Using Ionized, Acidic Water
in Eliminating Agricultural Chemicals.

- Applications for acidic water in Japan

By: NHK - Japanese government owned and operated public TV
Size: 11.52MB
Length: 7.25 min

Below is the script from a video clip PLUS two other scripts about acidic water use in agriculture

"Ionized, Acid Water use in Agricultural Industry" and "Agricultural Chemicals Replaced by Acid Water".

Announcer A: "Again tonight we are reporting on a wondrous water. We reported that this water is very effective for medical use and for preventing food poisoning. The acid water is used as a substitute for agricultural chemicals as well."

Announcer: "We asked an agriculture expert what effects does it produce?"

Reporter: "A variety of fruits and vegetables are in this shop and all of them brightly colored. My favorite vegetable is the cucumber, but thinking of agricultural chemicals, I worry about the effects on cucumbers. An agricultural ministry survey shows that cucumbers are vulnerable to diseases especially those grown in a greenhouse which have to be sprayed often. Without chemicals only ten percent of the cucumbers survive."

Reporter: "However, we found a farmer in Oyamacee Tochigi Prefecture who grows cucumbers without using agricultural chemicals. They use ionized acid water which is not harmful to our health but which does destroy mold."

Farmer: "This machine separates water into alkaline ion oxidized water. We put salt in the water and it is resolved by electricity. At the negative pole you get alkaline water and at the positive pole you get oxidized acidic water. This is done instantly."

"This oxidized, ionized, acid water kills germs that cause cucumber diseases. One cucumber plant will yield nearly 100 cucumbers. These plants are suffering from mildew. But on this plant which was treated with acidic oxidized water, the bacteria have been destroyed. It is surprising that the white part suffering from mildew came off due to the sterilizing power of the water. The difference is very clear between the one treated with oxidized acid water and the other one. With oxidized acidic water there is no resistance against mold or chemicals."

Cameraman Matsumoto, eating a cucumber treated with the acid water says: "If agricultural chemicals are used, I wouldn't want to eat it, but in this case, I decided to try it. Oh, it is fresh and delicious, it also smells good. We can eat these cucumbers without any worry even if they are uncooked."

Reporter: "Golf a favorite sport in Japan. On golf courses greens are produced using chemicals and this is causing problems. We conducted an investigation of agricultural chemicals used on golf courses in Chiba Prefecture two years ago and we found that an average of 2.4 tons of agricultural chemicals are used annually per eighteen hole golf courses, more than a 150 types of chemicals are used. Some kinds of agricultural chemicals remain in the soil for a long time, and in some cases they become a source of pollution."

Akito Hirano "What I have picked up is ionized water it records a value of 2.6 pH. At Atsugi International Country Club, they have been trying to reduce the use of agricultural chemicals as much as possible by using strongly oxidized acidic water. A lawn is infected by several kinds of germs, so lawns that are once beautiful can often die this way. If this happens on a golf course the value of the country club decreases. This difficult situation lead to the idea of killing germs with strongly oxidized acid water created by electrolysis."

Akito Hirano: "Now we spray this strongly oxidized water once a week in warm weather, and when the temperature goes down we spray once or twice a month."

Reporter: "Why does this water kill the germs?"

Akito Hirano: "The germs which kill lawns can't live under a 3 pH level, given more strongly oxidized acidic water they are destroyed. Furthermore, dissolved oxygen and dissolved chlorine will kill the germs."

Akito Hirano: "We are trying to cut agricultural chemical by 80 percent every year. In the near future we hope to dispense with all the agricultural chemicals by using this acid water."

Reporter: "Most pleased are the agricultural chemicals. Look at this they work in light clothing, sneakers, aprons and jeans."

Kazuko Akiyama: "Once I was so scared to work in a vinyl plastic hothouse, when I was pregnant, so I did my work just leaning in from outside, but now days we are safe."

Reporter: "We asked her to put on the working clothes she used in the days when they used chemicals."

Kazuko Akiyama: "I worked in this raincoat, rubber boots, gloves, sun visor and mask. It was hot and uncomfortable and that made the work even tougher."

Reporter: "Alkaline water produced from electrolysis is also utilized to grow crops."

