Dr. Russell Sharp explores how breeders, genetic tools (including CRISPR) and environmental controls in hydroponics can reduce strong or bitter flavours in vegetables.

He highlights examples—low‑sulphur Brussels sprouts and onions, milder marrows/zucchini, soap‑free coriander, low‑oxalate spinach, less‑phenolic eggplant and sweeter lettuce—and points to hydroponic fertilizer strategies and business opportunities for growers and breeders.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/soil-conditioners/liquid-gypsum/

Christoph Matthes — Kultursaat e.V.

Hoza Zaden — Hoza Zaden

Dr. Russell Sharp closes out Hydroponics Daily’s 2025 run with a compact guide to the most toxic plants. He explains why “natural” or “plant‑derived” doesn’t mean safe and shares examples of species that can cause severe harm.

The episode lists the top poisonous plants to watch for, such as hemlock, giant hogweed, deadly nightshade, Brugmansia, monk’s hood, yew, oleander, castor bean, water hemlock and foxglove, plus practical safety warnings for growers and gardeners.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

Tony Knight — Colorado State University

Kevin D. Welch — USDA-ARS Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory

Elizabeth A. Dauncey — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Sarah Lister — ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center

Edward P. Krenzelok — Pittsburgh Poison Center

David Trinklein — University of Missouri Extension

Craig A. Schmutz — University of Saskatchewan

Robyn M. Gleadow — Monash University

Bryan G. Fry — The University of Queensland

Karin L. Wieringa — Wageningen University & Research

Host Dr. Russell Sharp of Hydroponics Daily explains how hydroponic fertigation and his product Gold Leaf (Liquid Gold in the UK) can be used to biofortify edible crops with nutrients like iodine, selenium, iron, zinc and silicon.

The episode covers practical benefits, higher micronutrient content, potential shelf-life and quality improvements, and serious cautions, especially selenium toxicity, stressing professional handling and precise dosing.

Listeners learn why hydroponics makes targeted nutrient enrichment easier than soil, which crops have been shown to respond (lettuce, basil), and how biofortification might impact human nutrition and future dietary needs.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

Howarth E. Bouis — International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) / HarvestPlus

Amy Saltzman — HarvestPlus

Wolfgang H. Pfeiffer — HarvestPlus / CGIAR

J.V. Meenakshi — IFPRI

Ekin Birol — IFPRI / HarvestPlus

Edward A. Boy — HarvestPlus

Dean A. Boy — HarvestPlus

Daniel Asare-Marfo — IFPRI / HarvestPlus

Erick Boy — HarvestPlus

Jan W. Low — International Potato Center (CIP)

Robert O.M. Mwanga — International Potato Center (CIP)

Maria I. Andrade — International Potato Center (CIP)

Hugo Campos — International Potato Center (CIP)

Graham Thiele — International Potato Center (CIP)

Marcin G. Wirth — ETH Zürich

Ines Slamet-Loedin — International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

B.P. Mallikarjuna Swamy — International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Rainer Schulin — ETH Zürich

Roslyn B. Gleadow — Monash University

Christine H. Foyer — University of Birmingham

Ismail Cakmak — Sabanci University

Güzel Velu — CIMMYT

Iván Ortiz-Monasterio — CIMMYT

R.P. (Ravi) Singh — CIMMYT

Velu Govindan — CIMMYT

Yuri (Y.) Hao — CIMMYT

Manish Roorkiwal — ICRISAT

Rajeev K. Varshney — CSIRO / formerly ICRISAT

Hari D. Upadhyaya — ICRISAT

Rajeev Gupta — CSIRO

Michael J. Welch — Cornell University

Ross M. Welch — Cornell University

Robin D. Graham — University of Adelaide

Richard D. Thompson — ETH Zürich

Philip J. White — The James Hutton Institute

Martin R. Broadley — University of Nottingham

Steven P. McGrath — Rothamsted Research

Andy R. Smith — University of Cambridge

Cathie Martin — John Innes Centre

Lionel J. Dupont — INRAE

Victor Raboy — USDA-ARS

Paul M. Hasegawa — Purdue University

Jian-Kang Zhu — Purdue University

David E. Salt — University of Nottingham

Nicolaus von Wirén — Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK)

