1 ml (milliliter,
one thousandth of a liter). Therefore, a 100mg packet is dissolved in 100ml of water or a little
less than 1/2 cup (0.42 cup), a 500mg packet in 500ml (2.1 cups), or a 1000mg (=1 gram) packet in
1000ml (=1 liter, or about 1 quart plus 1 cup) water. Distilled water is best. Home measuring cups
are often not accurate - I tested one with very accurate-looking scales on the side, and found it
off by 20%! Good quality Pyrex glass measuring cups seem most accurate. GA-3 is slow to dissolve and
may need prolonged stirring. You can just stir it in, then leave it overnight and it should be
dissolved by morning. Some workers dissolve it first in a tiny amount of acetone or rubbing alcohol,
then add the water. Other concentrations are prepared by diluting this stock solution. To make
500ppm, mix equal amounts of 1000ppm and water. To make 750ppm, mix equal amounts of 1000ppm and
500ppm. To make 375ppm, mix equal parts 750ppm and water, and so on. Tiny amounts of these dilutions
for individual tests may be made up drop-wise - five drops 1000ppm plus five drops water to make
500ppm, etc.
Many workers use 1000ppm for everything, but this may be too strong for many seeds. Stephen
Bertrand, after many years experience using GA-3, reports that he uses 500ppm for most species, due
to less trouble with excessive elongation of seedlings, followed by 1000ppm, and lesser amounts of
the 750ppm and 375ppm solutions. With many seeds, he says that a few in each lot will etiolate
(elongate excessively), and the trick is to find the solution giving the most healthy seedlings.
Solutions of GA-3 are said to break down with time or exposure to sunlight, so store in a dark
place. Kept in the dark it stores for years. We have tested solution stored at room temperature for
4 years and found it fully active.
USING YOUR KIT
Read the Bertrand Method and the Deno Method, and decide which you want to
use. If you use the Deno Method, do not prepare the solutions. Prepare a work area by laying down
newspaper to catch spills. Each kit contains two bottles, marked 500ppm and 1000ppm. Each bottle has
two marks on the side; at 50ml and 100ml in the small kit, and at 500ml and 1000ml in the large kit.
Place the contents of one GA-3 package in the bottle labeled 1000ppm, and fill with water to the top
mark. Shake or leave overnight till dissolved, making the 1000ppm solution. To prepare the 500ppm
solution, pour half the 1000ppm solution into the other bottle, filling it to the lower mark. Add
water to fill to the upper mark, making 500ppm. Store solutions away from sunlight, and out of reach
of children.
In our adaptation of the Bertrand Method, the seeds are folded up in the filter paper circles,
placed in the 2x2" poly bags, and the appropriate solution added. Use enough to completely wet
the seeds and paper and leave extra for the seeds to absorb. For larger amounts of seed, place in a
culture tube and add solution to 1 1/2 times seed depth. Leave seed for 24 hours and add solution if
needed. Most seeds absorb about their own weight, but some absorb much more, up to 20 times their
own weight. Culture tubes should be kept horizontal to prevent seeds from jamming in the tube as
they swell. After 24 hours the papers and seed are removed and blotted dry and sown as per the
Bertrand Method, or germinated on toweling as per the Deno Method. Alternate dilutions can be
prepared drop-wise with the dispo-pipettes, which average about 20 drops per milliliter, and are
marked on the side in 1/10th ml increments. Best to mark your pipettes 1000, 500, etc. to prevent
inadvertent mixing. The GA-3-1000 Advanced Kits include petri dishes for germinating seeds which
require light on a pad of moist filter paper. Avoid excessive moisture.
OTHER AREAS FOR RESEARCH
Potassium nitrate (KNO3) is often used to stimulate germination of dormant
or irregular seeds. It can replace the light requirement of some pines. The seeds are soaked in a
1000 to 3000ppm solution (1 - 3 grams per liter), or are germinated on pads soaked in this solution.
Concentration is not crucial, so 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per quart is fine. It is about 6 grams per
teaspoon. In our tests, some seeds which normally give seedlings over 3 months have all come up in a
month with KNO3.
Hydrogen peroxide stimulates many species. Seeds are soaked in a 1 - 3% solution for 5 minutes to 48
hours for hard seeds. We have had very good results.
