Whilst there is always an element of risk with plants, because Tissue Culture is done in bio-secure process within minimal human exposure the risks of spreading PPD are much lower when compared to cuttings.
1. Any pest, pathogen and disease can wipe out entire rooms or even greenhouses so the whole crop can be lost, which is a huge cost to the business financially, your business reputation and potentially your IP, especially if mothers are affected.
2. Because the growing environment can have such a big influence on a plant’s phenotype (physical characteristics), once fully grown, a clone may not have the same characteristics as the mother plant. This can result in further phenotype variations in later generations that make it challenging to ensure the genetic integrity and ability to produce “True to Type” cannabis plants of the strain across future crops. This can affect cannabinoid yield which ultimately affects revenue. Or, if you are producing a whole plant or full spectrum extract you will need consistent genetics.
3. Thirdly, to maintain unique IP, cannabis companies can preserve strain genetics using Tissue Culture acting as a ‘tissue bank’, which is the best way to preserve genetics for decades without having to dedicate production space. This level of surety isn’t the same with seeds or even conventional clones, for which potency and yield will begin to fade over time. Tissue banking is also a great way to protect future patents. As the cannabis industry shifts its focus to phenotype-based IntellectualProperty rights for entities to claim legal possession of a particular cannabis phenotype (like Bayer or Monsanto) it will be key to maintain the original living plant sample.
Increasing demand for cannabis in Australia and around the globe is leading companies to not only rethink the way they maximise the efficiency of their cannabis operations, but also how they protect the resiliency of their cannabis genetics and reduce operational risk. Tissue culture propagation may offer the best way forward to producing large yields of healthy, true to type cannabis plants while preserving and securing possession of superior cannabis strains.
The two major types of services
1. Supply high health clonal mothers quarterly or every 6 months.
This will provide your cultivation operations with fresh mother stock that is clean from pest and disease and vigorous in its growth compared to your existing mothers.
2. Genetic banking of unique genetics
This will provide protection from any pest and disease breakout in your facility whereby it affects your mother or cloning area and you potentially lose all your genetics.