The Future of Pesticides … Pyrolysis Studies and Separate Classifications for Flowers, Concentrates and Edibles

2 Comments

Pesticides

Accounting to the obscurity regarding the lack of regulation and oversight for the entire modern history of this plant, pesticide testing on cannabis is only now seeing the light of day.  The absence of official federal government rulings has left state regulators scrambling to standardize, monitor and enforce these guidelines on their own. This unfortunately has lead to unavoidable lack of oversight and widespread misuse of unapproved pesticides. Incredibly, the Cannabis Safety Institute has reported “that pesticide residue on retail Cannabis products is often found at levels exceeding the allowable levels on any agricultural product.” This lack of oversight has created an ever-increasing need to understand how long pesticides persist on the plants and what classes of pesticides are considered safe for use.

…

The Future of Pesticides … Pyrolysis Studies and Separate Classifications for Flowers, Concentrates and EdiblesRead More »

The Future of Pesticides … Pyrolysis Studies and Separate Classifications for Flowers, Concentrates and Edibles Read More »

CHA Membership Is Now Open to All Interested Researchers, Educators, Students, Horticulturists and Industry Professionals

1 Comment
CHA Grassroots Science

Our membership is a premier package for individuals, professionals and businesses to take part in supporting and expanding their knowledge to develop the scientific understanding for cultivating the highest grade cannabis in the most sustainable fashion. Member funding goes to support the expansion of our database as well as conduct outreach to promote ecologically sound management for the cannabis industry. Our online resource center currently covers three broad categories of Integrated Pest Management, Integrated Nutrient Management, and BioControls.

…

CHA Membership Is Now Open to All Interested Researchers, Educators, Students, Horticulturists and Industry ProfessionalsRead More »

CHA Membership Is Now Open to All Interested Researchers, Educators, Students, Horticulturists and Industry Professionals Read More »

Regulating Pest Controls

Leave a Comment
Rodale Institute

By Kelsey McKee, OMRI Review Program and Quality Director

Clearly, a commitment to organic practices means that growers will generally use pest control products as a last resort, but organic farmers are permitted to use some potent materials in order to address severe pest issues. Although most pest control products allowed for organic production are naturally derived, these materials can be quite toxic – especially when used in excess. There are written requirements that are part of the organic standards, and these constraints are not always obvious to organic consumers, or to gardeners who do not work with a certifier. The organic standards include an important clause that limits the circumstances under which pest control products may be used.

…

Regulating Pest ControlsRead More »

Regulating Pest Controls Read More »

Plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbes

Leave a Comment
filamentous bacteria

This article is an excerpt from Springer Open Journal. References are included in original article.

Plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbes are rhizosphere associated organisms that colonize the rhizosphere and rhizoplane and improve plant growth when artificially inoculated onto the seeds or into soil. PGP microbes may promote plant growth either by direct stimulation such as iron chelation, phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation and phytohormone production or by indirect stimulation such as suppression of plant pathogens and induction of resistance in host plants against pathogens. The opportunities of PGP microbes include alternating applications of PGP microbes as bio-fungicides with inorganic fungicides to manage fungicide resistance and to reduce the number of fungicide applications per year. PGP microbes also plays an important role in inte-run-off of unused fertilizers and the environment damage that results.

…

Plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbesRead More »

Plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbes Read More »

Making the Most of an Efficient HVAC System for Greenhouses

1 Comment
Efficient HVAC System for Greenhouses

Great article from Cannabis Business Times …

A greenhouse brings a grow closer to the elements, but the same sun that feeds the plants can also push the temperature far past the comfortable range for cannabis.

One main consideration is whether the greenhouse will be “open” or “closed,” says Nadia Sabeh, agricultural and mechanical engineer for consulting/engineering firm Guttmann & Blaevoet. An open greenhouse has some form of air flow from outside the structure, while a closed greenhouse is structured more like an indoor grow and mostly sealed. But even though an open greenhouse has more interaction with outside air, it doesn’t mean the cooling strategy is … just to open a window, she says.

