Over the last couple episodes, we've talked about both the history and varieties and

planting techniques for triote or, or, or, from eliton, and today we're going to be discussing

some of the pitfalls you might run into, specifically pests and diseases.

We have Dr. Lance Hill back on the podcast. He's the founder and former exact director

of Tulane University's Southern Institute for Education and Research. He also is the

creator of melaton.org, which is linked in the podcast description. A fantastic breadth

of research and resource for growing this plant. So, you know, Lance, you did specify

that soil, born diseases, are an issue. Perhaps we'll start there with some of the pitfalls

might one might run into?

Well, the primary disease that we have in Louisiana because it's such a hot damp climate

is anthracnos, which can tend to break out in an epidemic way in July and August because

it's spread through splash, not just from the soil, but once it gets on the leaves, it

splashes around there. So, it has to be a balance between periodic rain, which we'll

have a rain every day here, and then a pause to allow the spores to develop. And so, this

is a perfect petri dish for that. I don't think you'd have that problem in California or

any of the dry climates for plant disease. The same is the other primary plant disease

would be powdery mildew. And we tend to get powdery mildew in the spring when it's cool

and damp. That is not a problem because there are some very easy organic solutions to powdery

mildew fungus. And anthracnos, on the other hand, there's no miracle cure for it right

now, although there is a new product out that uses organic substance that is supposed to suppress

anthracnos. But I don't think that if you're looking at Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California,

the climates are dry enough, I don't think those are going to be diseases. I do want to emphasize,

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