Ute Krämer — Ruhr University Bochum

Hakan Wallin — Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)

M.S. (Mike) Griffiths — University of York

Elad Tako — Cornell University

Julia F. Kotzé — University of Pretoria

Richard P. Glahn — USDA-ARS

Raymond P. Glahn — USDA-ARS

James P. Li — University of Minnesota

Tom L. Sleper — University of Missouri

Dean DellaPenna — Michigan State University

Robert A. McClung — Carnegie Mellon University

Peter Beyer — University of Freiburg

Ingo Potrykus — ETH Zürich

Paola Carillo — University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”

Roberto Papa — Marche Polytechnic University

Cristóbal Uauy — John Innes Centre

Nigel G. Halford — Rothamsted Research

Peter R. Shewry — Rothamsted Research

Alison J. Smith — University of Cambridge

Catherine J. Dixon — University of Leeds

Darren J. Plett — CSIRO Agriculture and Food

Mark Tester — University of Adelaide

Jana K. Scharfenberg — University of Hohenheim

Ivan Baxter — Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Brian Larkins — University of Arizona

Torbert Rocheford — Purdue University

Regina A. Feil — University of Bonn

Karl-Josef Dietz — Bielefeld University

Hans-Peter Braun — Leibniz University Hannover

Elizabeth A. Ainsworth — USDA-ARS / University of Illinois

Donald R. Ort — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Krishna K. Niyogi — University of California, Berkeley

Sabeeha S. Merchant — University of California, Berkeley

Joanna Barłóg — Poznań University of Life Sciences

Mariola K. Kozak — Warsaw University of Life Sciences

Ramesh V. Sunkar — Oklahoma State University

Amitava Roy — Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)

K.V. Prasad — Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR)

K.C. Bansal — National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI)

Usha Kiran — NABI

Ramesh Chand — Banaras Hindu University

A.K. Singh — Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR)

A. Raman — Punjab Agricultural University

B.S. Gill — Texas A&M University

Ravi Singh — CIMMYT

Mahmoud S. Hussein — University of Guelph

Youbin Zheng — University of Guelph

Rowan F. Sage — University of Toronto

Bernard R. Glick — University of Waterloo

Leon V. Kochian — Cornell University

Jason P. Wallace — University of Georgia

Maria C. Gelli — University of Florida

Adam J. Boggs — University of California, Davis

James V. Anderson — USDA-ARS

Bruce Bugbee — Utah State University

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

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

Gerald Berkowitz — 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

Nicole Gauthier — 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

Rufus Akinrinlola — University of Tennessee

Alyssa Collins — Penn State Extension

Raul Cabrera — Rutgers University

Noel Cogan — Agriculture Victoria Research

Antony (Tony) Bacic — La Trobe University

Peter Duggan — CSIRO

Andrew Fuller — 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

Dr. Russell Sharp exposes a growing problem of fake plant listings and AI-generated seed scams on Amazon and other marketplaces, showing how buyers are being misled by impossible varieties (like bright blue hostas) and foreign drop-shippers.

He explains how to protect yourself—check seller and nursery credentials, prefer reputable nurseries or local stores—and shares a real seed mix-up story to contrast honest mistakes with deliberate fakes.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

More reputable growers and seed sellers:

Burpee — W. Atlee Burpee & Co.

Ferry-Morse — Ferry-Morse Seed Co.

Botanical Interests — Botanical Interests, Inc.

Seed Needs — Seed Needs LLC

Outsidepride — Outsidepride, Inc.

Eden Brothers — Eden Brothers Seed Co.

Harris Seeds — Harris Seeds

Park Seed — Park Seed Co.

Renee’s Garden — Renee’s Garden Seed Co.

Seeds of Change — Seeds of Change, Inc.

High Mowing Organic Seeds — High Mowing Seed Co.

