Plant problems · Diseases · Any stage · Act today
Hop latent viroid (HLVd)
What you see
- Plants grow smaller than expected and stay stunted
- Brittle stems and weak, airy buds with fewer trichomes
- Clones from the same mother all show it
Why it happens
A viroid spread mainly through cuttings and tools. There is no cure; only a lab test confirms it.
What to do
- Get a lab test if several plants from one mother look stunted
- Retire infected mothers and clean tools with bleach between plants
- Start again from seed: seeds rarely carry it
Next time
- Disinfect scissors between plants
- Buy clones only from tested sources
Easy to confuse with
- Nitrogen deficiency: Lower, older leaves turn pale green, then evenly yellow from the tip inwards
- Root aphids: Plants stall and yellow without a clear reason
Not sure?
Take a photo of a stunted plant next to a healthy one if you have it and ask the Grow Doctor, or send it to the grow companion on Telegram.