Hydroponics Daily

Amazon’s Fake Plants: The Shocking Rise of AI-Generated Seed Scams

Dr. Russell Sharp exposes a growing problem of fake plant listings and AI-generated seed scams on Amazon and other marketplaces, showing how buyers are being misled by impossible varieties (like bright blue hostas) and foreign drop-shippers.
He explains how to protect yourself—check seller and nursery credentials, prefer reputable nurseries or local stores—and shares a real seed mix-up story to contrast honest mistakes with deliberate fakes.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/
More reputable growers and seed sellers:
Burpee — W. Atlee Burpee & Co.
Ferry-Morse — Ferry-Morse Seed Co.
Botanical Interests — Botanical Interests, Inc.
Seed Needs — Seed Needs LLC
Outsidepride — Outsidepride, Inc.
Eden Brothers — Eden Brothers Seed Co.
Harris Seeds — Harris Seeds
Park Seed — Park Seed Co.
Renee’s Garden — Renee’s Garden Seed Co.
Seeds of Change — Seeds of Change, Inc.
High Mowing Organic Seeds — High Mowing Seed Co.
Sow Right Seeds — Sow Right Seeds
HOME GROWN — Homegrown Garden
Open Seed Vault — Open Seed Vault
Survival Garden Seeds — Survival Garden Seeds
Mountain Valley Seed Company — Mountain Valley Seed Company
David’s Garden Seeds — David’s Garden Seeds
Everwilde Farms — Everwilde Farms, Inc.
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange — Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds — Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co.
Territorial Seed Company — Territorial Seed Company
Johnny’s Selected Seeds — Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Livingston Seed — Livingston Seed Company
Lake Valley Seed — Lake Valley Seed Company
Seed Savers Exchange — Seed Savers Exchange
Annie’s Heirloom Seeds — Annie’s Heirloom Seeds
Indigo Instruments (Sprout People) — The Sprout People
Handy Pantry — Handy Pantry
True Leaf Market — True Leaf Market
NatureZ Edge — NatureZ Edge
Islas Garden Seeds — Islas Garden Seeds
Organo Republic — Organo Republic
Sereniseed — Sereniseed
CZ Grain — CZ Grain
Gardeners Basics — Gardeners Basics
The Dirty Gardener — The Dirty Gardener
Marde Ross & Company — Marde Ross & Company
Food to Live — Food to Live
NOW Foods — NOW Health Group, Inc.
Frontier Co-op — Frontier Cooperative
Starwest Botanicals — Starwest Botanicals, Inc.
Nature Jims Sprouts — Nature Jim’s Sprouts
Sproutman — Sproutman Publications
Back to the Roots — Back to the Roots, Inc.
Tumbleweed Plant Co. — Tumbleweed Plant Co.
Costa Farms — Costa Farms, LLC
Proven Winners — Proven Winners North America, LLC
Altman Plants — Altman Plants
LiveTrends — LiveTrends Design Group
Shop Succulents — Shop Succulents
Succulent Studios — Succulent Studios
The Sill — The Sill, Inc.
Hirt’s Gardens — Hirt’s Gardens
American Plant Exchange — American Plant Exchange
Plants for Pets — Plants for Pets
Brighter Blooms — Brighter Blooms Nursery
Perfect Plants — Perfect Plants Nursery
Nature Hills Nursery — Nature Hills Nursery, Inc.
Bloomify — Bloomify
House Plant Shop — House Plant Shop
JM Bamboo — JM Bamboo
Florida Foliage — Florida Foliage
Green Promise Farms — Green Promise Farms
Rooted (Rooted Plants) — Rooted
Easy to Grow — Easy to Grow Bulbs
Van Zyverden — Van Zyverden, Inc.
Holland Bulb Farms — Holland Bulb Farms
Breck’s — Breck’s
Colorblends — Colorblends Wholesale Flowerbulbs
Eden Brothers Bulbs — Eden Brothers
Gurney’s — Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Co.
Stark Bro’s — Stark Bro’s Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Spring Hill Nurseries — Spring Hill Nurseries
Wayside Gardens — Wayside Gardens
White Flower Farm — White Flower Farm
Monrovia — Monrovia Nursery Company
Logee’s — Logee’s Plants for Home & Garden
Wellspring Gardens — Wellspring Gardens
Brighter Gardens — Brighter Gardens
Blue Ribbon Plants — Blue Ribbon Plants
Green Escape — Green Escape
Golden Gate Palms — Golden Gate Palms
FastGrowingTrees.com — Fast Growing Trees, LLC
Brussel’s Bonsai — Brussel’s Bonsai Nursery
Eastern Leaf — Eastern Leaf, Inc.
Seedville USA — Seedville USA
Seeds2Go — Seeds2Go
Nature’s Blossom — Nature’s Blossom
Garden Republic — Garden Republic
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Seed — Old Farmer’s Almanac
Purely Organic Products — Purely Organic Products
Nature’s Way Seeds — Nature’s Way Seeds
The Clayton Farm — The Clayton Farm
Ferry-Morse Home Gardening — Ferry-Morse Seed Co.
Bonnie Plants — Bonnie Plants, LLC
D. Hill Nursery — D. Hill Nursery
Greenhouse PCA — Greenhouse PCA
California Tropicals — California Tropicals
Humble Roots — Humble Roots
Green 4 Ever — Green 4 Ever