Sow Right Seeds — Sow Right Seeds

HOME GROWN — Homegrown Garden

Open Seed Vault — Open Seed Vault

Survival Garden Seeds — Survival Garden Seeds

Mountain Valley Seed Company — Mountain Valley Seed Company

David’s Garden Seeds — David’s Garden Seeds

Everwilde Farms — Everwilde Farms, Inc.

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange — Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds — Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co.

Territorial Seed Company — Territorial Seed Company

Johnny’s Selected Seeds — Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Livingston Seed — Livingston Seed Company

Lake Valley Seed — Lake Valley Seed Company

Seed Savers Exchange — Seed Savers Exchange

Annie’s Heirloom Seeds — Annie’s Heirloom Seeds

Indigo Instruments (Sprout People) — The Sprout People

Handy Pantry — Handy Pantry

True Leaf Market — True Leaf Market

NatureZ Edge — NatureZ Edge

Islas Garden Seeds — Islas Garden Seeds

Organo Republic — Organo Republic

Sereniseed — Sereniseed

CZ Grain — CZ Grain

Gardeners Basics — Gardeners Basics

The Dirty Gardener — The Dirty Gardener

Marde Ross & Company — Marde Ross & Company

Food to Live — Food to Live

NOW Foods — NOW Health Group, Inc.

Frontier Co-op — Frontier Cooperative

Starwest Botanicals — Starwest Botanicals, Inc.

Nature Jims Sprouts — Nature Jim’s Sprouts

Sproutman — Sproutman Publications

Back to the Roots — Back to the Roots, Inc.

Tumbleweed Plant Co. — Tumbleweed Plant Co.

Costa Farms — Costa Farms, LLC

Proven Winners — Proven Winners North America, LLC

Altman Plants — Altman Plants

LiveTrends — LiveTrends Design Group

Shop Succulents — Shop Succulents

Succulent Studios — Succulent Studios

The Sill — The Sill, Inc.

Hirt’s Gardens — Hirt’s Gardens

American Plant Exchange — American Plant Exchange

Plants for Pets — Plants for Pets

Brighter Blooms — Brighter Blooms Nursery

Perfect Plants — Perfect Plants Nursery

Nature Hills Nursery — Nature Hills Nursery, Inc.

Bloomify — Bloomify

House Plant Shop — House Plant Shop

JM Bamboo — JM Bamboo

Florida Foliage — Florida Foliage

Green Promise Farms — Green Promise Farms

Rooted (Rooted Plants) — Rooted

Easy to Grow — Easy to Grow Bulbs

Van Zyverden — Van Zyverden, Inc.

Holland Bulb Farms — Holland Bulb Farms

Breck’s — Breck’s

Colorblends — Colorblends Wholesale Flowerbulbs

Eden Brothers Bulbs — Eden Brothers

Gurney’s — Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Co.

Stark Bro’s — Stark Bro’s Nurseries & Orchards Co.

Spring Hill Nurseries — Spring Hill Nurseries

Wayside Gardens — Wayside Gardens

White Flower Farm — White Flower Farm

Monrovia — Monrovia Nursery Company

Logee’s — Logee’s Plants for Home & Garden

Wellspring Gardens — Wellspring Gardens

Brighter Gardens — Brighter Gardens

Blue Ribbon Plants — Blue Ribbon Plants

Green Escape — Green Escape

Golden Gate Palms — Golden Gate Palms

FastGrowingTrees.com — Fast Growing Trees, LLC

Brussel’s Bonsai — Brussel’s Bonsai Nursery

Eastern Leaf — Eastern Leaf, Inc.

Seedville USA — Seedville USA

Seeds2Go — Seeds2Go

Nature’s Blossom — Nature’s Blossom

Garden Republic — Garden Republic

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Seed — Old Farmer’s Almanac

Purely Organic Products — Purely Organic Products

Nature’s Way Seeds — Nature’s Way Seeds

The Clayton Farm — The Clayton Farm

Ferry-Morse Home Gardening — Ferry-Morse Seed Co.