Yuro Sasaki: "Alkaline water helps suck up nutrition from the soil as a result things grow bigger."
Hirotoshi Tamura Managing director of Yota Ba Kai co-operative: "At this time of the year farmers use agricultural chemicals once a week, but by introducing this method these farmers have not used chemicals at all so far, still delicious cucumbers are being produced. I am sure this method will be "THE" method for chemical free farming in the future.
Because the water is highly acidic, you might be concerned about causing some bad effects, but according to the staffs experiments, the acid water will change into ordinary water in the soil."

Announcer: "We reported the story of the miraculous alkaline and acidic water in a three part story and while reporting we were startled by these wonders. The next report in the special feature about miracle water is coming up tomorrow."

Part B: Acidic Water for Agriculture

Announcer: "Today for our Special Report, we will visit an orchard in Yamanashi Prefecture where cherries and peaches are produced without using agricultural chemicals. The key is water."

Reporter: "One step into the commercial district here and we see fruits, the taste of autumn, displayed in abundance. Peaches, grapes and pears- in one's appetite. They say that it is necessary to use agricultural chemicals and fertilizers to grow such perfect looking fruits. They know, of course, that bugs and insects don't want to miss out on the delicious food that human beings eat. They bite off the leaves and go inside the fruits."

Reporter: "Farmers get into trouble because of mildew. The commercial value of their crops drop and their income decreases. Therefore, farmers cannot help using agricultural chemicals like pesticides. Cherries need to be sprayed with agricultural chemicals six to seven times before they are harvested. For peaches, that number is 10 to 15 times, and for grapes, 16 times. The dangerous effects of agricultural chemicals have become a concern."

Reporter: "However, after hearing about growing fruits without using such agricultural chemicals, I drove to Shirane-cho, Yamanashi Prefecture where a scene of orchards of cherries and peaches and hills of grape vines spread across the landscape before me."

Reporter: "This is Mr. Yasuhiro Tezuka who is taking up the challenge of growing fruits without chemicals. He is driving a strange vehicle to the Agricultural Coop."

Mr. Tezuka: "Today, I'm planning to eliminate gray mildew with this water."

Reporter: "Mr. Tezuka is well known in Shirane-cho as a specialist with a green thumb for growing fruit. For the past thirty years, he has been concerned with the problem of agricultural chemicals. He wondered if he could grow safe fruits that would not harm the human body. His dream came true with this water."

Mr. Tezuka: "This has a pH of 2.6, so you can disinfect with this water."

Reporter: "Will bacteria actually be killed? Hyper oxidized water was sprayed on some infected leaves."

Reporter: "Did you see that? Let us look at it again in slow motion. The area of the leaf where the water made contact is the only area without bacteria. In the mid-June of this year, the cherries ripened, a scene which had been Mr. Tezuka's dream and many people who heard about it came to visit him."

Woman: "This is my first cherry picking. It tastes just wonderful. Sweet!"

Reporter: "Compared with cherries grown in other prefectures, both the size of the fruit and the price are better. Mr. Tezuka's cherries also taste better. Mr. Tezuka operates a 4000 tsubo (about two acres) orchard where he has 180 cherry trees, 110 peach trees and 50 grape vines. Although he realized that he could disinfect his fruit trees with this safe and harmless water, it was not easy for him to make up his mind to use it."

Mr. Tezuka: "I was not 100% sure that I could succeed. I have to make living, you know. I was worried. I spent many sleepless nights."

Reporter: "In the switch from agricultural chemicals to harmless water, how did Mr. Tezuka's farming change?"

Reporter: "First, his attire changed. When using agricultural chemicals, he used to protect his face with a towel over a protective mask, wear long boots, a thick raincoat and gloves, and a hat. Now he works in his regular working clothes."

He adds a large amount of organic fertilizer and leaves plenty of space in between the plants. He sprays hyper oxidized water up from the underside, aiming to clean out bacteria and insects on the backs of the leaves. He uses both Chinese herbs and hyper oxidized water for eradicating insects."

Mr. Tezuka: "I use Chinese herbs to distract the bugs, to get them to go away."

Reporter: "At last, we have discovered the secret of growing perfect fruit!"