Presoaking seeds in malt extract solution or in beer may increase germination and vigor, especially
of old seeds, due to enzyme enrichment. Higher resistance to damping off and higher yields have been
reported. Other sources of enzymes include digestive aids (bromelain, papain, etc, available at
health food stores), enzyme cleaners for contact lenses, and enzyme drain-cleaning products.
Citric acid is available in the canning section of the grocery, and has been used at 1000ppm to
stimulate the germination of some species.
Sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) has been used in a 1% solution for a one-hour presoak to
stimulate germination of some species. Mix one part bleach with 4 1/4 parts water for a 1% solution.
A ten minute soak in one part bleach plus one part water is an FDA approved seed disinfectant.
Smoke and charred-wood leachate (water in which charred wood has been soaked) may stimulate
germination of plants from fire-prone habitats with hot, dry summers, such as the Mediterranean,
California, South Africa and Australia. For a list of genera that have responded to smoke treatment,
click here: Smoke Genera.
GA-3 is sometimes used in very low concentrations, from 1 ppm to 150 ppm, to promote the germination
of non-dormant seeds such as rice.
Combined treatments such as KNO3 plus GA-3, or hydrogen peroxide plus GA-3 have given higher
germination than either treatment alone. Testing these substances in various combinations is enough
for a lifetime of interesting research!
SAFETY
GA-3 is a natural organic compound, and its use is approved by most
organic certification agencies.
GA-3 is considered 'relatively non-toxic'. According to the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), the
LD50 (lethal dose 50) or the dose which kills 50% of the test animals, is 1000 to 25,000 milligrams
per kilogram of body weight in mice, dogs and rats. Applied to humans, this would mean a 75 kilogram
(165 pound) person could be killed by consuming between 75 and 1875 grams (2.6 ounces to about 4
pounds) of the 90% GA-3 powder. "In reproductive studies in rats, no maternal or fetal
toxicity, or other adverse effects to the fetus were noted following large doses (1000mg/kg/day) of
gibberellic acid."—MSDS. The powder may cause eye irritation; in case of contact, flush
with plenty of water.
Reporting this information does not imply our endorsement of animal testing!
The relative non-toxicity of GA-3 and its use on food crops should not encourage careless
handling - always keep out of reach of children, avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing,
wash hands after using, or use rubber gloves. Do not use on food crops or for any other purpose than
seed germination research. Properly dispose of toweling or filter papers after use, thoroughly wash
implements, then rinse with vinegar, then rinse again. Do not contaminate soil - GA-3 is highly
persistent and bioactive and may remain in soil for some months and affect plant growth. A healthy
organic soil with strong microbial growth will probably break it down fastest. Plants vary widely in
their sensitivity to GA-3. Remember that while GA-3 is sprayed on table grapes at a rate of 1
milligram per 1.7 square feet (26 grams per acre), that same milligram could cause cone formation on
500,000 Cupressus shoots. Remember that while GA-3 is naturally present in common foods like
corn, it is only in billionth of a gram quantities.
Obey all local, state and federal laws regarding use or disposal of this product!
We accept no liability for use of this product or information! Have a nice day!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Deno, N. 1993. Seed Germination, Theory and Practice, Second Edition.
Availability.
Takahashi, N., B. Phinney & J. MacMillan, Editors. 1991. Gibberellins. SpringerVerlag,
New York.
PLEASE SHARE YOUR RESULTS WITH US.
Gibberellic Acid (GA-3) is safe and easy to use. If you want to get started right
away, before reading the full instruction sheet, here is how. Some people have written that the full
instruction sheet is needlessly complicated or intimidating, and they didn't feel ready to use GA-3
on their seeds. Sorry! Don't let my overly-scientific instructions keep you from trying it. It can
all be summed up as:
1) Make the 1000 ppm stock solution, and the 500 ppm dilution.
2) Soak seeds overnight in one of these solutions.
3) Plant like any other seeds, and watch them grow. Easy!
Start by making your 1000 ppm (parts per million) stock solution. This is done by dissolving
a 100 mg packet of GA-3 powder in 100 ml of clean water. This is a little less than 1/2 cup. If you
have a 1000 mg (1 gram) packet of GA-3, add it to 1 liter (about 1 quart plus 1 cup water).
If you have one of our kits, add the GA-3 powder to the container marked "1000 ppm", and
fill with clean water up to the top mark on the side. Distilled or purified water is best, but most
tap water is fine.
