HLVD Test Results — Cannabis Clone Lab Testing

PCR-Confirmed Findings

Latest Test Results

Each entry below documents clones sourced from a specific vendor that returned positive HLVd results through PCR testing at 3R Biotech. Strain details, lineage, and HLVD-specific symptom observations are included in each report.

HLVd Positive

Report #001 · 3R Biotech PCR

6 Cannabis Clones That Tested HLVD Positive from Marijuana Clones Online

Six widely circulated clone lines from Marijuana Clones Online including Apples & Bananas, Lemon Cherry Gelato, Dante's Inferno, Yellow Zushi, Cap Junky, and Cadillac Rainbow — confirmed positive for HLVd through PCR testing. Every result documented with strain-specific symptom observations.

Strains: 6 Lab: 3R Biotech Method: PCR

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HLVd Positive

Report #002 · Mass Hydroponics · 3R Biotech PCR

10 Clones Listed by Mass Hydroponics That Have Tested HLVD Positive

Ten clones from Mass Hydroponics' catalog returned confirmed HLVd-positive results — spanning legacy sativa cuts including AJ's Sour Diesel and Blue Dream (Santa Cruz Cut) alongside modern hybrids like Permanent Chimera #89 and Galactic Warheads.

Strains: 10 Vendor: mass-hydro.com Lab: 3R Biotech

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HLVd Positive

Report #003 · The Clone Conservatory · 3R Biotech PCR

5 Strains Listed by The Clone Conservatory That Have Tested HLVD Positive

Five strains from The Clone Conservatory's multi-state catalog tested positive for HLVd — including Blackberry Kush, Candy Gelato, Candy Crusher, Oreo Blizzard, and Double Runtz. Each documented with lineage details and infection-specific symptom profiles.

Strains: 5 Vendor: thecloneconservatory.com Lab: 3R Biotech

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HLVd Positive

Report #004 · The Clone Foundry · 3R Biotech PCR

The Clone Foundry Catalog: 10 Strains That Came Back HLVd Positive

Ten clones from The Clone Foundry — including heirloom Chemdawg phenotypes Chem D and Chem #4, Josh D OG, Florida OG, and breeder cuts from BeLeaf, Bloom Seed Co, and Clear Water Genetics — all returned confirmed HLVd-positive results.

Strains: 10 Vendor: theclonefoundry.com Lab: 3R Biotech

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Methodology

How These Results Were Generated

Every result documented on this page comes from PCR testing conducted through 3R Biotech, a cannabis-focused plant pathogen laboratory. PCR — polymerase chain reaction — is the industry standard for detecting Hop Latent Viroid in plant tissue. It identifies viroid RNA directly, before visible symptoms appear, making it far more reliable than visual inspection alone.

01

Clone Acquisition

Clones are sourced directly from commercial vendors exactly as a buyer would receive them — no special handling, no pre-screening before submission.

02

Tissue Sample Prep

Leaf tissue is collected from each plant following standard protocols to ensure sample integrity and chain of custody through the testing process.

03

PCR Lab Analysis

Samples are submitted to 3R Biotech for PCR analysis. The test amplifies and detects HLVd RNA in plant tissue, identifying infection even in asymptomatic plants.

04

Results & Documentation

Lab results are reviewed and documented with strain details, lineage, and observations about how the infection expressed in that particular cultivar.

Why This Matters

Visual Inspection Is Not Enough

One of the most challenging aspects of Hop Latent Viroid is how long it can remain effectively invisible. Infected cannabis plants frequently display no obvious symptoms during early vegetative growth — rooting is normal, plants establish, they enter the canopy looking identical to healthy copies of the same strain.

By the time HLVd expresses visibly — in the form of reduced resin, muted terpenes, airy flowers, or stunted development — the infected plant has often already been used as a mother. Dozens of clones may have been taken and distributed before anyone realized the mother was compromised.

This is why every result documented on this page carries significance beyond the individual strain. A confirmed positive from a commercial vendor means contaminated cuts have likely already moved into grows across the country. The growers who received those cuts before testing was conducted had no way to know. The growers who come after them do — if the information reaches them.

PCR testing breaks this cycle. It identifies the viroid before symptoms appear, before more clones are taken, and before more facilities are exposed. It is the only reliable tool the industry currently has.

