How Technology is Shaping the Cannabis Industry

When looking at how technology is shaping the cannabis industry, simply step back in time to a couple of decades ago. It is hard to imagine how society functioned without the modern tools now readily available thanks to technological advancements. As creative, bright minds uncovered a new existence using technology to modernize every aspect of our daily lives, many industries discovered more efficient methods in furthering their specialized fields.

Now, the cannabis industry was just beginning to get its' foothold in the door when technology started revving up. While both sectors forged ahead in their endeavors, everything changed when they came together. Legalization opened the doors to research and development in the cannabis plant, while technology developments fostered more effective methods to innovate industry standards.

Fast-forward to today's evolving cannabis culture illustrates how technology is shaping this emerging industry in all facets, from seed to sale. Cannabis industry leaders are now embracing technological tools and procedures to further their ventures using modern advancements in genetics, cultivation practices, extraction methods, and data analysis. 

It All Starts with the Seed …

Genetic Developments

Breeding cannabis plants to develop new strains is hardly a new concept. Curious marijuana enthusiasts learned how to crossbreed favorite cultivars to bring out the best of both parents centuries ago. Looking to achieve higher yields, more potent strains, and healthier plants prompted breeders to explore new avenues to create better strains.

While their efforts were noble, breeders soon discovered that stabilizing cannabis genetics is a complex endeavor due to the abundant molecules housed within the tiny seed. When scientists uncovered the complex gene sequencing attributes in cannabis plants, they turned to biotechnology for answers.

Using the famous CRiSPR-Cas9 technology, an Israeli cannabis seed research and development company, CanBreed, contrived to manipulate gene-sequencing to produce favorable traits in a unique cultivar. Initial attempts focused on developing marijuana and hemp plants resistant to powdery mildew and other fungal infestations. Their success opened the doors for further exploration.

Plans for future study involve gene-sequencing to conquer other malignancies such as other disease-resistant measures, increasing trichome production, and environmental adaptabilities. With more investigations into cannabinoids, terpenes, and other chemical compounds, there is still much to be discovered in cannabis genetics.

But as the industry is looking ahead, technology provides a concise, measured approach to identifying and solving genetic morphology. 

Innovations in Cannabis Plant Sexing

Cannabis is a dioecious species, meaning each plant either exhibits male or female reproductive organs. Female cannabis plants contain XX chromosomes while males exhibit an XY chromosome pair. Unless a grower is looking for an ideal male plant for breeding purposes, the female cannabis plants are the sought-after choice as they produce the aromatic flowers used for production.

Not so long ago, the only way cannabis growers determined sexual orientation from a batch of seeds was to wait until the plants flipped into the pre-flower stage during reproduction. This project is a time-draining, costly, and labor-intensive task for many commercial operations as each plant requires strict observation during the early stages of the flowering period. If a plant begins showing seed sacks dangling from the stamen, it is immediately removed and disposed of to prevent pollen spread.

However, thanks to modern-day laboratory analysis, state-of-the-art instrumentation is now used to identify the sex of a cannabis plant within seven to fourteen days after germination. The procedure, using Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR), utilizes DNA from the cotyledon ((first leaves) or the epicotyl (second leaves) to detect a genetic marker on the male sex chromosome. If the Y chromosome pops up during analysis, the young seedling inherently is a male. This technology is a monumental cost-saving method for cannabis growers and breeders.

Propagation Advancements

The common practice for cannabis propagation relies on taking cuttings from a prized cultivar to reproduce future generations with the identical genetic make-up of the mother plant. Cloning procedures require snipping off a stem from a favorable plant during vegetative growth, placing it in a medium such as Rockwool, peat plugs, or soil, and keeping them alive until the cutting begins to root.

While this technique produces exact replications of the original mother plant, clone success rates often challenge growers. The delicate cuttings need stringent care during the first couple of weeks as temperature, humidity levels, and airflow is critical to their success. In addition, if the mother plant isn't in top-notch health, any deficiencies, pest, or disease issues quickly pass on to the young clones.

As an alternative, high-production cannabis companies turn to tissue cultures to alleviate these problems. Also known as micropropagation, tissue from disease-free cannabis plants grow in sterile laboratory environments. This in vitro process produces multitudes of plants in a fraction of the space while maintaining the integrity of the genetics.

There is still so much to be uncovered in cannabis as the intriguing plant holds many mysteries. But one thing is for certain, technology will play a big role in uncovering its secrets in the future.   

Fine-Tuning Cultivation Methods

Many modern indoor cultivation practices provide a clear picture of how technology is shaping the cannabis industry. As technological advancements begin to improve many areas in agricultural environments, innovative cannabis businesses embrace these developments to further their agendas.

When marijuana legalization began expanding across the globe, indoor cannabis facilities became a pivotal approach in providing year-round access to fresh product. With the advent of improved lighting technology, nutrient applications, automation, and data analysis, these advancements forged a path for success in cannabis cultivation. Ultimately, indoor setups offered growers control over their environment.

Lighting

In years past, industry standards in lighting involved two different types of bulbs for optimal plant growth. Metal Halides (MH) used during vegetative growth emit a cool, blue light, providing an ideal spectrum for young cannabis plants to mature. During the veg cycle, the lights stay on for a minimum of eighteen hours per day, with a lights-off rest period of six hours.

