Hydroponics Daily

Dr. Russell Sharp explains how to choose and use microbial biostimulants for hydroponics, focusing on production/expiry dates, manufacturer credibility, and the trade-offs between liquid and powder formulations. He recommends trusted suppliers (Legume Technology, Omex/Biomex, Symbiom, Koppert's Trianum P), suggests starting with Bacillus blends and Trichoderma, and advises using seaweed extracts, humic acids and mild fertilizers to feed, not kill, microbes. https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/ Ben Lugtenberg — Leiden University Jos M. Raaijmakers — Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) Corné M. J. Pieterse — Utrecht University Paola Bonfante — University of Turin Ian R. Sanders — University of Lausanne Toby Kiers — Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Uta Paszkowski — University of Cambridge Marcel G. A. van der Heijden — Agroscope Jan Jansa — Agroscope Marc-André Selosse — Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris) Francis Martin — INRAE (France) Jonathan D. Leake — University of Sheffield David J. Read — University of Sheffield Katie J. Field — University of Sheffield David Johnson — University of Aberdeen Mark Brundrett — University of Western Australia Sally E. Smith — University of Adelaide Suzanne Simard — University of British Columbia Nancy C. Johnson — Northern Arizona University Matthias C. Rillig — Freie Universität Berlin Katharine A. Horton — University of Canterbury Michael J. Ryan — University of Sydney Caroline P. P. N. “Caro” Veresoglou — Freie Universität Berlin Tim Daniell — The James Hutton Institute David E. Crowley — University of California, Riverside Egbert Schwartz — University of Arizona Sharon L. Doty — University of Washington Fitri A. Widiastuti — Bogor Agricultural University Bernard R. Glick — University of Waterloo Everlon C. Rigobelo — São Paulo State University (UNESP) Harsh P. Bais — University of Delaware Indranil Mukherjee — Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Dilfuza Egamberdieva — Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ) Naveen K. Arora — Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University Rainer Borriss — Humboldt University of Berlin Blanca B. Landa — Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (CSIC, Spain) Philippe Lemanceau — INRAE Christophe Prigent-Combaret — Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Sonia Compant — AIT Austrian Institute of Technology Kornelia Smalla — Julius Kühn-Institut Angela Sessitsch — AIT Austrian Institute of Technology Gustavo Santoyo — Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo Roberto Kolter — Harvard Medical School Jeffrey L. Dangl — University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Paul Schulze-Lefert — Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research Marcel Dicke — Wageningen University & Research Wietse de Boer — Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) Linda Thomashow — USDA-ARS (Pullman) David M. Weller — USDA-ARS (Pullman) Cheryl B. Anderton — Washington State University Gary E. Harman — Cornell University Matteo Lorito — University of Naples Federico II Sheridan L. Woo — University of Naples Federico II Christian P. Kubicek — TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology) Irina S. Druzhinina — TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology) Enrique Monte — University of Salamanca Charles M. Kenerley — Texas A&M University Sam E. Gryzenhout — University of the Free State László Kredics — University of Szeged Gábor Szakács — Budapest University of Technology and Economics B. A. Horwitz — Weizmann Institute of Science Alfredo Herrera-Estrella — LANGEBIO (CINVESTAV, Mexico) Alfredo Herrera-Estrella (Plant–microbe) — Irapuato Unit, CINVESTAV Antonietta “Tetta” Vinale — University of Naples Federico II Massimo Zaccardelli — CREA (Italy) Francesco S. “F.” Camera — University of Padua Antonio Di Pietro — University of Córdoba Fernando C. “F.” López-Bucio — Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo Pedro A. H. M. Bakker — Utrecht University Jasper F. van der Putten — Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) Giles E. D. Oldroyd — University of Cambridge Maria J. Harrison — Boyce Thompson Institute Jean-Michel Ané — University of Wisconsin–Madison Carla M. “C.” R. Carvalho — University of São Paulo Paola Angelini — University of Perugia Andrea Genre — University of Turin Guillaume Béguiristain — INRAE Marc-Henri Lebrun — INRAE