Common HLVd Symptoms in Infected Clones

Weak or slow-rooting clones that fail to establish normally
Reduced trichome production across the canopy
Muted, flat, or absent terpene expression at harvest
Airy, low-density flower structure with poor calyx development
Stunted vertical growth and reduced lateral branching
Below-benchmark cannabinoid potency on lab tests
Uneven canopy development making light distribution difficult
Progressive performance decline over successive cutting cycles
Hollow or weak stems on otherwise mature plants
Mutated leaf structure appearing in later growth stages
Reduced yield that cannot be explained by environment or nutrition

Documentation Tracker

Vendors Tested to Date

The following vendors have had clones submitted for PCR testing as part of this documentation effort. This is not an exhaustive list of all vendors selling HLVd-positive clones — it reflects only those tested through this program so far.

Vendor	Strains Tested	Positives Found	Lab	Status
Multiple Online Vendors	6	6	3R Biotech	Published
Mass Hydroponics	10	10	3R Biotech	Published
The Clone Conservatory	5	5	3R Biotech	Published
The Clone Foundry	10	10	3R Biotech	Published
Additional Vendors	—	—	3R Biotech	Testing Ongoing

Grower Guidance

If You Have Sourced Clones From Any of These Vendors

Finding your vendor on this list does not automatically mean every clone you received is infected. HLVd does not affect every plant in a facility simultaneously, and a positive result from one cut does not mean all cuts from the same source are compromised. What it does mean is that the risk is documented and real — and that you cannot assume your plants are clean without testing them yourself.

The most important step any grower can take right now is to submit current mother plant tissue for PCR testing before taking another round of clones. If your mothers are clean, you have documentation to prove it. If they are not, you need to know before the contamination spreads further through your facility or your network.

HLVD.info does not sell testing services and has no commercial relationship with 3R Biotech or any other testing provider. This documentation exists solely to help growers make informed decisions about the genetics they are running.

Immediate Steps to Consider

Pull leaf tissue from your current mothers and submit for PCR testing
Quarantine any recently acquired clones before introducing them to your mother room
Stop taking cuts from mothers you cannot currently verify as tested and clean
Sanitize all cutting tools between every plant — isopropyl alcohol minimum, preferably bleach solution
Do not share cuttings from untested plants with other growers
Consider tissue culture as the pathway to clean genetics if infected mothers are confirmed
Document your own testing results for any clones you pass along to others

Common Questions

Questions About These Test Results

Does a positive result mean every clone from that vendor is infected?

No. A confirmed positive means a specific cut from that source tested positive. It does not mean every plant in the vendor's catalog is infected. However, it does mean contamination is present in that supply chain, and any cut sourced without independent verification should be treated as potentially at risk until tested.

Why is PCR testing more reliable than visual inspection?

HLVd can be present in a plant for months before visible symptoms appear. During that asymptomatic period, the plant looks and grows normally — yet it is actively spreading contamination through every clone taken from it. PCR testing detects the viroid's RNA directly in plant tissue, regardless of whether symptoms have appeared. Visual inspection cannot do this.

What should I do if I already have clones from a vendor listed here?

Do not discard them immediately based on vendor association alone — test them first. Submit leaf tissue from your current mothers to a PCR testing lab and wait for results before making any decisions. If results come back positive, remove the infected plants and sanitize your facility before introducing clean genetics.

Is HLVD.info affiliated with 3R Biotech or any testing service?

No. HLVD.info has no commercial relationship with 3R Biotech or any other testing provider. The lab is referenced because it conducted the tests documented here. Growers can use any qualified PCR testing laboratory for their own verification.

Can infected plants be cleaned or cured of HLVd?

There is no field cure for HLVd once a plant is infected. Some tissue culture processes — particularly meristem tip culture under controlled laboratory conditions — have been used to produce clean plants from infected genetics, but this requires specialized facilities and expertise. In most practical scenarios, infected mother plants should be removed from the collection.

How does HLVD.info select which vendors and strains to test?

Testing is conducted on clones sourced from commercial vendors that are actively selling to growers. Priority is given to widely distributed vendors with broad reach, as contamination in those supply chains has the highest potential impact across the industry. Strain selection within each vendor reflects what is available and actively listed at the time of purchase.

Will vendors be notified before results are published?

Test results are published as documentation for growers — the audience that benefits most from having this information. Vendors are identified so growers who have sourced from those locations can take appropriate action. The goal is transparency, not targeting any individual business.