top of plant died after transplant, mold and necrosis on stem

[FeltchWyzard]

Hi!

Got some outdoor girls in a different location than my last grow with new equipment. Growing in organic super soil and feeding tea and inoculation with lots of beneficials

I transplanted from 3 to 7 gallons and the top of one plant was looking wilty. A few days later it was worse and the leaves were really soft and limp. I knew the top was dead. I took a peak under those leaves and found about a 2 inch spot of necrosis that was covered in grey mold.

I'm really not looking to use a fungicide but i will to save my plant. I cut off the top under the rot. Should I Do any other treatment or is this likely that some roots were damaged in the t/p and the mold just came on because the top was no longer in circulation? Anyone experience this? Thanks y'all!

 

[FeltchWyzard]

So yeah just to clarify what I'm specifically wondering is if this malady could be taking place systemically or at the roots and just showed itself at the top or whether it's likely going to go away now that I've cut away the affected area? I've just never run into this before.

 

[redlaser]

It's possible it was an injury in a humid area that developed that way but I would say it's a root disease of some sort, definitely possible to lose more. It needs to have a less moist medium or it's susceptible to disease because of less than ideal health, from nutrition to genetics or a maybe all of those things.
I'd dry the roots some by watering a lot less or not at all until it wilts and use a systemic fungicide if the genetics are valuable to you, but don't smoke it even after 3-4 months past spraying. Look up the half-life of the product and multiply that time by ten before you smoke it because none of that stuff is extensively tested, and not on humans.

 

[FeltchWyzard]

I'm only watering when the soil is dry down a couple inches. In this case, i let it dry a little more than that in order to get it out of its pot easily for transplant.

Genetics on this plant are a 3rd Gen gsc x wifi.

My soil is a very rich super soil produced fresh at a local worm farm. I have made my own but find theirs is just as good. High quality fresh castings are the bees knees.

As far as microbes, I rotate between trichoderma and streptomyces bi-weekly and i have plenty of glomus intraradices in there as well. Weekly, i add photosynthesis plus and super thrive.

Any systemics you'd recommend? I'd like to avoid killing off as much of my micro herd as possible. Have you used Cleary's aka thiophanate-methyl? Would it be worth just hitting it with eagle 20 first and watching it before trying to mess with my roots?

 

[redlaser]

I've never used a systemic fungicide on cannabis, but I have used Cleary's on ornamental landscape plants in the past with good results. It was one of several fungicides we used in rotation when I worked at a company that did a lot of spraying of trees and shrubs for botrytis, fusarium, galls etc.
Maybe Eagle 20 would help, probably would, but again I have no experience with it on cannabis.
I would probably try to root a few cuttings from that plant if it is important enough to save, it looks like it has a few good growing shoots.
With that kind of infection I would plan on it being a systemic type infection meaning the cutting will possibly have the same issues in the future.
So my two cents would be take cuttings/clones, treat the rest of the plant with fungicide either locally or systemically, but I wouldn't have a lot of hope for it to recover honestly.
Maybe others will have different ideas, but the cloning of the better shoots seems like the best answer to me

Cloning the healthy shoots is the only way I saved some of my genetics from an excess of chloride in my tap water that accumulated in the soil and plant slowly killing it. In fact the mothers of the rooted clones died within a month of cloning, yellow leaves starting at the bottom of the plant slowly going all the way up.

And I would top that plant right below where that injury/infection is because the part above it is not coming back and it's only harboring the infection

 

[FeltchWyzard]

Word! You guys are awesome, this is some great info. I think i solved my own mystery on the cause of this, but i am also going to hit it with the Cleary's and eagle 20.

So i was looking at the plant and noticed some little marks/ scabs very small but i remember what it was from: rubbing on bamboo stakes. I took a picture. Seen it on others. Perhaps this is what caused that rot to take hold! I remember when i bought the stakes, they were in the outside of the garden area, so could have gotten rained on and molded. Has anyone heard of this happening, mold transferring from bamboo stakes to your plants? I have just swapped out these stakes for coated metal tomato cages. It was that time anyway. Perhaps i should toss the bamboo for plastic and metal. Any of your thoughts?

It's looking much happier today, even decent lateral branch growth! I think it was a freak incident and hope it doesn't spread; in the picture you can see it is healing where i cut it and doesn't to me look infected. You can bet I'll have a close eye on this one. To be honest, though, it did need a topping... just wanted to clone that top.

Good advice all around, folks. I really appreciate it

 

[redlaser]

It did seem like it was more likely an injury that got infected in humid conditions possibly. With that new growth I'd skip the fungicide unless you have a lot of time to wait for the residuals to be gone. I can understand wanting to be sure, but you know it was an injury. An infection like that is pretty unusual unless overwatered, and even then not common in my opinion. You could clone your way away from the fungicide but for me it would take six or more clonings to feel comfortable smoking it.

That plant looks lot better than the original picture, nice to see them come back like that.

 

[redlaser]

it's not systemic but I use stylet oil which is a white mineral oil to kill spores and some insects. JMS stylet oil makes an organic version as well as non organic. Our biggest and most popular seller at the place where we sprayed nine months out of the year was the dormant oil spray which is a more common form of mineral oil at 92% purity. It's not so bad for the environment plus its supposed to put a dent in whatever population before it gets out of hand saving money in the long run.

 

[Oakhills]

At the first sign of the mold on a branch, I've been using vinegar on a Qtip and swabbing the section real good. That will kill off the mold. I believe the mold is in the cell walls, so keep your eyes on that plant for the rest of the season!

Good luck!