Author: Tanya Irani

Understanding Phytophthora abietivora: A Threat to Fir Trees and Greenhouse Crops

Understanding Phytophthora abietivora There are plenty of threats to plants on our planet, ranging from pests to diseases. Some of these threats can affect plants inside and outside the greenhouse. Among these threats is Phytophthora abietivora, a fungal pathogen that targets fir trees and poses potential risks to greenhouse crops. Knowing about this pathogen, its […]
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Puccinia horiana on flower

Pathogen Profile: Puccinia horiana

Puccinia horiana Introduction: A fungal threat to floricultural crops This week, Healthy Hydroponics is shifting focus to cover a fungal pathogen, Puccinia horiana, commonly known as chrysanthemum white rust, that is known to affect chrysanthemum plants and daisies [1]. Belonging to the order Pucciniales, this pathogen poses a significant threat to the global chrysanthemum industry […]
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late blight by Phytophthora infestans

Pathogen Profile: Phytophthora infestans

Phytophthora infestans Introduction Phytophthora infestans, commonly known as late blight, is a notorious pathogen that poses a significant threat to tomato crops worldwide. This devastating oomycete (a “fungus-like” organism) has gained infamy for causing widespread and destructive outbreaks, leading to substantial economic losses and jeopardizing global food security [1]. This pathogen is best known for […]
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pathogen mini lettuce

Pathogen Mini for Food Safety Assurance and Beyond

Pathogen Mini for Food Safety Assurance and Beyond According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, foodborne illness affects an estimated 4 million Canadians yearly [1]. This is equivalent to approximately 1 in 8 Canadians becoming ill due to foodborne pathogens. Common foodborne pathogens in Canada include Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter [1]. At […]
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CTA Update

Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech: Expanding into New Markets As Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech grows, we started to look into markets around the world to provide our services to growers who need them. In November 2022, Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech was accepted into the Canadian Technology Accelerator in Mexico, along with eleven other companies. Mexico is the seventh largest […]
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Symptoms of Bacterial spot on a bell pepper fruit.

Pathogen Profile: Xanthomonas euvesicatoria

Xanthomonas euvesicatoria What is Xanthomonas euvesicatoria? Xanthomonas euvesicatoria is a bacterium that causes bacterial spot disease in plants of tomatoes and peppers [1,2]. It is aerobic and has a long tail (flagellum), allowing it to move in water. Please refer to Figure 1 where the flagellum can be seen on the bottom right side of […]
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Hydroponic strawberries being grown in a greenhouse in Canada

The Rise of Hydroponic Strawberries

The Rise of Hydroponic Strawberries With an increased prevalence of pathogens in various crops and a development in hydroponic technology, it seems that hydroponic strawberries have become a popular crop among growers. There are many benefits to both growers and Canadian consumers regarding hydroponic strawberries. We will look at some of these benefits and what […]
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Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus lettuce

Pathogen Profile: Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus

Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus An emerging threat to greenhouse vegetables Impatiens necrotic spot virus first emerged in floriculture and nursery crops [1] and is now affecting and causing considerable losses to these greenhouse-grown vegetable crops such as cucumber, tomato, pepper, and lettuce [2]. An economic analysis done on two lettuce growers in the Salinas Valley […]
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rugose tomatoes ready to be discarded

Tackling ToBRFV in Hydroponic Systems

Tackling ToBRFV in hydronic systems Most tomato growers have become very familiar with the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV). A few months ago, we published a blog post about the damage the virus is causing worldwide. Between then and now, we developed a qPCR test called Pathogen Mini to help detect the virus in […]
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The Benefits of Microbial Beneficials for Plants

Beneficial microbes have been the talk of the town over the past few years, but what are they and how do they work? This post dives into the world of microbial beneficials and what that means for the health of your crops. What are beneficial bacteria? Beneficial bacteria are naturally occurring bacteria typically found in […]
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