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 […]
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 […]
Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos What is Podosphaera xanthii? Podosphaera xanthii is a pathogenic fungus which causes “powdery mildew” on plants, especially cucurbits [1]. The naming of this fungus is not standardized, and you may also know it as Podosphaera fusca, Sphaerotheca fuliginea or Sphaerotheca fusca [1]. In addition to P. xanthii, powdery mildew […]
Healthy Hydroponics at Cultivate’22 Cultivate’22 by AmericanHort is one of the greenhouse industry’s must-go events! We are proud to have exhibited beside well-known agricultural companies answer learned so much from industry experts. Let’s look back at some of the highlights of our trip! Cultivate’22 is a world-class trade show where equipment manufacturers, suppliers, solution providers, […]
Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos What is Pectobacterium carotovorum? Pectobacterium carotovorum is one pathogen, of many, that causes soft rot in plants. It is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, facultative anaerobe [1], (Figure 1). This bacteria is part of the order Enterobacterales [2] which includes other well-known bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella, to […]
Up to 40% of global crop loss is due to pests and plant diseases costing the global economy over $220 billion annually estimated by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Plant pathogens are not just a problem in traditional field agriculture, but also in indoor farms such as greenhouses and vertical […]
3 Common Greenhouse Pests One of the most common issues that lots of growers deal with in a greenhouse is different types of pests. The warm, humid conditions and abundant food in a greenhouse provide the perfect environment for pest development. Greenhouses also lack the natural predators for most pests that would be found in […]
Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos Biocontrol in Farming Globally, around 3 billion tons of pesticides are used annually to prevent diseases and pests from harming crops, yet 40% of crops are still lost due to plant diseases [1]. Adapting biocontrol in farming is a natural way to prevent and treat diseases; it can significantly […]
Written by: Becky Anderson Published by: David Santos What is Agrobacterium rhizogenes? Agrobacterium rhizogenes, also currently known as Rhizobium rhizogenes (1), is a Gram-negative, rod shaped, pathogenic bacteria (2) (Figure 1). A. rhizogenes lives in the rhizosphere, which is where the name derived (rhiza a root and gennao to make or to produce; hence, rhizogenes or root-producing). […]
Rancho Nexo and Mexico Our team in Healthy Hydroponics is checking out the international market! Last month I had the opportunity to visit Mexico with Rancho Nexo and participate in a trade show and various events. Rancho Nexo is a company that provides Canadian entrepreneurs connections and opportunities with many key figures in the Mexican […]