Optimizing acclimatization of in-vitro produced Cannabis genotypes for enhanced survival and long-term performance

Micropropagation is a technique widely used in agriculture to rapidly produce genetically identical stock plants that are free from plant diseases. The recent legalization of Cannabis in Canada has prompted the need for licensed producers to access genetically stable plant material that produces a consistent yield and chemical profile. Micropropagation is a solution to replace vegetative propagation through a mother plant operation. One of the challenges for greenhouses and indoor cultivators to adopt micropropagation at an industrial scale is the high mortality that can occur when transferring plants to a new environment. The process of acclimating tissue cultured plants requires special attention to the root zone and leaf water loss. This project will explore different treatments that will increase the health of the plants when transferred from a lab to a greenhouse environment. Segra Biogenesis holds the first nursery for Cannabis micropropagation in Canada. This research will benefit the end user of Segra’s products– Canadian Cannabis growers – to successfully integrate new plant material into their operation.

Faculty Supervisor:

Andrew Riseman

Student:

Roshanak Shahriary Ahmady

Partner:

Segra Biogenesis

Discipline:

Food science

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of British Columbia