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Astronomical Rhythms in Agriculture
full Moon was poor, while growth around the new moon was vigorous. The same authors discuss
the research of Rounds (1982) who explored the infuence on the activity of leaf extracts from the
following plants: Coleus blumei, Phaseolus vulgaris, Philodendron sagittifolium, Forsythia sp.,
Lilium tigrinum, Ulmus americana and Geranium sp. Rounds found that the stimulating effect was
less in extracts made from leaves harvested just before the full and new moons.
In Germany, Spiess (1994) studied the infuence of the Moon on several plants (radish, rye, carrot, beans and potatoes) for 6 years and noted the infuence of various rhythms on the yields of these
species. Potato planted before the full Moon had lower yields, and higher yields were achieved by
planting near the lunar perigee (the point of the Moon’s orbit closest to Earth). Radish productivity
depended on the anomalistic 2 and tropical 3 rhythms of the Moon. In rye, the major Moon phases
infuenced the germination of the seeds, while the tropical rhythm of the Moon infuenced the
beans. Carrots sown approximately 3 days before the full Moon and in the Virgo constellation had
a higher productivity than when sown in any other zodiac 4 constellation, reaching up to 22% higher
productivity, adjusted by a seasonal index. The Moon in Sagittarius gave the lowest productivity for
carrots, and carrot cultures were infuenced by synodic, sidereal 5 and tropical rhythms.
In the USA, Goldstein (2000) experimented with the infuence of the Moon phases on carrot
yield. He observed the most positive effect when planting took place the day before the full Moon,
causing a 15% increase in productivity (to 11.5 t/ha). This percentage increase was statistically
signifcant at p = 1%. Planting during the new moon appeared to reduce productivity by 12% (10.9
t/ha), with a signifcance level of p = 11%. Planting during the waning Moon reduced productivity
even further, by 17% (9.7 t/ha), and this contrast was signifcant at p = 2%.
Zürcher et al. (2012) studied the variability of several properties of wood, by analysing measurable parameters. The material stemmed from four different sites in Switzerland, representative of
central European conditions. The study involved 576 trees – Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.)
and sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) – felled on 48 dates throughout the autumn and spring
of 2003–2004. The wood properties analysed were water loss, shrinkage under controlled drying,
and air- and oven-drying density. The statistical analysis of the complete data series revealed (in
addition to a seasonal trend) a generally weak but signifcant role of the synodic and sidereal Moon
cycles and, to a lesser extent, the tropical cycle. The lunar-related differences were more marked for
the middle months of the trial. The most obvious variation in spruce occurred between samples of
trees felled immediately before and after the full Moon.
Deep and Mittal (2014) in India studied the effects of the lunar activity on the sprouting of mung
beans and observed a rhythmic character to their potassium content and sprout length that coincided
with lunar phases. Statistical analysis of these variations ruled out randomness, with potassium
content being highest when they are sown near the new moon, in its frst quarter and just after the
full Moon (supermoon).
Turning to animals, Elliott (2004) enumerated several scientifc studies, showing the relation
of the phases of the Moon with the behaviour of mainly aquatic animals. He found that North
American crabs mated in the new and full Moons in May and June, grunion fsh (Leuresthes tenuis)
in California migrated to the beach to reproduce a few nights after the full or new moons between
February and September, and coral polyps on the Great Barrier Reef reproduced after the full Moon
in October and November.
Lobreiro (2002) analysed the relation between date of artifcial insemination and the sex of
dairy cattle with the anomalistic rhythm. Drawing from 7 years of recorded information from a
dairy farm in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, and data on the occurrence of the lunar perigees
2 In one anomalistic month, the moon describes its orbit from perigee to perigee, the point at which it is nearest to Earth.
3 The ascending and descending moon periods, whereby the moon passes through six constellations approximately every
14 days, completing one cycle in about a month.
4 The set of constellations traversed by path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The moon
and all the planets also traverse these constellations, but at different times.