Plant Melatonin: Supercharge Roots and Stress Tolerance in Hydroponics

Dr. Russell Sharp explains how melatonin — a molecule known for human sleep and stress regulation — is produced by plants and acts as a powerful antioxidant and growth regulator. In hydroponics it can enhance root growth, improve stress tolerance under high light or unstable conditions, delay leaf senescence, and support photosynthesis and secondary metabolite production.
Applied as a foliar spray, seed priming, or added to nutrient solutions at micromolar concentrations, melatonin is water-soluble and allows precise dosing in soilless systems. Research shows benefits in crops like tomato and lettuce, with increased root-to-shoot ratios and higher antioxidant levels under stress.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/
Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Rakesh K. Singh — Banaras Hindu University
Nasser Al-Aghbar — King Abdulaziz University
Rajeev K. Varshney — International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
Chao Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University
Wei Wei — Zhejiang University
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Russel J. Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Sergiu F. Chivu — University of Bucharest
Guang-Yu Chen — Zhejiang University
Xing-Guo Lu — South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shuang-Qing Peng — South China Agricultural University
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Wei Meng — Zhejiang University
Natalia Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University
Javier Martinez — University of Granada
Ana Cano — University of Granada
Russel J. Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Debabrata Chattopadhyay — Bose Institute
Fanyue Meng — Zhejiang University
Chao Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University
Bin Xu — Nanjing Agricultural University
Wei Wei — Zhejiang University
Maria Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Sergey Kvetnoy — Russian Academy of Sciences
Jian-Kang Zhu — University of California, Riverside
Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University
Xiaohong Zhu — South China Botanical Garden
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Iwona Zielenkiewicz — Polish Academy of Sciences
Yali Zhang — Zhejiang University
Fang Fang — Nanjing Agricultural University
Xinyue Wang — South China Botanical Garden
Sonia Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Gonzalo Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Javier Martinez — University of Granada
Ana Cano — University of Granada
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Yi Li — Zhejiang University
Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University
Wei Wei — Zhejiang University
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Russel J. Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Rajeev K. Varshney — ICRISAT
Rafael Guerrero — University of Granada
Juan Pablo Martínez — University of Granada
Natalia Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University
Wei Wei — Zhejiang University
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Javier Martinez — University of Granada
Ana Cano — University of Granada
Chao Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University
Fang Fang — Nanjing Agricultural University
Xinyue Wang — South China Botanical Garden
Maria Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Sergey Kvetnoy — Russian Academy of Sciences
Jian-Kang Zhu — University of California, Riverside
Fanyue Meng — Zhejiang University
Guang-Yu Chen — Zhejiang University
Shuang-Qing Peng — South China Agricultural University
Debabrata Chattopadhyay — Bose Institute
Iwona Zielenkiewicz — Polish Academy of Sciences
Yali Zhang — Zhejiang University
Xiaohong Zhu — South China Botanical Garden
Fang Fang — Nanjing Agricultural University
Yi Li — Zhejiang University
Rafael Guerrero — University of Granada
Juan Pablo Martínez — University of Granada
Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Javier Martinez — University of Granada
Ana Cano — University of Granada
Natalia Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Maria Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Chao Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University
Wei Wei — Zhejiang University
Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University
Guang-Yu Chen — Zhejiang University
Fanyue Meng — Zhejiang University
Sergey Kvetnoy — Russian Academy of Sciences
Jian-Kang Zhu — University of California, Riverside
Debabrata Chattopadhyay — Bose Institute
Iwona Zielenkiewicz — Polish Academy of Sciences
Fang Fang — Nanjing Agricultural University
Xinyue Wang — South China Botanical Garden
Yi Li — Zhejiang University
Rafael Guerrero — University of Granada
Juan Pablo Martínez — University of Granada
Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center
Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center
Javier Martinez — University of Granada
Ana Cano — University of Granada