José M. “J.” Alvarez — University of Granada Paola Grenni — Water Research Institute (CNR, Italy) Anissa Poleatewich — Mycorrhizal Applications (Plant Health Care) Martin Trépanier — Premier Tech Maya Dayan — DYNOMYCO Moran Topf — DYNOMYCO Inge Hanssen — DCM (Group De Ceuster) Rob Cannings — Plant Health Care Pam Marrone — Marrone Bio Innovations Mark A. Sadowsky — University of Minnesota James M. Tiedje — Michigan State University Jo Handelsman — University of Wisconsin–Madison Patrick A. H. M. Bakker — Utrecht University Brajesh K. Singh — Western Sydney University Umer Chaudhry — CSIRO Agriculture and Food Rana Munns — CSIRO Agriculture and Food Michael R. McNear Jr. — University of Delaware Louise E. Egerton-Warburton — California State University, San Bernardino Thomas R. Horton — SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Katharine A. “K.” Treseder — University of California, Irvine John D. Bever — University of Kansas Gregory P. Cheatham — University of Georgia

Dr. Russell Sharp explores research showing that squashes, pumpkins and other cucurbits can absorb persistent hydrophobic pollutants (PCBs, dioxin-like compounds, organochlorine pesticides and furans) because a specific plant protein binds these chemicals and transports them into the fruit. The episode covers the health and food-safety implications, the potential to breed low-accumulating varieties or use phytoremediation, and why growing these crops hydroponically is a safer alternative to avoid soil-borne, long-lasting pesticides. https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/ Todd C. Wehner — North Carolina State University Warren Barham Henderson — North Carolina State University Sam Jenkins — North Carolina State University Chris Hernandez — University of New Hampshire A. F. Yeager — University of New Hampshire Elwyn Meader — University of New Hampshire J. Brent Loy — University of New Hampshire Cecilia E. McGregor — University of Georgia Pamela D. Roberts — University of Florida Rebecca Grumet — Michigan State University Zhangjun Fei — Boyce Thompson Institute Yiqun Weng — USDA-ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit (Madison, WI) Jim Myers — Oregon State University Chuck Bornt — Cornell Cooperative Extension Margaret Tuttle McGrath — Cornell University Michael Mazourek — Cornell University Jocelyn (Joss) Rose — Cornell University Neil Mattson — Cornell University Alan G. Taylor — Cornell University Elizabeth Maynard — Purdue University Rosie Lerner — Purdue University Katie Parker — University of Illinois Extension Bruce Bugbee — Utah State University Mark Brand — University of Connecticut Gerald Berkowitz — University of Connecticut Vance Whitaker — University of Florida Craig Schluttenhofer — Central State University Dan Putnam — University of California, Davis Brad Hanson — University of California, Davis Rebecca Sideman — University of New Hampshire Louise Russell — The James Hutton Institute David Simpson — NIAB EMR Howard Griffiths — University of Cambridge Tracy Lawson — University of Essex Erik H. Murchie — University of Nottingham Malcolm Hawkesford — Rothamsted Research Yiguo Hong — University of Worcester Owen Atkin — Australian National University Susanne von Caemmerer — Australian National University Graham Farquhar — Australian National University Rana Munns — CSIRO Robert D. Furbank — CSIRO Noel Cogan — Agriculture Victoria Research German Spangenberg — Agriculture Victoria Research Simone Rochfort — Agriculture Victoria Research Mathew A. Gilliham — University of Adelaide Peter Langridge — University of Adelaide Ute Roessner — University of Melbourne Mark Lefsrud — McGill University Adam Dale — University of Guelph Rowan F. Sage — University of Toronto Andrew Jamieson — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Kentville) Hugh Daubeny — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Summerland) Kim Lewers — USDA-ARS James Luby — University of Minnesota John R. Clark — University of Arkansas Patrick Conner — University of Georgia David Suchoff — North Carolina State University Jason Griffin — Kansas State University Zelalem Mersha — Virginia State University

