Plant Physiology, Biology, and Cultivation 

​

The Plant Physiology, Biology, and Cultivation Track focuses on the biological and environmental factors that influence the growth, yield, and phytochemical expression of cannabis and hemp. Sessions examine plant development, stress responses, nutrient management, lighting and climate optimization, cultivation systems, and sustainability practices. Research presented in this track advances understanding of how genetic plant host factors and the environment interact to shape plant performance, crop quality, and agricultural efficiency.

​

 

Biology and Management of Pests and Pathogens in Cannabis Production Systems

Cannabis production faces unique pest management challenges driven by stringent pesticide regulations, evolving cultivation systems (indoor, greenhouse, and outdoor), and increasing pressure from insect-vectored pathogens. As the industry matures, sustainable, science-based integrated pest management (IPM) programs are essential to protect plant health, ensure product safety, and maintain regulatory compliance. This symposium brings together researchers, extension specialists, industry scientists, and cultivation professionals to address the intersection of insect management and pathogen transmission in cannabis systems. Presentations will examine insect pests, plant pathogens, and the environmental conditions that influence plant health and physiology. A central goal of this session is to bridge gaps between plant biology, entomology, and applied cultivation. Discussions will highlight region-specific pest challenges while emphasizing the need for coordinated cross-regional strategies. Collaborative approaches are critical for developing consistent, effective management frameworks as pests do not respect state boundaries and cannabis regulations differ widely. Speakers will explore resistance development under limited pesticide options, biological control integration, monitoring technologies, and pathogen detection strategies. By connecting advances in plant physiology with practical cultivation solutions, this symposium aims to strengthen IPM programs tailored specifically to cannabis production. Ultimately, this session will foster dialogue across sectors and support the development of resilient, economically viable cannabis systems grounded in scientific rigor understanding plant pathology and pest pressure.

​

​

Effects of environmental and cultivation conditions on plant function, production, and secondary metabolites

Cannabis is used by humanity since antiquity for the production of fibers, medical and recreational use. With the recent changes to regulations, its cultivation for modern agriculture and the demand for high-grade medical ‘drug-type’ cannabis, and industrial ‘fiber-type’ cannabis products are sharply increasing. However, due to legal restrictions at the last decades science-based knowledge on cannabis plant-science and cultivation for modern agriculture is still lacking. This knowledge is vital for optimizing practical strategies of cannabis cultivation, for improved yield quantity and quality, and development of sustainable cannabis production systems. The restricted available information demonstrates that environmental and cultivation conditions greatly influence the cannabis plant developmental, biochemical, physiological, and molecular responses, pointing at the need to advance our understanding of these issues for directing development of optimized practical precision cultivation practices. This session will focus on advances that were made in all spheres of Cannabis sativa cultivation, plant-science, physiology, and biology for both 'drug-type' and 'fiber-type' cannabis. Including, but not limited to aspects related to impact of endogenous and exogenous factors, including environmental and cultivation conditions on plant development, function and production, and the secondary metabolite profile.

​

​

Healthful Production of Hemp: A "One Health" Framework

Since its legalization first in Canada and then in the United States, medicinal and industrial applications of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) have increased. With this concomitant increase in demand, larger-scale production of hemp in outdoor and indoor production systems has increased its exposure to various saprophytic and pathogenic microbes, potentially influencing health outcomes for the plant as well as potential harms from finished products. From a “One Health” perspective, the purpose of this session is to examine emerging strategies to mitigate harms caused by members of the phylosphere, with particular interest in fungi. Topics will include different detection methodologies for in-field and post-production contamination, biotic and abiotic integrative management approaches for reducing contamination in field or post-harvest facilities, and exploring the sufficiency of current regulatory frameworks for contamination in patchwork systems. This session will also welcome discussion on the emergence of pathogens of health concerns, as well as surveys of well-established pathogens. This session seeks to bring together researchers, Extension specialists, and private industry across career stages and subdisciplines to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities to advance the sustainable and healthful production of hemp and hemp products.

​

​

Plant Propagation Techniques and Early-stage Growth and Development of Cannabis Plants

Cannabis research is rapidly advancing beyond basic cultivation practices toward a deeper understanding of the biological and physiological mechanisms that influence plant growth and development. As Cannabis sativa continues to emerge as a high-value agricultural and medicinal crop, there is increasing demand for propagation systems to produce uniform, healthy plants and that support consistent outcomes across cultivation cycles. Variability introduced during early propagation, whether through seed treatment, cuttings or tissue culture systems, can influence vegetative development, flowering performance, plant yield, and cannabinoid profiles. This session presents recent advances in propagation techniques, early-stage plant development, and the use of machine learning models, with a focus on the biotic and abiotic factors that can be manipulated to influence plantlet establishment and early vegetative growth. This includes controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in plantlet development, which enables precise manipulation of light spectrum, temperature, humidity, and photoperiod, as well as optimal culture media selection methods, biological inputs, nutrient recipes or disease control methods that may shape early plant growth. By examining how biological and spectral factors interact during early propagation and plantlet development, this session aims to share insights into developing more reproducible and scalable propagation system.