As more EU countries regulate cannabis, early movers find themselves navigating uncharted territories. History has shown that it takes time for any industry to reach its full potential, and cannabis is no different. In Europe especially, strict regulations may currently limit what companies can and cannot do. "A lot of the companies we work with are not allowed to directly engage with cannabis," explains David Schmidmayr, founder of Better Plants. That's why R&D companies can bridge this gap, enabling cannabis operations to carry out certain processes within the legal framework. "We offer them a legal environment where we plan experiments together, execute them, document the results, and provide images that can be used for marketing."
David Schmidmayr, founder of Better Plants
Advancing within the legal framework
For more than 15 years, Better Plants has provided R&D services, working closely with clients to develop strategies and solve production challenges. Their work often involves on-site investigations, identifying problems, and improving production processes. Better Plants operates in western Austria, near the borders of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany. The team is small, made up of professionals from various fields, including photonics, laser technology, biology, and plant science. "What we enjoy is combining biology and technology," says David. His background in photonics, along with a personal interest in bonsai trees, led to the idea of using LED assimilation lighting to improve plant growth.
Better Plants also helps companies develop products such as fertilizers and substrates, especially for those manufacturing for the pharmaceutical industry. Their in-house tissue culture lab is used to preserve plant genetics, which is critical for pharmaceutical manufacturers. "I don't know any EU company producing medical cannabis that has the full process chain in-house," David adds. This focus on genetic preservation is important for maintaining consistency in the quality and chemical makeup of cannabis plants.
In-vitro cannabis plants
David emphasizes that proper hygiene and genetic preservation are often overlooked in the industry. Many growers come from industries like food production or ornamental plants, but cannabis cultivation presents different challenges. "In the cannabis industry, hygiene is still not well-established. The industry has operated in a more informal way for years, and growers are only now becoming aware of pathogens and how to prevent them."
One significant concern is Hop Latent Viroid (HLV), which is becoming a more prominent topic in the cannabis industry. "It's all about prevention," David says. "You need a plan in place where you consistently take plant samples and analyze them. Discipline is key." David is currently working on ways to combat HLV, exploring how factors like light can influence the growth of stem cells in plants. "We've seen that using certain light parameters can keep the virus from affecting fresh cells, but it's still trial and error at this point."
Investigating plant responses
In addition to tissue culture and hygiene measures, Better Plants has been developing methods to better understand plant responses to different environmental factors. Their lab is equipped with an integrating sphere, which allows them to measure how plants absorb and process light. "We can see how much light the plant absorbs, what it reflects, and what passes through the leaf," David says. This data helps them explore how light wavelengths, including UV, affect plant growth and chemical composition. "We've been able to manipulate cannabinoid content with UV light, but it's tricky—too much energy can destroy the compounds."
Better Plants is also working on a research project involving chlorophyll fluorescence measurement, a method that provides insight into how efficiently a plant is photosynthesizing. "We can measure how plants respond to stress factors in real-time, which helps optimize everything from light levels to fertigation strategies," David notes. This data could potentially improve energy efficiency in cannabis production by adjusting HVAC systems and other environmental controls based on plant feedback.
A sprinkle of AI
"We've spent over 15 years working in this field, and we always have cannabis plants in our lab," David says. "That experience allows us to make accurate interpretations of the data we collect. A lot of tech companies entering the agricultural space struggle with this—gathering data is one thing, but understanding how plants react to stress factors is another."
Additionally, Better Plants is applying AI to handle the growing volume of data collected during research. "It's a complex topic because you need to define what data you're using and ensure its integrity," David explains. The goal is to integrate AI into the analysis process, making it easier to identify correlations between environmental factors and plant health.
At the same time, Better Plants is focusing on novel medicinal cannabis applications. "We're currently involved in studying the effects of cannabinoids on cancer cells," David shares. As regulations in Europe become more liberal, particularly in countries like Germany, David sees positive movement in both the private consumer market and the medicinal cannabis space. "Pharmaceutical companies are starting to get more involved," he says. "There's a growing demand for fundamental research. Good, high-quality papers are being published, and the industry as a whole is becoming increasingly more professional as a result."
According to David, data-driven research is essential for the long-term sustainability and profitability of the cannabis industry. "Reliable, high-quality research is the foundation for advancing both medicinal and consumer cannabis markets," he explains. "As the industry matures, companies need to prioritize science and ensure their products are not only effective but also consistent. Without that, you can't build trust, and trust is everything in this field."
For more information:
Better Plants R&D
Klarenbrunnstraße 46, 6700 Bludenz, Austria
+43 664 1277 536
[email protected]
better-plants.com