Historically, cannabis research has lagged behind compared to other crops due to it previously illegal nature. That is why many cannabis companies and research organizations are currently joining forces to further boost research efforts to bridge as many knowledge gaps as possible. Obviously, financial gains are one of the main drivers, especially when it comes to better understanding the nuances of a specific cannabis genetics to push it to its max potential.
Innexo is one of those research organizations that conduct trials, which range from developing substrates to pressure testing on genetics. "We've got teams working on projects like improving crop yield and creating sustainable cannabis energy strategies," Innexo's CEO Dominique van Gruisen explains.
Trials and research on behalf of
Running tests and trials can be particularly costly for companies, and can also take up a great amount of time. "That's why we focus on making trials efficient and effective for companies that work with us," Dominique continues. "We strive to deliver maximum value with minimum trial duration. It's about energy and labor efficiency—working within a budget," Dominique explains. To accomplish that, Innexo has set up a platform where companies can look at all the different trials the company has carried out, and get an idea of what is possible to achieve with Innexo's expertise, all the while maintaining the confidentiality of said experiments.
One notable method Innexo employs is the "no-veg" cultivation strategy. Dominique explains, "We start our trials without a vegetative phase, which cuts down electricity use by around 40% and labor by about the same. Our propagation process takes just ten days, and the flowering phase is fifty days." In addition, Innexo has some research varieties that complete their cycle in as little as 42 days, while others take up to 50 days, reducing trial timelines further. "With these shorter cycles, we save time and resources, while focusing on premium-quality outputs."
Around-the-clock monitoring is central to Innexo's operations. "Our team is available 24/7 in case anything goes wrong. We can intervene immediately, which is part of our premium service," Dominique notes. The facility also boasts a unique intercanopy lighting system. "We've tested with different lighting setups, including 33% intercanopy lighting with 66% top lighting, gradually increasing to full intercanopy. This setup results in more evenly distributed lighting, higher-quality flowers, and nearly zero waste."
Cultivating improvements
Innexo's trials don't prioritize THC concentration alone. "Quality goes beyond high THC levels; it's about preserving the full profile of metabolites," Dominique emphasizes. "We find that some producers focus heavily on dense nuggets and high THC content, but that isn't necessarily what patients need." For example, patients with chronic pain may require specific therapeutic profiles rather than high THC levels, which can sometimes lead to unwanted side effects. "Producers need to understand what patients actually want, not just what others say they should produce."
Another crucial aspect of Innexo's work involves preventing the spread of hop latent viroid (HLVd), an emerging issue in the cannabis industry. "HLVd is latent in nature, meaning plants might not display symptoms even when infected. However, with our genetics production in-house and rigorous hygiene protocols, we've avoided any issues so far. But growers need to protect their operations by sourcing materials responsibly. It's about prevention and detection," Dominique states. Companies like SpecsAI have developed advanced scanners that can detect infected plants, but Dominique stresses that "prevention through proper facility management remains key."
Innexo is also working on new approaches to seed genetics, including F1 hybrid research. "We've seen that F1 hybrids show promise in cannabis, offering uniformity but also presenting challenges like stress susceptibility and hermaphroditism," says Dominique. Selecting reliable starting materials and understanding each variety's vulnerabilities are essential. Dominique believes that advancements in genetics may make feminized seeds obsolete in the coming years: "I predict we'll see a shift in the industry as new tech allows for more stable cannabis genetics. We are not a breeder, but we help develop tech, strategies and selection tools to empower breeders."
For Dominique, working with landrace varieties—a type of cannabis with unique characteristics—is like "producing a bottle of cognac." Although these varieties take longer to grow and process, the resulting quality is unmatched. "If you handle post-harvest processes like trimming and curing with care, you can enhance the appeal and quality of these varieties, even if they don't conform to the compact flowers seen in today's market."
For more information:
Innexo BV
www.innexo.nl