GA-3 takes a while to dissolve—overnight if you use cold water. If you are in a hurry, you can
use hot water, or you can put the GA-3 powder in the container and add a teaspoon or so of rubbing
alcohol. With frequent swirling, it should dissolve in a half-hour or so. Then add water up to the
top mark. You can check to see if it is fully dissolved by shining a light up through the bottom of
the container and swirling it to see any undissolved crystals.
While waiting for the GA-3 to dissolve, why not read over the full information sheet? It will increase your success starting
seeds.
This is your 1000 ppm stock solution. To make the 500 ppm
dilution (which is used most), just mix equal parts of the stock solution and water. If
you have one of our kits, fill the 500 ppm container up to the lower mark with your stock
solution, and then add water up to the top mark.
You don't need much of the solution to soak your seeds—just enough for the seeds to fully swell.
Most seeds can be soaked in the small poly-bags (in the kits). Tiny seeds should be folded up in a
filter paper for ease of handling when soaking. Larger seeds can be soaked in a pill bottle, small
jar, or one of the culture tubes supplied in the kits. Use the stronger stock solution on
very hard to germinate seeds, and the 500 ppm on seeds that are just hard or slow to start. Don't
use it on easy to start seeds unless you dilute it greatly. Normal, easy-to-sprout seeds will become
very elongated and stretched out, then die if GA-3 is used on them. Use it on hard-to-start seeds
only.
GA-3 is a naturally-occurring plant growth regulator. It is a completely
natural, organic substance that is present in many plants, and in fact is essential to certain
life-processes in many plants. There is absolutely, positively, nothing unnatural about it.
It is produced by growing a naturally-occurring fungus in large vats and extracting the GA-3 from
it. It is NOT produced synthetically by any chemical process, but is EXTRACTED from a plant
(fungus), so it is just like many vitamins which are extracted from plants, or penicillin which is
extracted from fungus. Its chemical structure is not changed in any way. Yes, it is sold under the
chemical name, so it SOUNDS "chemical" but is no less natural than the vitamin C that is
extracted into the water of a cup of rose-hip tea, or the vitamin E extracted from wheat germ. For
example, "2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4',8',12'-tetramethyltridecyl)-6-chromanol" sounds like
something you would not want to put on your garden, but this is just the chemical name for vitamin
E.
GA-3 is NOT produced from a GMO as far as we know - we would very much doubt it, since it has been
produced abundantly by the natural fungus for many decades, and there would be no reason to GMO it.
It is more natural than aspirin (a semi-synthetic) and safer than vitamin A. If you ate an ounce of
pure vitamin A it would kill you!).
GA-3 is APPROVED BY MOST ORGANIC CERTIFYING ORGANIZATIONS. Commercial GA-3 formulations such as Pro-Gibb
are certified by OMRI, the Organic Materials Review Institute - contact them at info@omri.org or (541)343-7600.
We cannot imagine that any organic certifying organization would not allow GA-3 for use in
stimulating difficult seed germination. It is used in such microscopic quantities for this purpose -
only a few micrograms enter the seed and it is utilized in the seed's growth so will not persist in
the plant. In fact it is produced in many seeds by natural processes which break dormancy.
Prohibiting it would be a crazy as banning putting seeds in your refrigerator to break dormancy,
because this is "unnatural" cold, and since this will trigger GA-3 production within the
seed. No matter how organic and careful you are, far more toxic chemicals are entering your growing
grounds from air pollution and toxic rain, or leaching out of plastic pots or plastic or metal
irrigation lines or even from the soles of your shoes. Pollution is a global reality for the entire
biosphere. Pesticides have even been found in Antarctic ice. No portion of the planet is free from
man-made toxins. GA-3 is already in many natural seeds and plants and compost on your land, and its
use to help the germination of rare and difficult seeds has such great conservation value by helping
to propagate these plants that its use is clearly justified. It is currently being used to help
germination of endangered species in order to build up their populations, and to help propagate
medicinal plants which are threatened by over-collection from the wild.
We now have a single report that one grower has been prohibited from using GA-3 to stimulate seed
germination by her biodynamic certifying board. If your organic or biodynamic certifying
organization will not allow you to use GA-3 to stimulate seed germination, please object strongly
and have them contact us for more information. Point out to them that such a prohibition is
extremely counterproductive and only serves to discredit organic and biodynamic methods. We are very
interested to hear any reasons given for such prohibition. We are very interested to see any
evidence that that the use of GA-3 for stimulation seed germination is in any way
"unnatural" or harmful. We welcome open and productive discussion of this matter with any
certifying organization.