Are Soilless Crops Artificially Flavoured? Hydroponics Myth Busted

Host Dr. Russell Sharp tackles a Twitter claim that hydroponic crops lack micronutrients and are artificially flavoured, explaining why those assertions are incorrect and how micronutrient levels can be measured (e.g., atomic absorption spectroscopy).
He reviews research on manipulating flavor through nutrient levels, light, and biostimulants, notes the limited and mixed evidence, and concludes there is no solid proof of intentional artificial flavouring in hydroponic produce; soilless systems can match or even enhance some flavour-related compounds.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/
Gary Reineccius — University of MinnesotaAndrew Taylor — University of NottinghamRussell Keast — Deakin UniversityCharles Spence — University of OxfordHarrison Schmitt — Virginia TechMorten Møller — University of CopenhagenJohn Hayes — Penn State UniversityQian Janice Wang — Aarhus UniversityMarcia Pelchat — Monell Chemical Senses CenterBarry Smith — University of London
Linda Bartoshuk — University of FloridaPaul Breslin — Monell Chemical Senses CenterDanielle Reed — Monell Chemical Senses CenterBarry Green — Monell Chemical Senses CenterThomas Hummel — Technical University of DresdenAlan Hirsch — Smell & Taste Treatment and Research FoundationSusan Schiffman — Duke UniversityMolly Birnbaum — Freelance Food WriterHarold McGee — Freelance Food WriterKantha Shelke — Corvus Blue
Tim Hanni — Master of Wine InstituteGeoffrey Talavera — Freelance Flavor ConsultantPeter Schieberle — Technical University of MunichThomas Hofmann — Technical University of MunichCorinna Dawid — Technical University of MunichVeronika Somoza — University of ViennaMorten Andersen — University of CopenhagenChristophe Lavalle — AgroParisTechStéphane Guichard — INRAEThierry Thomas-Danguin — INRAE
Erich Leitner — Graz University of TechnologyHans-Georg Schmarr — University of HohenheimElke Pawelzik — University of GöttingenMichael Witting — Helmholtz Zentrum MünchenRalf Zimmermann — University of RostockFrancesco Capozzi — University of BolognaGiovanni Capuano — University of Naples Federico IIMaurizio Servili — University of PerugiaRosa Lo Scalzo — CREA ItalyPaolo Masella — University of Parma
Fidel Toldrá — Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de AlimentosMaría Dolores del Castillo — Spanish National Research CouncilDolores Coreta-Gomis — University of ValenciaJuan Fernández-García — University of GranadaAna Bayarri — University of ValenciaMarta Corredig — Aarhus UniversityMarina Heinonen — University of HelsinkiAnu Hopia — University of TurkuKees de Graaf — Wageningen University & ResearchGerry Barker — University of Leeds
Jean-Marie Lehn — Max Planck Institute for Polymer ResearchWilfried Meyerhof — German Institute of Human NutritionMaik Behrens — German Institute of Human NutritionJohn Prescott — University of OtagoAnna M. Di Monaco — University of Naples Federico IICatherine Barry — University College DublinAurelio Lopez-Malo — Universidad de las Américas PueblaRosario Zamora — Institute of Advanced Chemistry of CataloniaIsabel Hernando — Polytechnic University of ValenciaDolores Torres — University of Zaragoza
Jean-Pierre Cotter — International Organization of the Flavor IndustryRobert Hall — Flavor and Extract Manufacturers AssociationHervé This — AgroParisTechArielle Johnson — Independent Flavor ResearcherDave Arnold — Museum of Food and DrinkAli Bouzari — Pilot R&DPeter Barham — University of BristolFrançois Chartier — INRAEGérard Trystram — AgroParisTech

UK Energy Shock: 94% Rise in Standing Charges Threatens Vertical Farms

Dr. Russell Sharp examines a warning from the UK Urban AgriTech group that a planned 94% increase in electricity network standing charges from April 2026 could dramatically raise operating costs for vertical farms and greenhouses, risking business failures, reduced domestic produce and higher food prices.
The episode explains how horticulture is excluded from the energy-intensive industries exemption, compares UK energy costs with EU competitors, and outlines how razor-thin margins make indoor growers particularly vulnerable; calling for urgent policy review and industry engagement.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/
Leo Marcelis — Wageningen University & ResearchErik Runkle — Michigan State UniversityNeil Mattson — Cornell UniversityBruce Bugbee — Utah State UniversityRoberto Lopez — Michigan State UniversityChieri Kubota — Ohio State UniversityYoubin Zheng — University of GuelphToyoki Kozai — Chiba UniversityGenhua Niu — Texas A&M AgriLife ResearchA.J. Both — Rutgers University
Peter van Weel — Wageningen University & ResearchEugene Jones — University of ArizonaCary Mitchell — Purdue UniversityKlaus Stanghellini — Wageningen University & ResearchBert van Ruijven — Wageningen University & ResearchFrank Kempkes — Wageningen University & ResearchEp Heuvelink — Wageningen University & ResearchSilvia Pampuri — Wageningen University & ResearchSimon Pearson — University of LincolnDavid Llewellyn — Harper Adams University
Paul Hadley — University of ReadingJeremy Burdon — Harper Adams UniversityMark Else — Cranfield UniversityGraham Wallace — James Hutton InstituteJames Locke — USDA Agricultural Research ServiceDewayne Ingram — University of KentuckyMichelle Jones — Ohio State UniversityKevin Folta — University of FloridaMichele Montero — University of AlmeríaJuan Fernández — University of Almería
Kees van der Velden — Wageningen University & ResearchArtemis Koukounaras — Aristotle University of ThessalonikiGiacomo Tosti — University of BolognaRita Maggini — University of PisaPaolo Sambo — University of PaduaLorenzo Pardossi — University of PisaAlessandro Ferrante — University of MilanGabriele Costa — University of BolognaLuigi De Bellis — University of SalentoFrancesco Orsini — University of Bologna
Michael Struik — Wageningen University & ResearchAndrew Neilson — University of NottinghamZhenhua He — University of FloridaHaijun Liu — Zhejiang UniversityYuanhui Zhang — University of IllinoisQingwu Guan — Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesXiuming Hao — Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaBob Hansen — Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaXiaohong Yang — Nanjing Agricultural UniversityJianjun Chen — University of Florida
Pramod Pandey — University of IllinoisArun Kumar — Indian Agricultural Research InstituteSanjay Kumar — Indian Institute of Horticultural ResearchRajesh Kumar — Punjab Agricultural UniversityHiroshi Shimizu — Kyoto UniversityMasaharu Kitano — Kyushu UniversityYasushi Ishigami — University of TokyoToshihiko Kozai — Chiba UniversityKeisuke Omasa — University of TokyoHirokazu Takahashi — Tohoku University