…

Making the Most of an Efficient HVAC System for GreenhousesRead More »

Making the Most of an Efficient HVAC System for Greenhouses Read More »

Product Spotlight – Foliar Essence

1 Comment
Foliar Essence

It smells like sweet fermented sugars. Loaded with micronutrients, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes and phytohormones, Foliar Essence rapidly boosts growth rates and can be used in conjunction with any fertilizer regimen.

100% organic and vegan, Foliar Essence is carefully extracted from organic soybeans, organic rice and organic sugarcane to provide a readily absorbable form of supplemental plant nutrients important for healthy plant development and pest-resistance support. This foliar spray is ideal for organic and vegan (those who grow without any animal-based fertilizers or animal-based amino acids) cultivators as well as conventional growing, as it ensures that your propagation gets its maximum nutrients resulting in:

…

Product Spotlight – Foliar EssenceRead More »

Product Spotlight – Foliar Essence Read More »

Effect of Aerated Compost Tea on the Growth in Organic Cultivation

Leave a Comment
TeaLab

Here we see that Compost Tea is well worth the effort. Four types of compost were brewed and then the available nitrogen was determined, as well as the density of microbial communities, along with their affect on plant growth characteristics.  Across the board it was shown that aerating compost tea released more nutrients, increased microbial counts, and helped plants grow.  Way to go AACT.

Article Courtesy of TeaLab.

Effect of Aerated Compost Tea on the Growth Promotion of Lettuce, Soybean, and Sweet Corn in Organic Cultivation
Journal of Plant Pathology 2015

Effect of Aerated Compost Tea on the Growth in Organic Cultivation Read More »

Harvest Rain, Harvest Flowers

Leave a Comment
Rainwater Tanks

By Lizandro Salazar

As more propositions pass, tax dollars accumulate, and growers slowly creep out of the woodwork, it’s becoming clear that the CA cannabis industry is entering into a new phase.

While regulators scratch their heads trying to figure out how to best approach this topic, it’s clear that “business as usual” may turn into “business unusual.” Many farmers groan as engineering fees, soil tests, and permitting costs raise the price of going “legal”, but some growers and professionals are nodding their heads in approval. What some view as bureaucracy, others see as a opportunity to ‘do things right.’ CA is the leader in agriculture in the US. We grow the food that feeds most of the country using Billions of gallons of water, mixed with countless chemicals. Is the cannabis industry going to follow the same path? Or are we going to create sustainable and resilient systems promoting renewable energy, zero pesticides and water sovereignty? I’d like to think the latter.

…

Harvest Rain, Harvest FlowersRead More »

Harvest Rain, Harvest Flowers Read More »

Shilajit – An Ayurvedic Powerhouse

1 Comment

Often times I get the question, “How do I prevent my plants from getting sick?”. The answer is simple, and that is through plant immunity. In short, there are two primary factors that contribute to plant immunity:

  1. Adequate Mineral Nutrition
  2. Having that nutrition delivered in the form of microbial metabolites

When plants are given these essential needs in the form of microbial metabolites (fulvic acid), they are capable of stacking energy reserves in the forms of fats and waxes known as lipids. These lipids can be recognized as that glossy leaf shine you see in healthy gardens; it coats the leaf surfaces and provides a layer of protection against pests & diseases. For example, in the case of powdery mildew – you’ve just inhaled hundreds of powdery mildew spores since you’ve started reading this article. The reason you’re not falling ill is due to the fact that you’ve got a functional immune system powered by microbiology in your gut. The soil is the gut of the plant; it is the very life line the plant relies on to fend off threats in the field. Plant immunity is directly correlated with disease susceptibility.

…

Shilajit – An Ayurvedic PowerhouseRead More »

Shilajit – An Ayurvedic Powerhouse Read More »

Shopping Cart