Mr. Tezuka: "This operation inserts alkaline water into the soil. By doing this I intend to grow thick, strong leaves."
Reporter: "Trees that do not receive alkaline water are more infected with mites."
Reporter: "We tested the sweetness of the fruits."
[on screen] "Sweetness measuring device, showing 15.4."
Man: "Wow, this is amazing."
Reporter: "Mr. Tezuka's cherries are rated excellent. How about his grapes? They measure 23.3. Intensely sweet grapes were grown!"
Mr. Nakagome, JA Nishino Agricultural Coop: "Mr. Tezuka grows cherries, peaches and grapes without using agricultural chemicals. Here are the test results of his fruits tested for residues of agricultural chemicals by the Sanitation & Pollution Research Center. They show zero chemical residue."

Mr. Hasebe, Head of JA Nishino Agricultural Coop: "My hope is that our entire area will be able to grow fruits without chemicals."

Reporter: "Mr. Tezuka who realized his dream of growing fruits without using chemicals is now enthusiastic about his new idea to help increase the number of growers like him."

Announcer A: "This water is very effective. Unlike agricultural chemicals, it leaves no residues, so it appears to be very good for the environment."

Announcer B: "Some people are worried that since it is hyper oxidized water, it could have the same effects as acid rain. This water is said to revert to regular water once it contacts the ground."

Organic Agricultural for Safer and More Delicious Produce

Announcer A: "It is time for the Special Report. Vegetables consumed daily, such as cucumbers and tomatoes are, in fact, grown with a large amount of agricultural chemicals -- to the extent that you could say they are soaked in chemicals. These chemicals are also linked to soil and water contamination,"

Announcer B: "Yes. Because of that, farmers are taking another look at sustainable agriculture. It is an agricultural method that uses organic fertilizer like chicken and cow manure and less chemical fertilizers. Water use is also a key to this method of agriculture. Let's take a look."

Mr. Kamon, Tokyo Wholesale Market: "Sweet!!"

Ms. Torisu, food researcher: "They're so fresh. It's the taste of first love! It's delicious!"

Reporter: "Both of these visiting food specialists are extremely impressed with the deliciousness of these strawberries. On this farm, they harvest 250 boxes a day. What grabs your attention the most is the smiting faces of the farmers."

Mr. Fukumoto: "I want to grow even better ones next year."

Reporter: "This is the Aso area in Kumamoto Prefecture, a vast open area, 128 km in circumference. It has been chosen repeatedly as one of Japan's top 100 areas for drinking water. Underground water gushes up from the Aso Mountains. It is a place of world-class scenic beauty."

"Not wanting to contaminate any more of this environment, the farmers here want to grow safer and more delicious agricultural produce. These farmers, who live in and around six towns in the southern Aso area, are taking up the challenge of a newly established organic agricultural method. We have followed them for the last six months."

Reporter: "What are you spraying?"

Mr. Matsuda: "This is restructured water."

Reporter: "Is it completely harmless?"

Farmer: "Yes, it is."

Reporter: "How are the prospects for this year's harvest?"

Farmer: "Looks good so far. Because we use restructured water, we have cut down on the use of insecticides and chemical fertilizers by about one third now."

Reporter: "Mr. Matsuda has 37 years of experience in agriculture and is an agricultural instructor for Kumamoto Prefecture. He looks totally content with his tomatoes after the drastic decrease in the use of agricultural chemicals. Success with tomatoes have been rare in recent years."

Mr. Matsuda: "I had a lot of damage from insects last year."

Reporter: "He had a lot of trouble with green caterpillars that year when he didn't use restructured water."

Mr. Matsuda: "If even one green caterpillar gets into the crop, the tomatoes will be spoiled. Even with stronger agricultural chemicals, these bugs don't die."

Reporter: "He even purchased a robot to spray the chemicals for fear of losing his income."

Mr. Matsuda: "Every time you use agricultural chemicals on the field, you are covered by chemicals from head to toe, so I resolutely bought a robot. I used it twice or so last year. But, because I used restructured water this year, there were not very many bugs andthe robot has been kept in storage."

Reporter : "There aren't any blighted crops in this field at all, are there?"

Mr. Matsuda: "No, but there were other areas that were said to be totally destroyed."

