212 FIELD TESTS OF METHANOL AS A CROP YIELD ENHANCER

A 1992 article by Nonomura and Benson (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 89:9794-979X) reported increased yield and drought tolerance in a wide range of C3 species following foliar applications of methanol. The article was widely reported in the trade and popular press, which created a huge grower demand for information on the use and efficacy of methanol. To test the validity of the reports, we applied methanol with and without nutrients to a wide range of crops across California following Nonomura and Benson's (1992) protocol. Crops included watermelon, creeping bentgrass, lemons, savoy cabbage, carrots, romaine lettuce, radish, wheat, corn and peas. Environments included the greenhouse and field tests in coastal, inland valley, and desert locations. To test whether methanol improved drought tolerance, the savoy cabbage and watermelon experiments included both reduced and full irrigation. In no case was yield increased or drought tolerance attributable to methanol treatment. In some cases, methanol caused significant injury and decreased yield.