@bobj1598
I included what to search for I my original comment.
To which I've searched for. There are no scientific, peer reviewed studies to support the claim of B1 being of no benefit when applied directly to plants. At least, not that I could locate. The ONLY academic institution I've come across to have done this research and made the claim is the University of California, and for whatever reason, their study has been pulled down off of their website. You can no longer view it. Why is that?
https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=6369 to me, that's a red flag.
The two links you provided are opinion pieces, they provide no substantive proof to the claims they make. I could've made a claim that I sprout 15foot wings and fly around my city at night. It literally wouldn't be any more or less true than what they try and purport in their articles. In fact, the asshole author of the second blog was called out on this and asked to provide proof of the claims he made, to which he responded with "where's your proof it DOES work?" Burden of proof lies on he who makes the claim. It's like saying "The moon is made of cheese. But it's up to YOU to provide proof that it's made of cheese." That's not how it works.
I'm willing to concede to the notion that B1 itself provides no real, tangible benefit when applied to plants (if I can locate and read the study that was done). But to then go beyond that and claim Superthrive is ineffective or doesn't work because it contains vitamin B1, is a half truth. It also contains nitrogen and naphthyl acetic acid, which is what I think most gardeners get the seemingly good results from.
However, according to this research paper on naphthylacetic acid, it claims "The main practical uses of auxins are: (1) in low concentrations to accelerate the rooting of woody and herbaceous cuttings; and (2) in higher concentrations to act as selective herbicides or weed-killers." Cannabis is considered a weed, correct? Could that be why some cannabis growers dislike the product? In higher concentrations, can it destroy or otherwise prolong the growth of the plant?
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/1-naphthylacetic-acid
Most of the applied usages I've come across were from people who used it to nurse a sick plant back to health, or for root cuttings. I've very rarely come across folk who claim to get more foliage/better fruit production because of using it.
Actually it’s Triacontanol they just lie about what’s in it.
I've read this, however, on their website this ingredient isn't listed. Is it a by-product of the 'kelp' that's supposedly in ST? Tricontanol is good stuff, but if I really wanted that, I'd probably just opt for some alfalfa meal instead.