Inspecting Clones for Pests and Pathogens

Clones are incredibly important to the facilitation of genetic preservation, but all too often they can also be a source vector for pests and pathogens. We will try to cover the main pests and pathogens you should be aware of and also some symptoms associated with those diseases.

First, it’s important to note the subtle differences between clones and seed grown juvenile plants. Clones are taken off a mother plant and seed grown plants are simply propagated from seed. Seed plants are generally much more vigorous than clones and typically have significantly less possibilities of contracting diseases that mother plants might carry. Clearly this is also codependent on the growing room cleanliness, but in general seed starts can be considered healthier with fewer problems. In this article we will be addressing the problems associated with clones, but the same analysis can be applied for seed grown plants as well.

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Company Spotlight – Parabug

Parabug uses unmanned aerial vehicles, “drones”, for the rapid dispersal of biological controls such as predator mites to cover larger areas more rapidly.

Biological control with natural enemies is a technique often used in combination with other practices. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources defines the ecosystem-based strategy of Integrated Pest Management as “a combination of techniques, such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties.” 

With organic farming on the rise, many producers are implementing these eco-friendly techniques. 

Read the full article at OPN.

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Companion Planting with Cannabis

CHA members will now have access to our PowerPoint slides as we move into our workshop series. First up is a 72 slide presentation on companion planting with cannabis. It can be located on the “Companion Planting” members page. 

The Companion Planting for Cannabis workshop will go over all the categories of cover crops and highlight their roles in soil biology and plant fertility while addressing certain caveats when utilizing these systems. It will then transition into companion planting to cover a local case study on intercropping with cannabis. Following up with numerous studies on trap cropping and banker plants, showcasing the banker plants capabilities for sustaining beneficial predatory insects. Quite a few regional farms are showcased through their companion planting techniques and interviews with farmers help highlight clear management strategies. The companion planting with cannabis series is sure to share information on how to cut costs through integration of specific medicinal and nutritive plants designed to be optimized for your microclimate!

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Eastern Washington Farm Goes Green on a Commercial Scale

Walden Cannabis takes advantage of its massive property by reserving thousands of square feet for insectary beds and cover crops.

The farm’s size also allows Walden to utilize a system of crop rotation — somewhat of a rarity in the cannabis space. After each harvest, the company rotates its grow site to a new section of the property in order to maintain healthy soil….

Read the full article at Marijuana Venture.

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Pest Alert – Cannabis Aphid

The Oregon Dept of Agriculture has detected a new pest species for cannabis.

Phorodon cannabis, known as the cannabis aphid, bhang aphid, or hemp aphid, feeds on cannabis. It is only known from two locations in Oregon (Portland and Estacada) at this time, but it is very likely that it is established and unrecognized at other facilities. The pest is established in much of Europe and Asia, North Africa, and it is known from Colorado in North America. It appears to be a recent arrival in Oregon, and it is in the interest of all growers of cannabis to slow its spread.

Download the PDF from the ODA:

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Calcium’s role in Cannabis Physiology

“Calcium is an extremely important plant nutrient due to its many functions, which includes membrane structural integrity, maintenance of homeostasis, segregation of genetic material during cell division, gene expression, energetics and enzyme activities. The full picture of calcium-mediated physiological processes has not been fully described here nor clarified in academic research; however, researchers do know that calcium is immobile in plants and that it is a constant requirement throughout all growth phases.”

Mark June-Wells, Ph.D.

Visit Cannabis Business Times for an interesting article on the roles of Calcium in plant physiology…

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