Harnessing Technology to Optimize Cannabis Growth and Yield

Summary: New technologies are transforming cannabis cultivation, marketing, and sales, including crop steering, vertical farming, genetic engineering, and advanced reporting software.

FREMONT, CA: The cannabis industry is an ever-evolving landscape characterized by rapidly shifting regulations, changing laws, criminal expungements, market predictions, and constant technological innovations. Keeping abreast of all the happenings can be overwhelming, but it also makes the industry incredibly exciting. The continuous stream of new developments is precisely why many individuals and businesses are drawn to work in this burgeoning sector.

Like many other crops, cannabis growth is regulated by hormones that respond to the environmental conditions surrounding them. Recent technological breakthroughs have provided cannabis growers with innovative tools for exerting greater control over the development of their crops through a technique known as crop steering.

Crop steering involves managing a controlled growing environment to influence the hormones produced by cannabis plants. Crop steering can affect key environmental factors, including temperature, humidity, and soil water levels. Sophisticated sensor technology, tracking tools, and a combination of AI and manual controls are necessary to ensure that all steering actions take place at optimal times. As this method evolves and improves, artificial intelligence will likely begin to play a more prominent role in managing crop steering strategies for farmers.

Many farmers are now adopting this technology to increase crop yield and flower production, ultimately leading to higher profits. The vertical farming technique has long been considered a space-saving solution in agriculture. While not a novel concept, recent advancements have made this method more accessible, efficient, and effective for cannabis cultivation.

Vertical farming involves using racks that support crop trays, allowing for stacked growth. Each rack is equipped with LED lights, evenly distributing light to the plants on the rack below. Smart controls, air ventilation, and energy-saving technology help create optimized habitats where crops can thrive, all within a fraction of the space required by traditional farming methods.

Cannabis innovation stretches beyond the cultivation stage and begins before the plant hits the soil. Genetic engineering has emerged as a groundbreaking technology that has unlocked a world of cultivation possibilities, leading to better, more resilient, and more valuable cannabis crops.

While genetic engineering is not new, recent technological innovations have enabled scientists to achieve more specific and desirable traits within cannabis plants. Additionally, advancements have significantly reduced the time required for genetic engineering processes, making it a more efficient and effective tool for creating desirable cannabis strains.

Beyond cultivation and genetic advancements, technology is also revolutionizing how businesses operate within the cannabis industry. With the advent of reporting software, many tech companies can now provide in-depth information about purchase drivers and consumer behavior. The application of innovative analytics in this field is essential, especially given the changing acceptance and legalization status of cannabis. The ability to market and sell cannabis products effectively in the future depends on monitoring how market segments evolve.

The current regulatory environment allows cannabis brands and businesses to make claims with little oversight. It has become increasingly important to verify and actively monitor companies' claims, quality certifications, licensing, ingredient lists, product labels, and lab tests to address this issue. Claims and certification validation software has become a powerful tool to address this problem.