What if carbon is one of the most overlooked inputs in plant nutrition? In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk sits down with Nik Nikolayev, CEO of Rooted Leaf Agritech, to explore the science of carbon-based fertilizers, plant nutrition, biostimulants, organic acids, and the chemistry behind plant growth, yield, and quality.
Nik breaks down how plants use carbon beyond simply taking up CO₂ from the atmosphere, and why forms of carbon such as acetate and citrate may provide important substrates that can enter plant metabolism. The conversation explores how carbon interacts with NPK nutrition, photosynthesis, energy allocation, nutrient uptake, and secondary metabolism, including the pathways involved in producing cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and sulfur-containing compounds.
They also dive into natural fertilizers and plant-based biostimulants, including kelp, hibiscus, moringa, anthocyanins, humic and fulvic acids, and other botanical inputs. Nik explains the idea behind using medicinal plants and their chemistry in agriculture, how organic acids can interact with minerals, and why the form of a nutrient may matter as much as the nutrient itself.
The conversation also explores the carbon economy of cannabis, trichome metabolism, terpene diversity, rare cannabinoids, sulfur chemistry, nutrient stress, and the challenges of testing compounds that occur at extremely low concentrations.
Throughout the episode, Nik emphasizes the importance of connecting theoretical chemistry with practical growing results while acknowledging where the science is still developing.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Invisible Biology Matters
01:16 Podcast Welcome and Guest
01:58 Fermentation to Microbes
04:29 Medicinal Plants in Ag
06:00 Biostimulants vs NPK
08:38 Feeding Plants Carbon
11:01 Citric Acid and Chelation
15:46 Rhizosphere Energy Budget
20:03 Results Higher Terpenes
22:21 CO2 as Growth Lever
26:31 Terpenes Wild West
27:19 Sulfur Thiols and Aromas
32:25 Stress and Reduced Inputs
34:34 Why Kelp Extracts Work
37:41 Medicinal Plant Inputs
38:54 Anthocyanin Foliar Shield
39:51 Carbon Stewardship Framework
41:18 Feeding Trichome Metabolism
43:08 Terpene Profile Shifts
44:56 Prenylation And Pathways
50:30 Rare Cannabinoid Precursors
54:25 Testing Limits And Sulfur
56:23 Bioavailable Carbon Forms
59:16 Heavy Metals And Detox
01:03:27 Moringa Burn Lesson
01:05:58 Learning Loop And Wrap
Connect with Nik Nikolayev
Nik Nikolayev
CEO, Rooted Leaf Agritech
Website: https://rootedleaf.com/
Want Exclusive Content and ad-free episodes?
Join the Bioactive Patreon community for as little as $1/month to ask guests your burning questions, access exclusive content, and connect with Dr. Kirk one-on-one.
www.Patreon.com/Cannabichem
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more expert insights into
cannabis science, plant biology, and more!
Sign Up for Emails!
www.AppliedPharmacognosy.org
Keep up with Dr. Riley Kirk:
https://www.bioactivepodcast.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@cannabichem
https://instagram.com/cannabichem
https://www.appliedpharmacognosy.org/