Carnivorous Plants & Bonsai - a potential hack for using Coco Grow Media

In this episode we examine why carnivorous plants and bonsai often struggle in coco grow media — coco (coir) can contain high sodium and is frequently buffered with calcium nitrate, resulting in elevated calcium and nitrogen compared with peat.
The host suggests a fix: use raw high-sodium coco and flush it with Liquid Gypsum (calcium sulfate) to remove sodium without adding nitrogen, creating a peat-free grow medium suited to carnivorous plants and bonsai and a potential niche business idea.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/soil-conditioners/liquid-gypsum/
Ryan Neil — Bonsai Mirai
Bjorn Bjorholm — Eisei-en Bonsai
Michael Hagedorn — Crataegus Bonsai
Peter Chan — Herons Bonsai
Walter Pall — Freelance Bonsai Artist
Mauro Stemberger — Italian Bonsai Academy
Kimura Masahiko — Kinbon Bonsai Garden
Takeyama Takashi — Fujikawa Kouka-en
Shinji Suzuki — Kaizen Bonsai
Boon Manakitivipart — Bonsai Boon
Jonas Dupuich — Bonsai Tonight
Sergio Cuan — Bonsai Empire
Colin Lewis — Freelance Bonsai Artist
Kevin Willson — Bonsai Willson
David Easterbrook — Freelance Bonsai Artist
Graham Potter — Freelance Bonsai Artist
Mauro Di Lorenzo — Bonsai Studio Italiano
Eric Schrader — Bonsaify
Andy Smith — Golden Arrow Bonsai
Tony Tickle — Yardley Bonsai
Jim Doyle — Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt
Kathy Shaner — Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt
Kathy and Jim Doyle — Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt
Bill Valavanis — International Bonsai Arboretum
Frank Mihalic — Bonsai Artist
Nick Lenz — Freelance Bonsai Artist
Dan Robinson — Elandan Gardens
David Benavente — Bonsai Kai
Pedro Morales — Bonsai Sur
Salvatore Liporace — UBI Bonsai
Jan Schlauer — Carnivorous Plant Society Europe
Barry Rice — Carnivorous Plant Society
Stewart McPherson — Redfern Natural History
Andreas Fleischmann — Botanische Staatssammlung München
Charles Clarke — Monash University
Fernando Rivadavia — Universidade Estadual de Campinas
Robert Cantley — Borneo Exotics
Alastair Robinson — Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Andreas Wistuba — Wistuba Carnivorous Plants
Lubomír Adamec — Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences
Peter D’Amato — California Carnivores
Barry Meyers-Rice — International Carnivorous Plant Society
Richard Nunn — Freelance Carnivorous Plant Grower
Ivan Snyder — Freelance Carnivorous Plant Grower
Thomas Carow — Green Jaws
Marcel van den Broek — Carnivorous Plant Nursery
Christian Klein — Kleins Carnivorous Plants
Marcel van den Berg — Dutch Carnivorous Plant Society
Brian Barnes — California Carnivores
Tamlin Magee — Meadowview Biological Research Station
Aaron Ellison — Harvard University
Paulo Gonella — Universidade de São Paulo
Kai Müller — University of Würzburg
François Mey — Société Botanique de France
Nicolas Riddick — Freelance Carnivorous Plant Grower
Adam Karremans — Lankester Botanical Garden
Kamil Pásek — Best Carnivorous Plants
Christian Dietz — Freelance Carnivorous Plant Researcher
Adrian Slack — Carnivorous Plant Author
Paul McMillan — Freelance Carnivorous Plant Researcher
Tony Tickle — Bonsai Artist
Koji Hiramatsu — Shunkaen Bonsai Museum
Kunio Kobayashi — Shunkaen Bonsai Museum
Masahiko Kimura — Kinbon Bonsai Garden
Naoki Maeoka — Japanese Bonsai Artist
Taiga Urushibata — Japanese Bonsai Artist
Ryuji Suzuki — Japanese Bonsai Artist
David De Groot — Bonsai De Groot
Andrew Robson — Rakuyo Bonsai
Leo Eshkenazi — Freelance Bonsai Artist
Jason Chan — Eastern Leaf
Kevin Wilson — Bonsai Willson
Mark Fields — Evergreen Gardenworks
Brent Walston — Evergreen Gardenworks
Michael Tran — Muranaka Bonsai Nursery
Roy Nagatoshi — Royal Bonsai Garden
Mas Iida — Iida Bonsai Nursery
Peter Tea — Freelance Bonsai Artist
Tony Remington — Freelance Bonsai Artist
Harry Harrington — Bonsai4Me
Damon Collingsworth — California Carnivores
Mike King — Carnivorous Plant Nursery
Andreas Fleischmann — Munich Botanical Collection
Stewart McPherson — Redfern Natural History Productions
Matt Opel — International Carnivorous Plant Society
Bob Ziemer — Meadowview Biological Research Station
Ron Determann — Meadowview Biological Research Station
Tom Luecking — Freelance Carnivorous Plant Grower
Richard Myers — Carnivorous Plant Society UK
Adrian Yeo — Singapore Botanic Gardens
Ch’ng Khoon Meng — Singapore Botanic Gardens
Paul Harwood — Carnivorous Plant Society UK
Jan Schlauer — Botanical Researcher
Barry Rice — ICPS
Peter D’Amato — California Carnivores
Ryan McEnaney — Chicago Botanic Garden
Kevin Wilson — Bonsai Willson
Jonas Dupuich — Bonsai Tonight
Bjorn Bjorholm — Eisei-en Bonsai
Stewart McPherson — Redfern Natural History