Bonnie Plants — Bonnie Plants, LLC

D. Hill Nursery — D. Hill Nursery

Greenhouse PCA — Greenhouse PCA

California Tropicals — California Tropicals

Humble Roots — Humble Roots

Green 4 Ever — Green 4 Ever

Dr. Russell Sharp explains how melatonin — a molecule known for human sleep and stress regulation — is produced by plants and acts as a powerful antioxidant and growth regulator. In hydroponics it can enhance root growth, improve stress tolerance under high light or unstable conditions, delay leaf senescence, and support photosynthesis and secondary metabolite production.

Applied as a foliar spray, seed priming, or added to nutrient solutions at micromolar concentrations, melatonin is water-soluble and allows precise dosing in soilless systems. Research shows benefits in crops like tomato and lettuce, with increased root-to-shoot ratios and higher antioxidant levels under stress.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Rakesh K. Singh — Banaras Hindu University

Nasser Al-Aghbar — King Abdulaziz University

Rajeev K. Varshney — International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

Chao Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University

Wei Wei — Zhejiang University

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Russel J. Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Sergiu F. Chivu — University of Bucharest

Guang-Yu Chen — Zhejiang University

Xing-Guo Lu — South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Shuang-Qing Peng — South China Agricultural University

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Wei Meng — Zhejiang University

Natalia Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University

Javier Martinez — University of Granada

Ana Cano — University of Granada

Russel J. Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Debabrata Chattopadhyay — Bose Institute

Fanyue Meng — Zhejiang University

Chao Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University

Bin Xu — Nanjing Agricultural University

Wei Wei — Zhejiang University

Maria Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Sergey Kvetnoy — Russian Academy of Sciences

Jian-Kang Zhu — University of California, Riverside

Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University

Xiaohong Zhu — South China Botanical Garden

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Iwona Zielenkiewicz — Polish Academy of Sciences

Yali Zhang — Zhejiang University

Fang Fang — Nanjing Agricultural University

Xinyue Wang — South China Botanical Garden

Sonia Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Gonzalo Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Javier Martinez — University of Granada

Ana Cano — University of Granada

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Yi Li — Zhejiang University

Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University

Wei Wei — Zhejiang University

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Russel J. Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Rajeev K. Varshney — ICRISAT

Rafael Guerrero — University of Granada

Juan Pablo Martínez — University of Granada

Natalia Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University

Wei Wei — Zhejiang University

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Javier Martinez — University of Granada

Ana Cano — University of Granada

Chao Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University

Fang Fang — Nanjing Agricultural University

Xinyue Wang — South China Botanical Garden

Maria Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Sergey Kvetnoy — Russian Academy of Sciences

Jian-Kang Zhu — University of California, Riverside

Fanyue Meng — Zhejiang University

Guang-Yu Chen — Zhejiang University

Shuang-Qing Peng — South China Agricultural University

Debabrata Chattopadhyay — Bose Institute

Iwona Zielenkiewicz — Polish Academy of Sciences

Yali Zhang — Zhejiang University

Xiaohong Zhu — South China Botanical Garden

Fang Fang — Nanjing Agricultural University

Yi Li — Zhejiang University

Rafael Guerrero — University of Granada

Juan Pablo Martínez — University of Granada

Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Javier Martinez — University of Granada

Ana Cano — University of Granada

Natalia Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Maria Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Chao Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University

Wei Wei — Zhejiang University

Chunhua Zhao — Nanjing Agricultural University

Guang-Yu Chen — Zhejiang University

Fanyue Meng — Zhejiang University

Sergey Kvetnoy — Russian Academy of Sciences

Jian-Kang Zhu — University of California, Riverside

Debabrata Chattopadhyay — Bose Institute

Iwona Zielenkiewicz — Polish Academy of Sciences

Fang Fang — Nanjing Agricultural University

Xinyue Wang — South China Botanical Garden

Yi Li — Zhejiang University

Rafael Guerrero — University of Granada

Juan Pablo Martínez — University of Granada

Russel Reiter — University of Texas Health Science Center

Dun-Xian Tan — University of Texas Health Science Center

Javier Martinez — University of Granada

Ana Cano — University of Granada