Whether you are engaging in a licensing deal with a breeder or developing and introducing your own unique cultivars, there are many common questions and challenges that plague growers.
Ahead of his session at Cannabis Conference 2023, Matthew Indest, technical director of agronomy and plant improvement at Curaleaf, covers the ins and outs of genetic selection, and what growers should consider when partnering with a breeder or developing their own cultivars.
Dr. Matthew Indest will speak at Cannabis Conference on the session: “Great Balancing Act: Genetic Selection To Give Your Business An Edge In The Competitive Cannabis Market," which will run from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 16. In this session, panelists will discuss the pros and cons of partnering with a breeder vs. establishing a breeding program, key insights into successfully balancing the agronomic and business/market aspects of genetic selection, and more. Visit www.CannabisConference.com for more information and to register.
Andriana Ruscitto: What critical factors should cultivators consider when deciding whether to work with a breeder or establish their own breeding program?
Matthew Indest: Scale and timelines. Breeding projects are a game of numbers and take time to do correctly. Performing phenohunts from seed packs can be effective, but when limited to only 10-15 plants, your chances of finding individuals that check all the boxes for your target plant are low. I want to look at hundreds to thousands of individuals for each cross to increase the likelihood of finding the plant with the best of both parents.
AR: What are the advantages of partnering with a breeder for cultivators vs. creating a breeding program? Are there any potential drawbacks?
MI: With an internal breeding program, you define the objectives and focus for each selection phase. When working with an outside breeding partner, it is important to understand their selection criteria to ensure it aligns with your operational goals. With the prevalence of HpLVd [Hop Latent Viroid] and the lack of sensitivity in certain assays, I prefer to maintain the required clean plant certifications in-house. There are many good breeders, but it takes structured due diligence to find them. These relationships rely heavily on good faith agreements with your breeder, so it is important to maintain good visibility so those expectations are being met. When this is managed in-house, you have more control over the processes.
AR: How can cultivators navigate following market trends, such as a high THC demand, while ensuring they create unique genetics that stands out in the market?
MI: As a breeder, you can't be hyper-focused on any single trait, but instead, you must maintain a holistic approach to identify your best performers. I use an index of key traits to make genetic gains across the board. THC percentage dominates the demand for the market, but we want to pair this with good yield, bud structure, disease resistance, and ease of crop work. A breeder must have strong confidence in their sampling and analytics to make accurate selections on THC levels. With the heterogeneous matrix of a natural product like cannabis and the variability observed between labs, these factors can confound your selection for THC. While THC is a major driver, to me the best indicator of great genetics is when customers and patients want to buy the product again and again.
AR: What strategies can cultivators implement to ensure they are following the trends while, at the same time, avoiding investing in trendy cultivars that may become outdated by the time they reach the market?
MI: Make connections with breeders or nurseries early so you have access to the latest and greatest. Local and national cannabis cups and conferences are great places to connect with these providers and learn about the latest trends. There is always a risk to growing something new, but it outweighs the risk of sitting on flower that doesn't have something special. Each grower needs to evaluate this risk for themselves when choosing whether to stick with something they are familiar with growing or learning a new genetic that might catch the market's attention. Phenohunting seed packs or making novel crosses allows for bringing something proprietary to market, but it requires space and resources that not everyone is scaled to accommodate.
AR: What is one thing you'd like attendees to take back to their business after attending your session this year?
MI: Genetics are the foundation of your cultivation business. It is often an undervalued part of the operation, but everything cascades from your choice of what to grow. Plan to document the fine details, growth habits, and performance of each genetic you grow. It takes a certain type of person to develop that data structure, but it is invaluable information for your business. Ask your genetics provider for their data on the genetics they are selling. Use that information to guide each cycle thereafter. Every genetic has its specifics that take time and practice to execute perfectly.