Dr. Russell Sharp reviews Hydroponics Daily in 2025, highlighting the top podcast episodes, surprising listener interests (pH, nutrient lockup, microgreens), event highlights, product plans, and both wins and challenges from the year. He also covers industry news, unusual stories like illegal grows, predictions for 2026, and plans to shift the podcast format while continuing to support growers and new products. https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/ Larry Smart — Cornell University Virginia Moore — Cornell University Christine Smart — Cornell University Alan Taylor — Cornell University (Jocelyn) Joss Rose — Cornell University Glenn Philippe — Cornell University Neil Mattson — Cornell University Nick Kaczmar — Cornell University Lynn Sosnoskie — Cornell University Yu Jiang — Cornell University Chang Chen — Cornell University Alireza (Ali) Abbaspourrad — Cornell University Bruno Xavier — Cornell University Roger Morse — Cornell University Olga Padilla-Zakour — Cornell University Gerald Berkowitz — University of Connecticut Mark Brand — University of Connecticut Bruce Bugbee — Utah State University Jose Franco Da Cunha Leme Filho — Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carla Garzon — Delaware Valley University Youbin Zheng — University of Guelph Marco Todesco — University of British Columbia Dan Putnam — University of California, Davis Robert B. Hutmacher — University of California, Davis Charlie Brummer — University of California, Davis Daniel Pap — University of California, Davis Brad Hanson — University of California, Davis Sara Light — University of California, Davis Maya Hotz — University of California, Davis Kadie Britt — University of California, Riverside Mahboubeh Dehnavi — University of California, Davis Nicole Gauthier — University of Kentucky Bob Pearce — University of Kentucky Raul Villanueva — University of Kentucky Whitney Cranshaw — Colorado State University Ismail Dweikat — University of Nebraska–Lincoln Timothy Coolong — University of Georgia David Suchoff — North Carolina State University Jason Griffin — Kansas State University Mitchell Dale Richmond — University of Tennessee Zelalem Mersha — Virginia State University Shilpi Chawla — Virginia State University Elizabeth Geyer — Virginia State University Ramesh Dhakal — Virginia State University Shuxin Ren — Virginia State University Rufus Akinrinlola — University of Tennessee Zachariah Hansen — University of Tennessee Alyssa Collins — Penn State Extension Raul Cabrera — Rutgers University Tom Gianfagna — Rutgers University John McLaughlin — Rutgers University Jim Simon — Rutgers University Andrew Wyenandt — Rutgers University Noel Cogan — Agriculture Victoria Research Aaron Elkins — Agriculture Victoria Research German Spangenberg — Agriculture Victoria Research Simone Rochfort — Agriculture Victoria Research Ashley Isbel — Agriculture Victoria Research Vilnis Ezernieks — Agriculture Victoria Research Antony (Tony) Bacic — La Trobe University Mathew G. Lewsey — La Trobe University Peter Duggan — CSIRO Stuart Gordon — CSIRO Andrew Fuller — Bridge Farm Bioscience Ray Marriott — Bridge Farm Bioscience Craig Schluttenhofer — Central State University Mark Lefsrud — McGill University Nitin Mantri — RMIT University

Dr. Russell Sharp examines the effects of coffee and tea on plants, explaining how caffeine and other compounds (tannins, organic acids, sugars) can act as low-dose biostimulants but become inhibitory or toxic at higher doses. He covers root drench vs foliar applications, allelopathy, impacts on microbes and pests, and how repeated use can harm photosynthesis, nutrient uptake and root health. Practical takeaways: occasional small amounts may help rooting, but regularly pouring leftover caffeinated drinks on houseplants can cause overwatering, chemical stress, microbial shifts and long-term damage—so avoid routine use and be cautious if trying coffee grounds as pest deterrents. https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/ Joanne Chory — Salk Institute (USA) Mark Estelle — University of California San Diego (USA) Steve Kay — University of Southern California (USA) Krishna K. Niyogi — University of California Berkeley (USA) Bob B. Buchanan — University of California Berkeley (USA) Chris R. Somerville — University of California Berkeley (USA) Julin N. Maloof — University of California Davis (USA) Pamela A. Ronald — University of California Davis (USA) Daniel J. Kliebenstein — University of California Davis (USA) Justin O. Borevitz — University of California Berkeley (USA) Natasha Raikhel — University of California Riverside (USA) Julia Bailey-Serres — University of California Riverside (USA) Siobhan Brady — University of California Davis (USA) Michael F. Thomashow — Michigan State University (USA) Sheng Yang He — Michigan State University (USA) Brad Day — Michigan State