SPIDER MITE INFESTATIONS IN CANNABIS CROPS
The cannabis industry in the United States is a quickly growing field, and even as it struggles through legalization, regulation, and distribution uncertainties, it faces a group of much more immediate and devastating problems as well. The combined issue of pest and fungal infestations threatens to destroy a large percentage of cannabis crops before they can be harvested, putting entrepreneurs in danger of losing their investment before their cannabis plants ever make it to market.
Spider mites on cannabis plants are one of the most common and harmful pests that appear in grow rooms. Once they begin colonizing a cannabis crop, laying eggs, and propagating, it is very difficult to get rid of them for good. While aphids and other insects also pose health threats to plants as they grow, spider mites are particularly destructive, and growers have had a difficult time finding solutions that are effective yet also safe for humans and plants.
Why Do Spider Mites Attack Cannabis?
Spider mites are very small–in fact, nearly too small to be seen without magnification. Despite their small size, however, the impact of spider mites on the plants that they colonize is huge. They are not insects but arachnids, and like their close relatives, spiders, spider mites also spin webs. These webs are one of the important warning signs that plants are suffering an infestation of spider mites, and they can themselves harm plants by collecting dust, mold/mildew spores, and other contaminants. Spider mites are extremely common on plants of all types, but in most cases they go unnoticed. In cannabis crops, however, they tend to concentrate and inflict heavy losses.
The primary damage inflicted by spider mites on cannabis crops, however, is direct feeding on leaves. When thousands or millions of mites attack the leaves, they wither and die, potentially destroying a cannabis harvest. If left untreated, spider mites multiply very quickly, exponentially increasing the damage done to the plants.
Like many of the pests and fungi that plague cannabis grow rooms, spider mites thrive in warm conditions. This means that young cannabis crops are very attractive to mites, which are small and light enough to float through the air until they land in a favorable feeding and breeding environment. This means that growers must always be vigilant and take measures to prevent the colonization of their crops by invading spider mites.
Greenlyte® and Cannabis
Finding spider mites on cannabis plants is a huge problem for a grower, and it demands a response that is immediate, comprehensive, and successful in the long term to ward off future infestations. An ideal solution to spider mites would be:
- Deadly to spider mites, their eggs, and their nymphs, fighting infestations at all phases of maturity
- Also effective against other diseases and threats against cannabis crops, such as powdery mildew
- Gentle on cannabis plants, not harming them or hindering growth while eradicating infection and pests
- Low in toxicity, not producing VOCs or other chemical byproducts that could negatively affect the health of workers during use or storage
- Safe for the environment
Greenlyte® is just such a solution, engineered to meet all of these criteria as follows:
- The track record of Greenlyte® in real life applications shows that it has great efficacy in discouraging the growth of spider mite colonies in cannabis grow rooms. The hypochlorous acid that forms the basis of Greenlyte® is deadly to these tiny insects, and particularly so to their eggs and nymphs.
- Hypochlorous acid is also very effective against powdery mildew, and can be left on leaves to ward off later infestations.
- Greenlyte® does not pose a health risk to cannabis plants. Thus many growers decide to spray their crops frequently in order to guard against pests and diseases taking root.
- The low toxicity of Greenlyte® means that it can be used without PPE and produces no VOCs.
- Greenlyte® is produced using environmentally friendly practices and is a very “green” solution for use in cannabis grow rooms.
More About Greenlyte®
The entire team at PCT is excited about the benefits that Greenlyte® brings to cannabis grow rooms, and as word spreads about its power and ease of use, more entrepreneurs are choosing to give this hypochlorous acid based product a try. The responses from those entrepreneurs are extremely positive, and through case studies and other publications PCT works to publicize the advantages that this amazing disinfectant brings to the field.
While Greenlyte® is an ideal product for eradicating spider mites on cannabis and preventing the spread of powdery mildew, its uses extend far beyond grow rooms. In laboratories and dispensaries Greenlyte® can be applied to maintain an environment favorable to bringing the best cannabis products to market.
Those interested in obtaining more information on the applications of Greenlyte® in cannabis grow rooms and other agricultural applications can request a consultation with one of PCT’s resident experts. These experts can provide details on the production of Greenlyte®, the mechanism of hypochlorous acid in fighting pathogens and diseases, and best practices for application.
