How HpLVd Is Affecting The Future Of Cannabis Plant Health (And Ways To Control It)

Cannabis growers go to extreme measures to ensure their crops are healthy, but one plant pathogen associated with stunting and low-trichome production has become increasingly prevalent in the industry: hop latent viroid (HpLVd). Last year, 90% of California facilities researched tested positive for HpLVd with 200,000 tissue samples analyzed, according to the team at Dark Heart Nursery. In this session, Mojave Richmond of BioAgronomics Group Consultants will make a special introduction about HpLVd and the impact it has had on cultivators and the industry. Then, Dr. Sadanand Dhekney of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore will provide a behind-the-scenes look at his current research—conducted as part of a two-year funded Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program—on identifying and preventing HpLVd in cannabis plants. He will share insights into the science, background and technology being used for virus detection, elimination and mass propagation of plants for clean plant production through tissue culture.