University (USA) Federica Brandizzi — Michigan State University (USA) Jian-Kang Zhu — Purdue University (USA) Scott Poethig — University of Pennsylvania (USA) Zhenbiao Yang — University of California Riverside (USA) Dominique Bergmann — Stanford University (USA) Sharon R. Long — Stanford University (USA) Wolf B. Frommer — Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (USA) Martin Yanofsky — University of California San Diego (USA) Joseph R. Ecker — Salk Institute (USA) Detlef Weigel — Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen (USA) Xuelin Wu — University of Maryland (USA) Kent D. Chapman — University of North Texas (USA) Donald R. Ort — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (USA) Stephen P. Long — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (USA) Elizabeth A. Ainsworth — USDA-ARS (USA) Rebecca Bart — Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (USA) Blake C. Meyers — Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (USA) Jim Giovannoni — Cornell University (USA) Tom Brutnell — Cornell University (USA) Christine Foyer — University of Birmingham (UK) Philip Poole — University of Oxford (UK) Andrew Fleming — University of Sheffield (UK) Alistair M. Hetherington — University of Bristol (UK) Carolin Müller — University of Freiburg (UK) Ian Graham — University of York (UK) Philip Mullineaux — University of Essex (UK) John P. Carr — University of Cambridge (UK) Cathie Martin — John Innes Centre (UK) Pernille Brodersen — University of Exeter (UK) Jill Harrison — University of Bristol (UK) Ottoline Leyser — University of Cambridge (UK) Jim Haseloff — University of Cambridge (UK) Dale Sanders — John Innes Centre (UK) R. George Ratcliffe — University of Oxford (UK) Charles Godfray — University of Oxford (UK) Liam Dolan — University of Oxford (UK) James U. U. (Jim) Whelan — University of Western Australia (Australia) Barry J. Pogson — Australian National University (Australia) Owen Atkin — Australian National University (Australia) Susanne von Caemmerer — Australian National University (Australia) Graham Farquhar — Australian National University (Australia) Sally Aitken — University of British Columbia (Canada) Carl J. Douglas — University of British Columbia (Canada) Justin P. K. L. (Justin) Borevitz — Australian National University (Australia) Marilyn Ball — Australian National University (Australia) Rana Munns — CSIRO (Australia) Mark Tester — King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Australia) James Whelan — La Trobe University (Australia) Jeremy Timmis — University of Adelaide (Australia) Peter Langridge — University of Adelaide (Australia) Mathew A. Gilliham — University of Adelaide (Australia) Ute Roessner — University of Melbourne (Australia) Robert D. Furbank — CSIRO (Australia) David J. Beerling — University of Sheffield (UK) Howard Griffiths — University of Cambridge (UK) Rowan F. Sage — University of Toronto (Canada) Lewis Ziska — Columbia University (USA) Lisa A. Donovan — University of Georgia (USA) Robert A. Bressan — Purdue University (USA) Erik H. Murchie — University of Nottingham (UK) Tracy Lawson — University of Essex (UK) Steven M. Driever — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (USA) Yunde Zhao — University of California San Diego (USA) Keiko Torii — University of Washington (USA) Jen Sheen — Harvard Medical School (USA) Xing Wang Deng — Yale University (USA) Bonnie Bartel — Rice University (USA) Jianhua Zhu — University of Maryland (USA) José R. Dinneny — Stanford University (USA) David W. Ehrhardt — Carnegie Institution for Science (USA) Sabeeha S. Merchant — University of California Berkeley (USA) Susan S. Golden — University of California San Diego (USA) Shauna Somerville — University of California Berkeley (USA) Dolf Weijers — Wageningen University (UK) Anne Osbourn — John Innes Centre (UK) Mike Roberts — Lancaster University (UK) Robyn M. Gleadow — Monash University (Australia) Brett Neilan — University of New South Wales (Australia) Justin O’Sullivan — University of Auckland (New Zealand) Richard Macknight — University of Otago (New Zealand) Malcolm Hawkesford — Rothamsted Research (UK) Marcel Salathé — University of British Columbia (Canada) Stéphane Rolland — McGill University (Canada) Owen K. Atkin — Australian National University (Australia)

