Understanding the 3 options to manage root born disease issues. Fortunately and unfortunately there are so many ways to manage pathogens in a hydroponic nutrient solution. Having options is great but these options can be difficult to navigate for new growers. Hopefully this overview comparing three popular management styles makes it easier to understand the tradeoffs between each. Pictured above: Rhizoctonia and other root rot pathogens can spread through a recirculating hydroponic nutrient solution infecting all susceptible crops. Sterilization methods can help reduce the spread of spores in the nutrient solution while microbial inoculants can help reduce the chance of…
Author: Tyler Baras
“Voluntary U.S. grade standards are issued under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, which provides for the development of official U.S. grades to designate different levels of quality. These grade standards are available for use by producers, suppliers, buyers, and consumers. As in the case of other standards for grades of fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops these standards are designed to facilitate orderly marketing by providing a convenient basis for buying and selling, for establishing quality control programs, and for determining loan values.” (From the United States Standards for Grades of Greenhouse Leaf Lettuce)…