Led by Jim Pryor and Matthew Dent from Can-Hub, this webinar gives viewers an overview on the fundamentals of cannabis physiology presented by Current’s senior plant scientist, Hans Spalholz, Ph.D.
During the webinar, Hans covers several topics related to the basics of cannabis. You can view the full presentation on demand and read on for a summary of the main points.
1. What is cannabis? The biology, the product, and the taxonomy.
Hans discusses how the taxonomy of cannabis can be viewed from three perspectives: genetics, functionality, and chemotyping.
Genetics are the building blocks of cannabis and are always evolving, while the growing environment is the structure that is built on top of those genetic foundations. With chemotyping, a combination of genetics and environmental influences lead to different chemical profiles, which are the internal elements that you can taste and smell within a cannabis plant. Hans emphasizes that cannabis is not all genetically uniform, as variations are very common. As a result, evolution often tells growers how to manage their crops.
2. How biology influences the management of the crops in terms of the different grow stages and strategies for those stages.
Hans outlines the three main functionality types of plant taxonomy, which include: fiber, seed, and cannabinoid/medicinal cannabis. Along with discussing the characteristics of each type, Hans defines photobiology and how understanding the photoperiod of each grower can lead to a better understanding of their lighting regiment needs in their growing operations.
A point of emphasis for Hans is that seed exclusion and pollination prevention is critical to maintaining top plant quality in cannabis operations. Hans also explains how there is such a thing as a cannabis plant that is too healthy. He reveals how to maintain a balancing act with light by pushing the plant to root as fast as possible, without stressing the plant with too much light.
3. What marks and influences cannabis quality?
Hans explains what to focus on and look for during each stage of the plant growth cycle, concluding that the last two weeks of the growing cycle are the most important to ensuring a successful harvest. He also goes into detail about what makes a quality crop in cannabis. Hans puts a large emphasis on flower quality as a good indication of overall plant quality. He explains how other elements such as color concentration, size of bud, and history/level of sanitation within a cannabis operation can either increase or decrease the quality of a cannabis plant.