Absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, algae can damage roots. I use a mix,
and have done do for a long time (small Perlite and Canadian peat), that dries
uniformly throughout the pot. It has a strong wicking action. This means
that, for my mix, moisture at the top of the pot lasts much longer than it does
for bark, or other airy mixes. In a percentage of the plants, a black slimy
algae forms which is able to hold itself over during the short time it is dry.
The common result of this algae is that the velamen is eventually killed off,
and for some of the roots, this kills the entire root, and for others, only the
portion above the pot is missing the velamen, and life and growth of the root
continues within the mix. I too am looking for a liquid to spray on the
surface roots occasionally to knock down the algae activity. This mix has way
too many good qualities to ever stop using it.
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