Reporter: "I visited a greenhouse near Mr. Matsuda's farm. I was completely amazed to see a pile of dead tomatoes that had wilted and completely lost their commercial value. These tomato vines had received numerous applications of agricultural chemicals."

Farmer: "These tomatoes were grown in a greenhouse in the middle of the hot summer. When harvest time finally came, they wilted. It was too devastating to cry over."

Reporter: "However, Mr. Matsuda's tomatoes look great. We visited another farmer that grows tomatoes in the same way as Mr. Matsuda does."

Mrs. Kochi: "Our tomatoes are shiny and have a good shape. As many as 60% of our tomatoes were rated extra superior."

Reporter: "Here, again, good news came to my ears."

Woman: "We cultivated the soil with Thomas Orga Bacteria and sprayed plants with a mix of tap water and restructured water at a ratio of 500:1. Previously, we had problems with wilt disease and black leaf spot, but not any more."

Reporter: "What are these things called Thomas Orga Bacteria and restructured water that are so greatly beneficial to farmers? We decided to investigate."

Mr. Goto, Thomas Research Center of Japan: "This is Thomas Orga. Bacteria, originally created by Dr. Thomas of the United States."

Reporter: "One gram of this black powder contains two to three billion beneficial bacteria of 40 different kinds. You add rice bran and oil cake to it, mix in chicken and cow manure and saw dust, then rotate it. After 45 days, the mix becomes mature compost."

Mr. Soda, Thomas Research Center of Japan: "Our goal is to bring our soil back to its original state."

Reporter: "Oguni-cho is the birthplace of Dr. Shibasaburo Kitazato. The JA Compost Center, which ran deficits over the past few years, was revived by the introduction of this bacteria. Was there some kind of karma involved here?"

Mr. Hirose, Restructured Water Research Center: "Restructured water is made by adding a small amount of organic matter to tap water, thereby raising the energy potential of the water."

Reporter: "Does it really make adifference?"

Left: 80% sterile soil, 10% organic compost manufactured by another company. Center: 65% sterile soil, 30 % same organic compost, 5% Thomas compost. Right: 80% sterile soil, 20 % Thomas compost.

Reporter: "The same amount of restructured water was added to these soils. The results show significant differences in the growth of the leaves as well as in the development of the root systems."

Left: Restructured water was applied twice. Right: Restructured water was applied five times.

Reporter: "Here are two plants grown with the same amount of Thomas compost and watered with restructured water twice (left) and five times (right) over a 20 day period. Great differences are seen in the amount of leaf growth and in the development of the root systems."

Ms. Torisu: "In order to protect our lives, we desire fresh and healthy food that we can consume without worry."

Mr. Kamon: "Being tasty and cheap is not enough in today's market."

Reporter: "Why are conventional agricultural methods demanding so much reflection at a meeting of consumers, producers, distributors and agricultural coop members?"

Reporter: "Another factor in agricultural produce is scavenger water."

Professor Esatoguchi, Nakakyushu Junior College: "The word scavenger is not familiar to our ears. The closest Japanese translation would be "a cleaner that erases free radicals."

Reporter: "Antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta carotene, and flavonoids that kill free radicals are abundant in vegetables, fruits and grain."

Prof, Esatoguchi: "This is another reason why it is important to grow produce without many agricultural chemicals."

Reporter: "The farmers in southern Aso area and the surrounding region have started to actively grow safer and higher quality agricultural produce.

"Some change has started to be seen in major supermarkets and distribution systems. However, in order to make this change a success, consumer consciousness needs to be changed."

Consumer 1: "I want to eat food that is as safe for the body as possible."

Consumer 2: "Organic produce clearly tastes better. What it looks like on the outside is not important."

Reporter: "The Aso area is now in its second year of a new agricultural method that uses organic fertilizer consisting of microorganisms and water and a decreased amount of agricultural chemical use. The farmers are exited about challenging this new horizon."

Announcer A: "It is amazing that they produce that much without using agricultural chemicals, isn't it?"

Announcer B: "I wanted to learn more about restructured water. Currently, this agricultural method is used only in the Aso area."

See also Article on Acid Water in Dentistry and Acid Water used in Hospitals

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