Alternatives to Dosatrons: Which Fertigation Tool Wins?

In this episode Dr. Russell Sharp explains how dosatrons work and compares practical alternatives for run‑to‑waste hydroponic systems, including Venturi injectors, electric metering pumps, and simple fertigation tanks. He outlines the pros and cons of each option — cost, accuracy, power needs, maintenance, and scale — and covers considerations about recirculation, environmental impact, and regulatory risk. Ideal for growers choosing the right dosing method for medium to large greenhouse operations.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/
Jean-François Hannequart — Dosatron International
Eric Roudaut — Dosatron International
Philippe Martin — Dosatron International
Pascal Lacroix — Dosatron International
David Hull — Dosatron USA
Bill Toler — Hydrofarm
John Lindemann — Hydrofarm
Terry Fitch — Hydrofarm
Peter Wardenburg — Hydrofarm
Gaby Miodownik — Netafim
Ran Bar-Tal — Netafim
Eliezer Zilberman — Netafim
Poul Due Jensen — Grundfos
Anne Grønbjerg — Grundfos
Morten Bach Jensen — Grundfos
Mikael Geday — Grundfos
Bent Jensen — Grundfos
Jeremy Brown — Iwaki America
John Miersma — Iwaki America
Andreas Kleimann — Iwaki Europe
Marco Gandolfi — SEKO
Davide Galli — SEKO
Roberto Mantovani — SEKO
Carlo Pizzocaro — SEKO
Jim Lauria — Blue-White Industries
Brian E. Cooney — Blue-White Industries
Paul Van der Wal — Autogrow Systems
Chris White — Autogrow Systems
Shaun Whiteman — Autogrow Systems
Scott Peters — Growlink
Ted Tanner — Growlink
Ryan Boyle — Growlink
Ross Sherwood — Bluelab
Darryn Keiller — Bluelab
Colin Jennings — Bluelab
John Kinsella — Hanna Instruments
Oscar Llobet — Hanna Instruments
Mark Johnson — Stenner Pump Company
Kevin Perry — Stenner Pump Company
Paul Riley — Walchem
Kevin McDonnell — Walchem
Dan Myers — Milton Roy (LMI)
Thomas Pfitzner — Milton Roy
Maurizio Bianchini — EMEC
Marco Bernardini — EMEC
Giorgio Bassi — Doseuro
Stefano Bertolini — Doseuro
Yossi Tal — Tefen
Eyal Cohen — Tefen
Hanu Pappu — Jain Irrigation
Anil Jain — Jain Irrigation
Naresh Patel — Jain Irrigation
Harmen van der Meer — Priva
Rick Van Der Zanden — Priva
Erik Jansen — Priva
Ben Nijland — Argus Controls
Rick Mosher — Argus Controls
Pat McIntyre — Argus Controls
Don Janssen — AmHydro
Gary Hickman — AmHydro
Steven Bacon — CropKing
Mark Doherty — CropKing
Brian Young — General Hydroponics
Ron Wold — General Hydroponics
James Thompson — Netafim USA
Steve Bradley — Netafim USA
Mike McDonald — Dosatron USA
Tom Ball — Dosatron USA
Chris Higgins — Hort Americas
Jeff Timmons — Hort Americas
Scott Lowry — Current Culture H2O
Derek Ruschmann — Current Culture H2O
Mark Tracey — Nutriculture
Graham Smith — Nutriculture
Andrew Turnbull — HydroGarden
Lee Stephenson — HydroGarden
Nick Brook — Pure Hydroponics
Oliver Edwards — Pure Hydroponics
Matthew Hay — Autogrow Systems
Ben Parsons — Autogrow Systems
Chris Higgins — Lumigrow
Ryan Donovan — LumiGrow
James Eaves — Rivulis
Itzhak Nir — Rivulis
Moshe Ben-David — Rivulis
Daniel Grant — Irritec
Marco Sironi — Irritec
Yaron Dagan — Bermad
Rami Levi — Bermad
Avi Peleg — Bermad
Paul Shed — Nelson Irrigation
Wade Jones — Nelson Irrigation
Simon van der Walt — Greencube
Pieter van der Merwe — Greencube
Steve Mallory — Autogrow USA
Mark DeKoster — GrowControl
Daniel Stacey — GrowControl
Jim Pantaleo — Xylem
Patrick Decker — Xylem
Kenji Sato — Takemura Electric Works