When growers want to flip the plants into reproduction in the pre-flowering stage, they change the light schedule to a twelve-on, twelve-off program. At the same time, they switch the lights to High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) ballasts which emit the hot red spectrum needed to grow the delectable flowers.

Several years back, LED lighting manufacturers introduced a one-stop-shop for cannabis growers. Instead of switching from MH to HPS when flipping into the flowering mode, the single fixture LED lighting technology offers the full light spectrum for all phases of cannabis plant growth. LEDs are a highly efficient, eco-friendly source due to their cooler emissions and energy-saving design.

As LED lighting technology continues to unfold, exciting discoveries and designs are advancing cannabis cultivation. While early designers experienced some growing pains, modern LED manufacturers are now redefining systems to enhance plant growth development. Studying the intricate role of light's contribution to the marijuana plant's evolution, lighting designers have learned how to harness light control. 

Automating Environmental Controls

Automation became a game-changer for indoor controlled environmental agriculture (CEA). Fine-tuned sensors for temperature, relative humidity (RH) levels, and airflow easily detect any changes to enclosed grow environments.

For instance, temperature and RH fluctuations are common in greenhouse facilities depending on the sun's position, clouds, and other outdoor conditions. The sensitive sensors instantly trigger heating, cooling, and HVAC systems to make necessary adjustments to maintain optimal environmental control. Advanced systems allow for real-time monitoring from remote devices and, as a backup, are enabled with alarm detection in case of malfunction.

Other controllers such as automatic fertigation systems adjust pH and nutrient recipes, delivering precision doses to each plant through a series of piping and emitters. These handy schematics alleviate the cost of labor-intensive hand watering while also eliminating the possibility of human error. Modern indoor irrigation systems are easily controlled via electronic devices, allowing growers to make quick modifications even from their smartphones.

The beauty of these automated systems is they provide valuable data, enabling cannabis growers to tweak adjustments to their indoor growing environment for optimal plant growth. 

Improved Extraction Methods

Extracting precious cannabinoids from marijuana plants has come a long way from initial open blasting attempts with butane. As science began discovering the multitude of chemical compounds found in cannabis plants, new methods of extracting the tiny molecules became paramount. While dry-sieving kief and cold-water bubble hash methods preserved the beneficial composites, they were far from cost-effective measures.

Solvent-based extraction methods using butane, propane, and other hydrocarbons in closed-loop systems became popular for isolating cannabinoids. Unfortunately, these methods often left impurities from residual gases in the final product.

As technology began to catch up with science, alternative extraction methods were on the horizon. Supercritical CO2 extraction processes offer a valuable resource for isolating not only the cannabinoids but also heat-sensitive terpenes. As consumer demand for different flavors and aromas continues to drive the retail market, preserving the terps is paramount in extraction processes.

Other research and development projects looking into cannabis extraction methods use high-tech advancements to isolate chemical compounds. These include Dynamic Maceration (DM) using ethanol as an organic solvent, Ultrasonic-assisted Extraction (UAE) utilizing soundwaves, and Microwave-assisted Extraction (MAE), which breaks down the cell walls of a molecule.

As science continues to uncover the molecular activities held within the cannabis plant, technology will certainly continue to look for beneficial extraction methods to preserve the tiny molecules.

How Technology is Shaping the Retail Sector of the Cannabis Industry

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) began over half a century ago as large manufacturing companies looked for solutions to integrate multiple business strategies efficiently. While the notion was based on data analysis of day-to-day business performance, it wasn't until technology began emerging in the late 1990s that the idea started to take a strong foothold in world commerce.

When looking at modern digital analysis, it's easy to see how technology is shaping the cannabis industry in the retail market. From Point-of-Sale (POS) software for dispensary operations to trending market analysis from seed to sale, technology provides a smooth solution for cannabis businesses to capitalize on their markets.

POS Solutions

Competing in today's cannabis retail market requires top-of-the-line product choices and a customer-friendly environment. In addition, the company needs an efficient manner of streamlining all facets of the business.

Modern, user-friendly integrated POS options for the industry often include customer identification verification, product information, and inventory control. Some systems also incorporate employee stats, schedules, and time clocks. While banking options in the past presented cash-only transactions, newly revised safe banking options are now incorporated into many POS structures.

More importantly, while POS systems are an essential part of any retail business, cannabis dispensaries must also follow strict compliance regulations governed by state and local authorities. State-mandated track and trace applications integrated into the POS software are required to keep the dispensary in good standing with the authorities.  

Market Sales Analysis

For retail cannabis businesses to stay ahead of the game, they need to have accurate real-time data on current trends in the market. What are customers buying? Where are they located? Are they making purchases online or visiting retail outlets? By tracking and analyzing industry statistics, savvy cannabis retailers gain a better understanding of how to market their products effectively.

This information also helps business leaders to look ahead as they determine long-term business strategies to grow their brand. As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, business leaders must stay on the cutting edge of innovation and new ideas to succeed. Analytical technology is one tool to help them accomplish this. 

Technology is Shaping the Future of the Cannabis Industry

There is still much to be learned about the intriguing cannabis plant. As science continues to uncover the mysteries in the tiny molecules housed within the plant, research and development will undoubtedly rely on technology to further their efforts.

In addition, the expanded investigation into advancements in environmental controls, extraction processes, and genetic study will undoubtedly rely on technology to help promote new concepts in these explosive areas. The future of the cannabis industry has nowhere to go but up, thanks to technology's contributions.