Peptide Biostimulants in Plants: What They Are and What They Actually Do
Peptide biostimulants have gained significant attention in horticulture and hydroponics, with claims ranging from modest growth improvements to dramatic yield boosts. In this post, I want to examine what the…
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Aquaporins and Water Flow Regulation: A Microphysiological View of Plant Water Uptake
Water moves from nutrient solution into plant roots through a process that growers rarely examine at the molecular level. Yet the rate of this movement depends heavily on aquaporins, protein…
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Electrolyte Conductivity vs. Ionic Activity: Why EC Alone Can Mislead Your Nutrient Decisions
Your EC meter is telling you only part of the story. Two nutrient solutions reading identical EC values can produce dramatically different plant growth outcomes in controlled studies. The reason…
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Foliar Sprays in Hydroponics: What Actually Enters the Plant?
Foliar feeding occupies a paradoxical space in hydroponic cultivation. Growers routinely spray nutrients on leaves expecting rapid correction, yet the science reveals a much narrower window of utility. The plant…
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Bio-stimulants: Which Pure Compounds Have Reproducible Effects
If you have been exploring ways to improve crop performance in your hydroponic system, you have likely encountered the term “bio-stimulants.” The market is flooded with products making bold claims,…
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Thiamine as a biostimulant in hydroponic and soilless systems
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is one of those additives that has circulated through the hydroponic community for decades, but the science behind its actual effects on plant growth has remained somewhat…
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Exogenous Sugar Applications: A deeper look
The application of external sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose) to adult plants has generated interest as a potential biostimulant strategy, with research revealing complex concentration-dependent effects that range from beneficial to…
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Ascorbic Acid as a Biostimulant: Alleviating Stress to Improve Yield and Quality in Hydroponic Systems
The search for sustainable biostimulants to enhance crop productivity has led researchers to investigate ascorbic acid (vitamin C) as a promising alternative to synthetic growth regulators. This natural antioxidant compound…
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Organic Sulfur Foliar Sprays: Beyond Sulfate Salts for Hydroponic Crops
Most hydroponic growers think of sulfur supplementation strictly in terms of sulfate salts like magnesium sulfate or potassium sulfate. However, plants can also utilize reduced organic sulfur compounds that offer…
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Creating an Effective “Greener” Foliar Spray from Raw Salts to Combat Yellowing in Productive Crops
Yellowing in productive crops represents one of the most common symptoms growers face when nutrient availability becomes limiting. While root zone nutrition remains the foundation of crop feeding, foliar applications…
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