How to Save Virus-Infected Varieties; Thermotherapy for Crops

Hello there, and welcome back to Hydroponics Daily, your go-to podcast for everything soilless cultivation. I am your host, Dr. Russell Sharp, the founder of Eutrema Limited, a company that makes truly unique fertilizers, biostimulants, and biopesticides that you won't find anywhere else. The technology is completely unique. And today, the topic of the podcast is what I would do if I was faced with a virus in my crop. Specifically a crop where you want to protect the genetic material and you can't just throw the plants away often when we say when you've got a virus the first thing you should do is just destroy all plant material but what if you've got a strain a variety a cultivar that only you've got or is protected or is endangered or you need it for a breeding program or something like that and you need to get rid of the virus what are you going to do you can't give plants tamiflu that technology is not available you can't just wait for their immune system to fight the virus off because they don't have immune systems and so there's only really one option that i'm aware of and that's heat treatment so you when you're planting out cuttings tubers bulbs or seeds immersing them in hot water for a defined period can help with virus control. So we're talking about temperatures of 45 to 55 degrees Celsius. So you wouldn't keep plants, not many plants would live at that sort of temperature, they would soon die off, especially unless the humidity was really, really high. But the duration of which you give this treatment is only like 10 to 60 minutes. So in crops that's regularly, perennial crops, herbaceous perennial crops where they regularly suffer from viruses like sugar cane, sweet potato, banana, even grape vines and some ornamentals, you can do this and with success and control viruses. And you're best obviously doing it with smaller plants because smaller the plants, the more effective the treatment will be because of just the temperature profiles and things like that. Now obviously there's a big challenge there it could be phytotoxic it could just kill your plants from the heat but with a bit of experimentation you could find what is the sweet spot for your particular plant and in fact if I was going to do this if I had a plant that I needed to control the viruses I would do it until the plant breaks so I would get maybe 100 cuttings from a virus infected plant and I'd treat 10 at. What did I say the temperature was, 45 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes, and then all the way up to 10 that would be treated at 55 degrees Celsius for 60 minutes. No idea what that is in Fahrenheit, apologies for American listeners, but it's pretty warm, it's sort of like steam room temperature. So I would do a range and find out at what point did the plants die, and just go slightly below that, and really really stress it, because you don't want any virus particles in that new plant because it will be a source of infection and you will not get a chance to do this twice really so obviously seeds is the easiest but very rarely you won't go on to do that it's after that tubers something dormant a bulb they're going to be much more resistant much more tolerant of those high temperatures whereas a cutting is probably going to be the most sensitive but i would do it until it breaks if you're prepared to lose a few cuttings you could do it on unrooted cuttings and rooted cuttings i'd probably start with rooted cuttings see if you could get away with it because, severely stressing a cutting that's not rooted and then trying to get it to root you know you're not you you're in for a bad case there because you really struggle because it's all the cells are going to be weak and stressed from that heat treatment so i do it on rooted cuttings, newly rooted cuttings, not too much growing media around them. Okay, so that would be my. My suggestion, what are the success rates? If you're doing it on seeds, the sort of typical virus elimination you can achieve is 60 to 90%. Whole plant cure rate, typically around 50%. So you may need to screen the plants and quarantine and destroy any plants that are not completely successful. Micropropagation as well. There's often a technique that's used in micropropagation because you can, these plants are so much smaller than a normal cutting than a normal plant that you can quickly get them to the temperature and then back down again quickly whereas a a large corm or bulb or tuber you could think you can get in the center of that tuber to 50 degrees celsius means much longer and the outside temperature will have to be a lot warmer so so yeah that's probably going to be lower success rate there what else can we say this is sort of the term is thermotherapy by the way so what else can we say about it you can do it on whole plants large plants but you would probably need a grow room dedicated to it with a sort of a temperature of high 30s probably early 40s for two to six weeks that's a lot of heat if you're not in a tropical or arid area but you've got fruit trees large fruit trees ornamentals that are just infected then it might be worth it for targeting systemic viruses and preserving the whole plant structure rather than going back down to cuttings and starting it all over again. The heat stress will reduce the vigour and survival of the plants. You'll probably get some scorching on the leaves and things like that. So if it's an ornamental plant, you might reduce that. The success rates for whole plant thermotherapy are lower. So 30 to 70% virus elimination. And just because the temperatures are lower, so the virus isn't exposed to such a high temperature. And maybe this is why, you know, when you get a virus, like a cold or a flu, your body heats up because viruses don't like high temperatures. But, you know, tropical plants still get viruses. So I'd imagine this is harder to do on tropical plants and easier to do on temperate plants, because tropical plants are going to be exposed to these high temperatures anyway, and