Episode 161: The Secret Lives of Pathogens with Dr. Zamir Punja

Key Takeaways for Cultivators The Week 3 Strategy: Preventive sprays for Botrytis must occur when the flowers are still small and "open." Once the bud swells (Weeks 6+), the pathogen is already locked inside. Airflow is Everything: Buds act as heat sinks. Use fans 24/7 to cool the internal temperature of the flower, which is significantly higher than your room’s ambient temperature. Identify Your Mold: If your bud rot looks pink or white rather than grey, it may be Fusarium . This is a systemic issue that requires a different mitigation strategy and poses a mycotoxin risk. HLVd Survival: In living soil, HLVd may break down much faster than on sterile surfaces because the microbes decompose the host root tissue. Watch the Silica: Over-applying potassium silicate can cause the plant to excrete white crystals onto the leaves and stems—don't mistake this "silica vomit" for PM or resin! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You can listen to Episode 161: The Secret Lives of Pathogens with Dr. Zamir Punja online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 161: The Secret Lives of Pathogens with Dr. Zamir Punja is an episode from Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast by Tad Hussey..

This episode is 01:10:31 long.

This episode was published on Mar 17, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.