Does anyone who works with hydroponics ever faced the appearance of fungus in the roots??If so, how do you dealt with it? I tried to sterilize everything in 4% bleach, but it appears to come back after a week or so.
My guess in the case of hydroponics would be: 1. Diagnose what fungus you are dealing with and whether it is causing damage, 2. look carefully at the source (plants, substrate or water) 3. Eliminate the fungus from the source. There are various methods. For example if it is the water supply: change source, or the filter, or if you must, and your market or ideology supports it, add a highly specific, systemic fungicide. Hope this helps.
I do not know the structure of your hydroponic system, but it is always a good idea to cover the water and root by something opaque, then at least no light will penetrate to the roots or water.
To reduce fungi can be used be reused irrigation water: a) adding hydrogen peroxide, b) irradiating the water with UV
Your souce of fungus may be in the seed and not in the equipment. Try surface sterilization of the seed with alcium hipochlorite solution 10% for 10 minutes.
Dear Luis and Poderosa,
The solutions you offer have two things in common: (1) the fungus would be killed; (2) the plants would undoubtedly die, as exposing them for such a long period to such a high concentration is bound to be as lethal as fire.
Regards,
Hans
Destruction of the plant; use of treated and healthy seeds
Dear Dr. Pereira,
The solution given by Dr. Weiland is the same I was about to advice you with. Since you're running hydroponics so it's not an organic system. It will depend on the system it self whether it's closed of open hydroponics. The first option sends you back to the solutions given by Dr Weiland, but the second option of open hydroponics in addition to UV and H2O2 treatments of incoming water, you may add ozone sterilization with O3 generator that start to be cheaper than before. The gas generated is toxic rather for plant and microbes but it's stable in water till 15 min after injection in the water, then it will go to O2 (2 O3--> 3 O2) and you have enriched your hydroponic solution with oxygen. I would recommend you to use aromatic and medicinal plant extract but I don't want to turn your chemical solution to an organic one!
Good luck
Establish if your fungi is pathogenic or not before instigating any treatments.
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