the viruses will be adapted to them. It will depend on the virus and its genetics, because even though they're not alive, they have genetics, they have genes, whether that's RNA or DNA. So the virus biology will have an effect and the host tolerance the ability to withstand those high temperatures will be key and the precise treatment i would probably do a water bath would probably be the easiest way to do it with cuttings now a water bath you can set to a set temperature and and dunk them in what's that thing they use in kitchens is it a bain marie when they when they're cooking steaks very precise temperatures you could potentially use one of those as well and or Or if you fail in that, a pot on a stove or something in an oven, some water in an oven that could get the plants to 50 degrees Celsius uniformly. So you don't want to put them in dry heat in an oven because they're exposed to all sorts of temperatures there. Definitely don't just put them in an oven. Definitely use a water bath for cuttings and things like that. So that would be my top tip. Just sort of Google there. You can pick up a Bain-Marie for like 100, 140 pounds. So that's not a lot considering the value if you're going to go to these lengths then the value of these plants must be considerable if you're going to spend the time and effort to try and eliminate viruses from them and potentially you know with virus testing getting better and better and more what's the word i'm looking for accessible you could potentially have a nice little hydroponic. Business selling certified virus-free heat treated cuttings that could be one of the things if you if in your industry cuttings there's a there's a business is selling cuttings and you're looking for a unique selling point then potentially you could say our product our cuttings are all heat treated and checked and checked for viruses before they leave the nursery and that could be a really good small little venture little bootstrapped hydroponic company to get you going up and running, selling, cuttings, and propagation material. Anyway, that's been Hydroponics Daily for today. If you found it interesting, please do give us an Apple podcast review because it does help spread the word of hydroponics with the wider horticultural gardening community and scientific community. If you're not an Apple, just make sure you follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode. We've got about 14 episodes left of 2025. I've done an episode every day,  at the very least check out www.Eutrema.co.uk for all your amazing. Fertilizers, biostimulants and biopesticides. None of our products control viruses because you can't control a virus. You have to either destroy your plants or heat treat them. You can use insecticides to prevent the spread of aphids, which transfer the viruses. We don't sell insecticides, we sell an insecticide or soap and that's about it. So yeah, that's been Hydroponics Daily for today. Thank you very much for listening and I'll see you again tomorrow.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/
Roger Hull — John Innes CentreDavid Baulcombe — University of CambridgeJames Carrington — Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterAndrew O. Jackson — University of California, BerkeleyB. W. Falk — University of California, DavisAnne Simon — University of MarylandHerman Scholthof — Texas A&M UniversitySiddarame Gowda — University of FloridaRalf Georg Dietzgen — University of QueenslandIoannis E. Tzanetakis — University of ArkansasBryce Falk — University of California, DavisKarl Maramorosch — Rutgers UniversityJohn Hammond — USDA Agricultural Research ServiceRobert A. Owens — USDA Agricultural Research ServiceVéronique Brault — INRAEThierry Candresse — INRAEStephane Blanc — INRAEYiguo Hong — Zhejiang UniversityShou-Wei Ding — University of California, RiversideW. Allen Miller — Iowa State UniversityKaren-Beth G. Scholthof — Texas A&M UniversityScott Adkins — USDA Agricultural Research ServiceHanu R. Pappu — Washington State UniversityMichael J. Adams — Rothamsted ResearchJohn Walsh — University of WarwickPeter Palukaitis — Seoul National UniversitySaid Ghabrial — University of KentuckyRajagopalbabu Srinivasan — Texas A&M UniversityFeng Qu — Ohio State UniversityMichael M. Goodin — University of KentuckyYongliang Zhang — Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesXueping Zhou — Zhejiang UniversityShahid Siddique — University of TennesseePing Qian — Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityShouhua Feng — Chinese Academy of SciencesSatyanarayana Tatineni — USDA Agricultural Research ServiceAiming Wang — Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaFeng Li — University of South DakotaJinling Huang — East China Normal UniversityByungwook Ahn — Seoul National UniversityChikara Masuta — Hokkaido UniversityNobumichi Saitoh — University of TokyoTetsuo Meshi — Kyoto UniversityKei Fujiwara — University of TokyoMasayuki Ishikawa — National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (Japan)Toru Fujiwara — University of TokyoSung-Hwan Yun — Seoul National UniversityKook-Hyung Kim — Seoul National UniversityYijun Zhou — Nanjing Agricultural UniversityJianping Chen — Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesFengming Song — Zhejiang UniversityShou-Wei Ding — University of California, RiversideJean-Michel Hily — INRAEChristophe Ritzenthaler — CNRSHugues Vigne — University of StrasbourgJosé-Antonio Daròs — IBMCP-CSICRicardo Flores — IBMCP-CSICVicente Pallás — IBMCP-CSICPedro Moreno — IVIA ValenciaMaría Teresa Gutiérrez — University of GranadaEugene S. Dennis — CSIROPeter Waterhouse — Australian National UniversityMikhail Pooggin — Friedrich Miescher InstituteThomas Hohn — University of BaselMichael J. Oliver — USDA Agricultural Research ServiceGary P. Munkvold — Iowa State UniversityWilliam O. Dawson — University of FloridaJames Schoelz — University of MissouriClaudio L. Bassett — USDA Agricultural Research ServiceJorge A. Sánchez-Navarro — IBMCP-CSICRongxiang Fang — Chinese Academy of SciencesYijun Qi — Tsinghua University

