// Definition
A fungal infection (Botrytis cinerea), also called grey mold, that penetrates cannabis from inside the plant — typically entering through dead insects, broken leaf wounds, or water droplets trapped within buds. Unlike powdery mildew which stays on the surface, botrytis infiltrates tissue internally and cannot be removed through washing or standard remediation. In solvent extraction, botrytis behaves like gelatin — it binds with the solvent, produces permanently dark and unstable products from the first drip, and renders the extract unsalvageable.
// From the Episode
Botrytis received its most detailed technical treatment in Episode 18, where Horatio explained the critical distinction between it and powdery mildew. PM stays on the plant surface and can potentially be dealt with through washing, UV-C treatment (CleanLight), or peroxide rinses — contaminated material can still be sterilised for oral products. Botrytis is fundamentally different: it grows from inside, binds with extraction solvents, and produces extract that is visibly wrong from the very first drip. Aaron from DNA Genetics added the visual diagnostic: a single yellowing leaf on an otherwise healthy plant, with rotted bud underneath. The lesson for extractors is absolute: botrytis-contaminated material must be discarded entirely.
// Source
Ep. 018 Hash Church XVIII →