An Introduction to Cannabis Tissue Culture Part I
Why Tissue Culture is Key to the Future of the Cannabis Industry
Part I: An Introduction to Cannabis Tissue Culture
Over the past decade, the scale and sophistication of the Cannabis Industry in the United States has developed dramatically. This aggressive transition from isolated small level cultivators to full-scale industrial horticulture has bought about a new set of problems for both government regulators and the cannabis business community. These problems have become new opportunities for innovative companies looking to push the limits of what is possible with cannabis cultivation. One of the most significant, changes coming to the cannabis industry is the application and use of Plant Tissue Culture Technologies.
What exactly is Plant Tissue Culture? The term, is usually defined as the controlled aseptic culturing of whole plants, plant cells, tissues, organs and protoplasts. Aseptic meaning, free from contaminates like insects and other external microorganisms. The procedure for introducing plant cells into culture is relatively simple. A small section of the plant called the explant, is cleaned and placed in to a sterilized vessel containing a media substrate of agar, sugars and growth regulating chemicals. In the case of Cannabis, micro nodes are taken from the original stock plant and placed in sterilized test tubes to grow. After 10-14 days the node has developed into a juvenile cannabis plantlet, with no roots. Given the proper conditions and fresh growth media, a plantlet can be indefinitely divided into other explants for new cultures. These new cultures can then be moved into a cannabis depository for storage, placed into bioreactors, used for experimental trials or transferred into rooting media & acclimated for cultivation in the greenhouse environment. The process of tissue culturing is generally described in four distinct stages
Stage #1 Establishment of Aseptic Culture
Stage #2 Multiplication
Stage #3 In-vitro Rooting
Stage #4 Acclimation.
Tissue culture was first used on a lager scale by the orchid industry in the early 1950’s. The technology proved to be useful for propagating orchids with seed stock that is difficult to germinate. Today, Plant Tissue Culture technologies are used to preserve endangered species like the Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii). Read more at the New Cannabis Ventures webiste.
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The cannabis industry is quickly transforming from the black market to one that is highly regulated but quite complex. Rapid change, federal illegality, stigma, and confusing regulations all contribute to difficulties in connecting with entrepreneurs, investors, and professional service providers. While much progress has been made, it remains extremely challenging to identify legitimate companies, real investors and capable service providers. New Cannabis Ventures informs and connects all of those who seek to contribute to the success of this new industry.