Perennial Cereals: Are Kernza and Perennial Rice the Future of Food?

Dr. Russell Sharp explores the growing interest in perennial arable crops like Kernza, perennial rice and sorghum, explaining their environmental benefits, current commercial status, and the agronomic challenges they face.
The episode also discusses breeding and gene-editing opportunities to improve yield and resilience, and considers how perennial grains might fit into hydroponic and niche high-value markets.
https://eutrema.co.uk/
Maqsood Ali Wagan — Sindh Agriculture University
Farhan Ali Wagan — Sindh Agriculture University
Andrius Grigas — Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Dainius Steponavičius — Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Indrė Bručienė — Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Ričardas Krikštolaitis — Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Tomas Krilavičius — Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Aušra Steponavičienė — Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Dainius Savickas — Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Alejandro Perdomo López — Reaseheath College / University Centre
Adrienn S. — Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
S. Upreti — ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute
Monica Dutta — Indian Institute of Information Technology
Deepali Gupta — Indian Institute of Information Technology
Sumegh Tharewal — Indian Institute of Information Technology
Deepam Goyal — Indian Institute of Information Technology
Jasminder Kaur Sandhu — Indian Institute of Information Technology
Manjit Kaur — Indian Institute of Information Technology
Ahmad Ali Alzubi — Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University
Jazem Mutared Alanazi — Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University
Sreehitha Padala — St. Francis College for Women
Saniya Vaishnav — St. Francis College for Women
Revathi Saravanan — St. Francis College for Women
Basanti Chintapalli — St. Francis College for Women
Sandeep Indurthi — Assam Agricultural University
Ira Sarma — Assam Agricultural University
Chereddy Maheswarareddy — Assam Agricultural University
M. R. Islam — Bangladesh Agricultural University
M. A. Rahman — Bangladesh Agricultural University
S. K. Paul — Bangladesh Agricultural University
A. K. Singh — ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute
R. K. Yadav — ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute
P. K. Singh — ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute
J. L. Minhas — ICAR–Central Soil Salinity Research Institute
V. P. Singh — ICAR–Central Soil Salinity Research Institute
H. R. Sharma — Punjab Agricultural University
S. S. Dhillon — Punjab Agricultural University
M. A. Al-Khatib — King Saud University
A. A. Al-Harbi — King Saud University
N. H. Batool — University of Agriculture Faisalabad
M. A. Nawaz — University of Agriculture Faisalabad
Y. S. Kim — Seoul National University
J. H. Lee — Seoul National University
T. Matsuo — University of Tokyo
K. Yamamoto — University of Tokyo
P. J. Botha — University of Pretoria
M. J. van der Merwe — University of Pretoria
R. N. Singh — Banaras Hindu University
S. K. Verma — Banaras Hindu University
Alice Withrow — Purdue University

Dosatron Secrets

Dr. Russell Sharp explains how Dosatrons (water-powered dosing pumps) mix concentrated fertilizer like Gold Leaf/Liquid Gold into fertigation systems, describing the piston-driven mechanism, proportional injection, and why it maintains a constant concentration despite flow changes.
The episode covers practical setup tips for off-grid hydroponics — solenoids, drippers, solar pumps, and how a Dosatron enables accurate, electricity-free dosing, along with limitations (not for powders, pressure loss, very viscous or abrasive chemicals) and a brief mention of Venturi injectors.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

Cut-and-Come-Again: Hydroponic Hype vs. Reality

Dr. Russell Sharp of Hydroponics Daily breaks down the truth behind "cut-and-come-again" vegetables and viral social media hacks, explaining which crops genuinely regrow and which claims are misleading.
Learn which leafy herbs and greens can be harvested multiple times, why most bulky vegetables won’t produce a marketable second crop, and when starting fresh is a better option for consistent yields.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/
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