ABSTRACT
The concept of organic crop production has its roots in the Humus Theory, one of several theories developed in the 1880s by investigators as a possible explanation as to “how plants grow.” This concept stated that Mother Earth was the “food” source for plants, an explanation that had considerable support among scientists at that time. In early ƒeld experiments, it was observed that plants grown on soils treated with organic manures grew better than those receiving various inorganic substances. In addition, plants growing in mineral soils that were high in organic matter content grew more vigorously than those in mineral soils of low organic content. As scientists began to identify which mineral elements were essential in order for plants to grow normally, some took the next step by suggesting that the form (i.e., organic or inorganic origin) of these newly identiƒed essential elements taken into the plant by root absorption is a factor in determining plant health. The next step that has occurred more recently is the belief that the plant whose elemental composition is organically derived will produce fruit and grain healthier than these same products taken from plants whose essential elementals were root absorbed from inorganic sources, such as chemically made fertilizers. Therefore, those consuming these healthier foods will then receive the same beneƒt in terms of one’s own health and well-being. There has not been sufƒcient research to verify that such does occur, suggesting that ions derived from an organic source have properties different from those that were derived from an inorganic source. More recently, the concept of organic farming/gardening has taken on a wider scope to also include all man-made chemicals used to control weeds, insects, and diseases.
