Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Pure Sunfarms will continue to work together to advance cannabis research for three more years.
Since the start of the partnership in 2018, researchers at the Burnaby post-secondary and the Pure Sunfarms' cultivation team have been able to identify pathogens that affect cultivation of cannabis grown in greenhouses.
The findings have led to the development of biological, cultural and environmental control strategies.
"The collaborative research between Pure Sunfarms (PSF) and SFU has identified a number of damaging diseases caused by fungal pathogens that have been reducing growth of plants," SFU biology professor Zamir Punja told the NOW.
"The research team collects samples and conducts analysis to determine what types of microbes may be affecting growth. They have discovered a number of diseases that were previously unreported on cannabis. These diseases are now also been reported elsewhere where cannabis is grown in Canada and the US. They appear to have emerged and spread as a result of the wide-scale growing of the crop since 2018."
Punja explained when on site, the research team conducts a weekly assessment of plant growth and overall health, taking notes and transferring samples onto various types of agar media to facilitate identification back at SFU, a similar process to when doctors take swabs at the doctors office to check for strep throat and other infections.
He said the research team also trains Pure Sunfarms staff to recognize symptoms of infections and how to manage them. Punja added because no chemical products are allowed to be used on cannabis products for disease control, prevention and early recognition are key components.
"The most damaging pathogens found have been those infecting the roots, especially Fusarium and Pythium. Also damaging are the flower pathogens that include Botrytis.
"Since cannabis is such a unique crop in terms of how it grows and is managed, the research approaches and management approaches also have to be adapted to this crop. The PSF-SFU collaboration has resulted in a number of new discoveries that have been published in scientific journals and have placed PSF as a unique partner in research that is not found elsewhere in Canada or the U.S."
SFU researchers and students have access to Pure Sunfarms on-site lab and its 65,000-square-foot processing centre to research ways to mitigate the threats to cannabis plant health.
Methods are used to follow the complete life cycle of plants, looking at environmental conditions and strains and prodution practices to address and promote the quality of post-harvest cannabis.
“At Pure Sunfarms, we believe in supporting academics to learn more about the cannabis plant and what keeps it healthy – we’re a flower-first company, and we know it all starts with the plant,” Pure Sunfarms CEO and president Mandesh Dosanjh said in a news release.
“Dr Punja’s work has helped us promote plant health and through this continued partnership with SFU, we look forward to unearthing research findings that will allow us to continue to optimize the quality of our flower while upholding British Columbia’s proud heritage as one of the world’s best cultivators of cannabis.”
