Shining the spotlight on medicinal cannabis: From rooting through flowering to specialized metabolites

Summary

This thesis explores how medicinal cannabis responds to light during critical developmental stages: rooting of stem cuttings, vegetative growth, flower induction, and the generative phase. The roles of light on cannabis discovered in this thesis are expected to support the optimization of light strategies based on scientific evidence, enhancing indoor medicinal cannabis production. Our findings show that cannabis can use high light intensity, leading to increased yield due to its high photosynthetic capacity. The response of medicinal cannabis plant to light spectrum is relatively limited, though far-red light can enhance rooting. Additionally, extending the photoperiod during the late generative phase does not negatively impact yield or cannabinoid levels, regardless of the light spectrum used.