Dr. Russell Sharp explores the story behind cotton candy grapes, explaining how they were created through patient, traditional plant breeding rather than artificial flavouring or genetic modification. He describes the selection process, the natural flavour compounds involved, and the decade-long effort by breeders to bring this unique-tasting fruit to market. The episode also looks at research into breeding strawberries and other fruits for distinctive flavours, the role of modern genomic tools in speeding selection, and how these novel varieties could intersect with hydroponic and vertical farming systems. https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/ Sun World — John Harley International Fruit Genetics — David Cain SNFL — Jean-Luc Stalon Bloom Fresh — Chris Davey ARRA — Stefano Di Michele Sheehan Genetics — David Sheehan Grapa Varieties — Luca Fini Great Growers Partnerships — Jim Beagle Vine Genetics — Paul Boss CSIRO — Anthony Borneman USDA-ARS Parlier — David Ramming USDA-ARS Geneva — Bruce Reisch Cornell Grapes — Bruce Reisch UC Davis Viticulture & Enology — Andy Walker UC Riverside Grapes — Pat Brown Washington State University Grapes — Markus Keller Oregon State University Grapes — Patty Skinkis Michigan State University Grapes — Paolo Sabbatini University of Minnesota Fruit Breeding — James Luby University of Arkansas Grapes — John Clark University of Georgia Grapes — Patrick Conner Texas A&M Viticulture — Lorenzo Rossi North Carolina State Muscadine Breeding — Renee Threlfall Florida A&M Grape Breeding — Jeff Wasielewski Florida UF/IFAS Grapes — Peter Cousins Agroscope Grapevine Breeding — Andreas Hund INRAE Grapevine Breeding — Patrice This IFV — Thierry Lacombe University of Bordeaux Vine & Wine — Eric Boissenot UTAD — Henrique Ribeiro Instituto Superior de Agronomia — Antero Martins CREA Viticulture — Stefano Poni Fondazione Edmund Mach — Marco Stefanini Geilweilerhof — Reinhard Töpfer Hochschule Geisenheim — Hans Reiner Schultz Wädenswil Viticulture — Jürg Linde University of Milan Viticulture — Attilio Scienza University of Turin Viticulture — Anna Schneider University of Adelaide Viticulture — Paul Dry AWRI — Rob Walker University of Stellenbosch Viticulture — Gert Nieuwoudt ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij — Danie Myburgh Volcani Center Grapevine — Eyal Tanne INIAV — Antero Martins Embrapa Uva e Vinho — Murillo de Albuquerque Regina INTA — Walter Biasi Universidad Nacional de Cuyo Viticulture — Laura Catena Catena Institute of Wine — Alejandro Vigil University of Chile Viticulture — Patricio Hinrichsen Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Viticulture — José Bordeu Driscoll’s — Steve Nelson Plant Sciences — Doug Shaw Berry Genetics — Kirk Larson Lassen Canyon Nursery — Patrick Phillips California Berry Cultivars — Doug Shaw USDA-ARS Strawberry Corvallis — Kim Lewers UC Davis Strawberry Breeding — Doug Shaw UC ANR — Mark Bolda UF Strawberry Breeding — Vance Whitaker University of Arkansas Strawberry Breeding — John Clark North Carolina State Strawberry Breeding — Gina Fernandez Michigan State University Strawberry Breeding — Chad Finn Cornell Strawberry Breeding — Marvin Pritts Oregon State University Strawberry Breeding — Chad Finn Washington State University Strawberry Breeding — Chuck Brun University of Minnesota Strawberry Breeding — Jim Luby University of Wisconsin Strawberry Breeding — Craig Chandler Penn State Strawberry Breeding — Marvin Pritts Rutgers Strawberry Breeding — James Polashock University of Maryland Strawberry Breeding — Chris Walsh University of Massachusetts Strawberry Breeding — Jaime Pinero University of New Hampshire Strawberry Program — Becky Sideman Agriculture Canada Kentville — Andrew Jamieson University of Guelph Berry Breeding — Adam Dale Summerland Research — Hugh Daubeny NIAB EMR — David Simpson East Malling Strawberry Breeding — David Simpson James Hutton Institute — Louise Russell Wageningen Berry Breeding — Arnaud Wybouw Skierniewice Institute of Horticulture — Agnieszka Masny IVIA — José Luis García-Baudín CSIC Berries — Pedro Martínez-Gómez INRAE Strawberry Breeding — Béatrice Denoyes CIV Strawberry Breeding — Stefano Tartarini CREA Fruit Research — Daniele Bassi Mazzoni Group — Luca Mazzoni New Fruits — Francesco Baruzzi Sant’Orsola — Renzo Zighera Fresh Forward — Geert de Weger Hansabred — Hans-Peter Hansen ABZ Seeds — Andreas Buitelaar Limgroup — Theo de Ruiter Flevo Berry — Jan van de Weg Planasa — Emilio Marin BerryWorld Varieties — Nick Marston Eurosemillas — Javier Cano Viveros California — José María López Fresas Nuevos Materiales — Antonio López-Aranda Ohalo Genetics — Nadav Cohen Embrapa Strawberry Program — Fernando Antunes