5 Timekeeping of the moon’s movement through the 12 regions of the zodiac. The moon has a sidereal period of 27.3 days.
Astronomical Rhythms in Agriculture
full Moon was poor, while growth around the new moon was vigorous. The same authors discuss
the research of Rounds (1982) who explored the infuence on the activity of leaf extracts from the
following plants: Coleus blumei, Phaseolus vulgaris, Philodendron sagittifolium, Forsythia sp.,
Lilium tigrinum, Ulmus americana and Geranium sp. Rounds found that the stimulating effect was
less in extracts made from leaves harvested just before the full and new moons.
In Germany, Spiess (1994) studied the infuence of the Moon on several plants (radish, rye, carrot, beans and potatoes) for 6 years and noted the infuence of various rhythms on the yields of these
species. Potato planted before the full Moon had lower yields, and higher yields were achieved by
planting near the lunar perigee (the point of the Moon’s orbit closest to Earth). Radish productivity
depended on the anomalistic 2 and tropical 3 rhythms of the Moon. In rye, the major Moon phases
infuenced the germination of the seeds, while the tropical rhythm of the Moon infuenced the
beans. Carrots sown approximately 3 days before the full Moon and in the Virgo constellation had
a higher productivity than when sown in any other zodiac 4 constellation, reaching up to 22% higher
productivity, adjusted by a seasonal index. The Moon in Sagittarius gave the lowest productivity for
carrots, and carrot cultures were infuenced by synodic, sidereal 5 and tropical rhythms.
In the USA, Goldstein (2000) experimented with the infuence of the Moon phases on carrot
yield. He observed the most positive effect when planting took place the day before the full Moon,
causing a 15% increase in productivity (to 11.5 t/ha). This percentage increase was statistically
signifcant at p = 1%. Planting during the new moon appeared to reduce productivity by 12% (10.9
t/ha), with a signifcance level of p = 11%. Planting during the waning Moon reduced productivity
even further, by 17% (9.7 t/ha), and this contrast was signifcant at p = 2%.
Zürcher et al. (2012) studied the variability of several properties of wood, by analysing measurable parameters. The material stemmed from four different sites in Switzerland, representative of
central European conditions. The study involved 576 trees – Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.)
and sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) – felled on 48 dates throughout the autumn and spring
of 2003–2004. The wood properties analysed were water loss, shrinkage under controlled drying,
and air- and oven-drying density. The statistical analysis of the complete data series revealed (in
addition to a seasonal trend) a generally weak but signifcant role of the synodic and sidereal Moon
cycles and, to a lesser extent, the tropical cycle. The lunar-related differences were more marked for
the middle months of the trial. The most obvious variation in spruce occurred between samples of
trees felled immediately before and after the full Moon.
Deep and Mittal (2014) in India studied the effects of the lunar activity on the sprouting of mung
beans and observed a rhythmic character to their potassium content and sprout length that coincided
with lunar phases. Statistical analysis of these variations ruled out randomness, with potassium
content being highest when they are sown near the new moon, in its frst quarter and just after the
full Moon (supermoon).
Turning to animals, Elliott (2004) enumerated several scientifc studies, showing the relation
of the phases of the Moon with the behaviour of mainly aquatic animals. He found that North
American crabs mated in the new and full Moons in May and June, grunion fsh (Leuresthes tenuis)
in California migrated to the beach to reproduce a few nights after the full or new moons between
February and September, and coral polyps on the Great Barrier Reef reproduced after the full Moon
in October and November.
Lobreiro (2002) analysed the relation between date of artifcial insemination and the sex of
dairy cattle with the anomalistic rhythm. Drawing from 7 years of recorded information from a
dairy farm in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, and data on the occurrence of the lunar perigees
2 In one anomalistic month, the moon describes its orbit from perigee to perigee, the point at which it is nearest to Earth.
3 The ascending and descending moon periods, whereby the moon passes through six constellations approximately every
14 days, completing one cycle in about a month.
4 The set of constellations traversed by path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The moon
and all the planets also traverse these constellations, but at different times.
5 Timekeeping of the moon’s movement through the 12 regions of the zodiac. The moon has a sidereal period of 27.3 days.