Wonder Chemical

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30479, 29 June 1964, Page 13

Wonder Chemical

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Qopy right > GENEVA J tme 28. A new chemical may revolutionise world food production, by enabling crops to grow in weather - conditions which would normally prove destructive, it was reported this week. The first European plant growth symposium, was told that the new chemical, called cycocel, can be used to make plants and crops grow shorter and sturdier. This would make pos- ’ slbie the growing of Crops .

in countries subject to unpredictable .' drought conditions, violent storms, high temperature and unfavourable soil, It was reported. Cycocel technically “2- chloroethyltyimethyiammonium chlorida” was developed in the laboratories of Michigan State • University in the United States. It has been licensed to the American Cyanamid Company, which sponsored the Geneva symposium attended by chemical research experts from eight countries. Dr; Abraham H.Halevy,

of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, reported greenhouse experiments which indicated that plants treated with cycocel can survive and grow under otherwise destructive drought conditions. He said that in one test, potted bean plants treated with the new chemical and then totally deprived of water survived about 10 days longer than identical but untreated plants exposed to the same artificial drought A spokesman for Cyanamid said eyeocel should be available to farmers within a year.