Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast · Tad Hussey

Episode 134: Cannabis Viruses and Viroids with Dr. Tassa Saldi

·57 min·3 clips

A seed from an infected mother can still test positive on the outside.

1. Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast episode 134 focuses on cannabis viruses, viroids, and hop latent viroid with Dr. Tassa Saldi. 2. Host Tad Hussey of KISS Organics interviews Dr. Tassus Saldi, a molecular biologist and Tumi Genomics chief science officer, because her RNA and pathogen-detection background shapes the practical advice. 3. The episode asks what growers need to do to prevent, detect, and manage hop latent viroid without losing control of mother stock. 4. Dr. Saldi distinguishes viroids from viruses by pointing out that viroids lack an outer fat or protein layer, which limits disinfectant options. 5. She says bleach and Virkon are among the few disinfectants that work well because soap, quaternary ammonia, and antivirals do not address viroid biology. 6. She uses the Tumi Genomics STOP framework to organize prevention around sterilization, testing, organization, and protecting borders. 7. She advises testing clones and seeds before they enter the facility because plant tissue is the most common entry point for pathogens. 8. She recommends quarantine space with separate tools, no cross-work between dirty and clean plants, and retesting after three to four weeks. 9. She says fusarium and pythium deserve attention alongside hop latent viroid because they can destroy a table in about a week. 10. She explains that seeds from infected mothers can carry viroid on the seed coat, which lets producers screen a batch before planting. 11. Dr. Saldi says her experiments found roughly 90% to 95% of seeds from infected mothers tested highly positive, while grown plants were positive at lower rates. 12. She describes viroid load as the amount detected in tissue and says higher loads generally correlate with more symptoms and greater spread risk. 13. She notes that cultivar genetics matter, with some plants susceptible, some mildly susceptible, and some tolerant even when viroid levels are high. 14. She says stress, including drying out, heat stress, and flowering, can bring symptoms out in infected plants. 15. She explains that hop latent viroid moves through sap and root-zone water, while simple touch between plants is not enough for transmission. 16. She says tissue culture can clean plants, but the process is slow, cultivar-dependent, and can take six months to a year. 17. The conversation also covers her company’s on-site HLVD test, which uses isothermal amplification and an internal control to flag failed runs. 18. Hussey and Saldi describe the format as practical and technical, with a question-and-answer flow that stays focused on grower decisions. 19. Listeners who manage mother stock, clones, seeds, or plant health testing will get the most value from this episode. 20. Listeners looking for entertainment-heavy banter instead of applied cultivation science may skip it.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast