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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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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An Expanded View on Root Zone Temperature in Soilless and Hydroponic Systems
When we think about optimizing hydroponic systems, most growers focus on nutrient concentrations, pH levels, and lighting conditions. However, one of the most critical yet often overlooked factors that can…
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Growing Soilless Crops Without Nitrates: Practical Options When Nitrate Salts Are Unavailable
For growers in regions where geopolitical conflicts or economic constraints limit access to nitrate fertilizers like calcium nitrate and potassium nitrate, the question arises: can you grow hydroponic or soilless…
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Comparing Nutrient Solutions for Hydroponic Strawberry Production
Getting the right nutrient solution for strawberries in hydroponics can feel like trying to solve a puzzle where every piece matters. Unlike many crops where you can get away with…
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Comparing Nutrient Solutions for Hydroponic Tomatoes
When growing tomatoes hydroponically, one of the most critical decisions you’ll make is choosing the right nutrient solution. The composition of your nutrient solution can dramatically affect both the quantity…
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Calcium silicate (wollastonite) in soilless crops
Silicon in media is not a magic switch. In soilless systems it can help, it can do nothing, and at the wrong rate or pH it can hurt. Calcium silicate…
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