Developing cannabis-specific bioinoculant for sustainable organic production

Cannabis production requires highly manipulated, sterile growing conditions for optimum yields and product quality. However, plant performance, and in particular plant biosynthesis of metabolites such as cannabinoids, terpenes and alkaloids, depends on beneficial plant/microbial interactions. This project aims to develop a cannabis-specific bioinoculant of beneficial microbes to improve production yield and metabolic profile. We will access cannabis-associated fungi and bacteria from field-grown cannabis roots, then, these microbes will be tested for in growth assays with cannabis grown in greenhouse to evaluate inoculant establishment, plant performance, and concentration of cannabinoids, terpenes and alkaloids. The top 10 isolates will be tested in different growing media and fertilization rates. At the end of this project, we will design and deliver a cannabis-specific bioinoculant that will support sustainable and organic production for cannabis grown in a soil-free system.

Faculty Supervisor:

Miranda Hart

Student:

Daniel Jose Rosa

Partner:

BlueSky Organics

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

Program: