Micropropagation in the Cannabis Industry

Micropropagation is bringing a change in cannabis farming to produce a large amount of disease-free clones.

FREMONT, CA: Tissue culture, also known as micropropagation, is a method used to transfer a small portion of a plant's tissue into a controlled artificial environment where it can carry out its biological functions. Tissue culture and cloning through cannabis cuttings are distinct methods of reproducing plants, each with its own set of characteristics. While both techniques share the goal of replicating the genetics of the original plant, micropropagation provides several distinct advantages, one of which is a reduced risk of disease transmission.

Cannabis Tissue Culture Propagation

Cannabis tissue culture propagation works in four stages: sample collection, sterilisation, rooting and acclimatisation.

Beginning from the collection of a tissue sample from a donor plant, lab technicians obtain a sample from a leaf. These parts of a cannabis plant naturally contain various microorganisms, including potential pathogens and beneficial symbiotic organisms. To ensure a sterile starting point and prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi, the collected tissue samples are carefully washed with an isopropyl solution, effectively sterilising the surface of the tissue. This sterilisation process is crucial to maintaining a contamination-free environment for tissue culture procedures.

Shoot Proliferation

Following sterilisation, technicians place the cleaned tissue samples into a sterile growing medium in vitro. These containers with the tissue samples and growth medium are usually positioned in an environment that meets specific conditions for optimal growth. This environment typically features controlled parameters, including a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity level of approximately 60 per cent.

Rooting

The next phase involves allowing the tissue samples to develop more robust root systems. During this stage, the samples are exposed to the essential nutrients and phytohormones required for the development of healthy roots. These roots are vital, enabling the samples to acclimate effectively to their future growing environment. This is the crucial step in setting the foundation for healthy plant growth.

Acclimatisation

Before growers transplant tissue culture samples to their ultimate growing location, they undergo acclimatisation to adjust to a range of environmental variables. However, they are exposed to fluctuating temperatures and other external factors at this stage. This phase helps prepare the tissue culture sample for the diverse conditions they will encounter in their new environment, ensuring their successful growth and adaptation.

Advantages of Tissue Culture Cloning in Cannabis

There are several advantages of tissue culture propagation on cannabis. Cannabis tissue culture requires a small amount of tissue per sample, and it doesn't require much space. It enables the preservation of the genetics of a specific specimen. It can develop a huge amount of clones within a confined space and is produced year-round.

The sterilisation procedures employed in cannabis tissue culture reduce the risk of pests and diseases. This culture can develop mature plants at a faster rate. Moreover, it has profound implications for the development of new genetics and learning about the desired traits, offering an avenue for innovation and the creation of unique varieties of cannabis.

Micropropagation stands at the forefront of revolutionising the future of cannabis cultivation. Its potential ranges from safeguarding cherished strains to swiftly generating disease-free clones. This groundbreaking technique empowers boutique growers and fuels the expansion of large-scale commercial operations, ushering in a new era of innovation and growth in the cannabis industry.