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How cannabis became a science-backed crop

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3 weeks ago

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Recognition of one’s work can take many forms, from peer recognition to institutional awards, and in some cases comes repeatedly throughout a career. This is the course of the cannabis research work of Prof. Nirit Bernstein of the Volcani Institute, which recently ended with the “Cannabis and Hemp Distinguished Achievement Award” given to the Israeli researcher by the American Society of Horticultural Science.

© Nirit Bernstein

The beginning of the modern science of cannabis
Nirit started working with cannabis about 14 years ago, long before the crop gained its current institutional legitimacy. At that time, he approached the Israeli Ministry of Health, through its Medical Cannabis Unit, with a formidable request: to help define cultivation protocols for a crop that is poorly understood from a plant science perspective, to ensure that the plant product is safe for consumers, and to provide growers with the necessary agronomic support. “Back then there was almost no information about the plant science and agronomy of cannabis,” he says. “It was very difficult to establish a cannabis research program at the time because there was no funding, but I felt a great responsibility to do it.”

He did what any academic would do, turned to the scientific literature. For any other well-studied crop, the answers would have been numerous. For cannabis, there was basically nothing. “Cannabis is not a new crop, people have been using it basically forever, so I was hoping to find some useful information,” recalls Nirit. “But when I looked at it, there was basically zero. At that point I understood that if we wanted answers, I would have to start from the very beginning.”

This absence prompted him to redirect his research activity almost entirely to cannabis. Early work focused on the basics, not reinventing the wheel to get into the cannabis side of things, but because every discipline needs a framework to build upon if complex issues are to be addressed. “How the plant responds to mineral nutrition throughout its life cycle. How the vegetative and reproductive stages change in their requirements. What happens when inputs are boosted, limited or misaligned. All of this is decades of knowledge in all crops, but for cannabis it was all new territory.” Nitrogen became one of the first focuses, followed by potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, each of which was systematically analyzed. “Each time we found the optimal level, it became the basis for the next analysis,” he explained. “It was a very cumulative process.”

Academy for cannabis growers© Nirit Bernstein
As soon as Nirit started presenting the first data at conferences, it became clear how hungry the industry was for validated information. Growers, consultants and companies began arriving in volume with very specific questions about nutrient ratios and cropping decisions, often driven by hereditary practices. “For years, I received hundreds of emails and requests every week,” he says. “People would ask about nitrogen, potassium, light, irrigation, crop management and what not…very practical things. You really feel the responsibility, you know the industry is listening.”

The science of cannabis plants is advancing
This sense of responsibility dictated the direction of his laboratory. His research expanded into environmental drivers, light spectra, HPS versus LED, pruning strategies, plant density, and plant architecture, including some early peer-reviewed work on hood uniformity in cannabis chemistry. “We had very little information about the plant, but at the end of the day cannabis is just a plant,” said Nirit. “Interesting, yes, but it still follows physiological rules that need to be understood.”

As the field arrived, so did the questions. Attention was focused on inflorescence development, trichome ripening and harvest time, with industry conventions still struggling to fully distance themselves from heritage practices. “There’s been a lot of change in the last 9 years,” he says. “In the past, people harvested trichomes when they were about 50% amber. Today, many harvest them as soon as they start to turn amber, but we don’t have enough information about how growing conditions affect that process.”

This gap is now central to his research. With international collaborators, including projects funded by the Cannabis Research Institute in Colorado, Nirit is studying not only pesticide residues, but also how pest management strategies affect secondary metabolism. “It’s not just about waste anymore,” he explained. “If you spray the plant, even with terpene-containing botanicals, that can have a dramatic effect on the production of secondary metabolites.”

The physiology of stress has become another key focus. Time and time again, his work has shown that peak concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes often coincide with how the plant reacts to stressors, an observation long known to growers. “Stress often affects secondary metabolism,” he says. “What we’re trying to do now is to develop extraction methods that trick the plant into thinking it’s under stress while it’s growing under optimal conditions.”

© Nirit Bernstein

This willingness to investigate grounded practices has continually encouraged her to question her research heritage methods. Physical injury, long dismissed as superstition, was shown to have some stimulatory effects on secondary metabolites. “They told us it worked, and they were right,” he says. Flushing, another divisive subject, showed no consistent increase in cannabinoid levels, but no harm either. “My recommendation is to clean it,” he added. “It helps to save money, it does not damage the plant and it improves the conditions of the soil, especially when growers have used too much fertilizer.”

Further experimental work continues in parallel, including carefully measured salinity stress in the last days before harvest, prolonged preharvest light or darkness, and studies on heavy metal uptake. “Hemp is a hyper accumulator, and ‘drug-type’ cannabis was never really tested for that in a medical context,” he explains. “Some of the nutrients we give to plants, such as iron, zinc, manganese, copper, are heavy metals. The question is how much we can give in the inflorescences and in the extracts produced without reaching critical thresholds.”

In all these lines of research, the methodology remains consistent. “We’ve put a lot of effort into understanding the physiology and biology of the plant,” says Nirite. “Not only agronomy, but also chemistry and the physiological function of plants. Then we translate this knowledge into practical applications. This is how we work in my laboratory.”

Thanks to this approach, Nirite has achieved a series of international recognitions in recent years, from the ‘American Chemical Society’, the ‘American Society of Agronomy’, the ‘American Society of Horticultural Sciences’, to agronomic and horticultural organizations throughout Europe and Israel. The “Cannabis and Hemp Distinguished Achievement Award” now joins that list to confirm that cannabis plant science has reached a level of maturity where fundamental work can finally be recognized as such.

“Cannabis is a fascinating plant,” reflects Nirite. “Not just because of the chemistry, but because the physiology can be so different between cultivars. The more we learn, the clearer it becomes how much we don’t know.”

For more information:
Institute Volcanoes
+9723-968-3226
(email protected)
agri.gov.il

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CEA Awards handed out at Indoor Ag-Con

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20 hours ago

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February 12, 2026

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A new tradition in the CEA industry is the annual Gala Luncheon at Indoor Ag-Con, presenting the CEAs — Cultivating Excellence Awards. This year, Jiffy won the Product Innovation award for its gel, and Bright Farms won the Operational Excellence award. The Trainblazer Award was presented to Dr. Gene Fiacomelli, who has dedicated much of his professional and personal life to furthering the cause of growers.

© Eelkje Pulley | MMJDaily.com

© Eelkje Pulley | MMJDaily.com

“These teams are setting the pace for controlled environment agriculture while pushing the boundaries in innovation, operations and product development while proving what’s possible in our industry right now,” said organizers Indoor Ag-Con and Inside Grower Magazine.

The awards program is designed to recognize and celebrate excellence, innovation and leadership in the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector, highlighting achievements in three categories: Operational Excellence, Product Innovation and a special Trailblazer Award.

© Eelkje Pulley | MMJDaily.com

Voltiris and Zayndu were nominated for the Product Innovation Award, but Jiffy won for Jiffy Gel, a biodegradable gel-based substrate specifically designed for controlled environment agriculture (CEA).

© Eelkje Pulley | MMJDaily.com

The nominees for the Operational Excellence Award were haven greens and Planet Farms, and Bright Farms ended up winning. In their words: “BrightFarms measures its success through operational expansion and measurable business results.”

© Eelkje Pulley | MMJDaily.com

For the Trailblazer award, there were no nominees, but there was a winner. “In our industry there are those who explore the unexplored, ask the questions that no one else asks and push the boundaries of what is possible,” said the organizers. “The Trailblazer Award recognizes those who are not afraid to challenge the status quo and push research and CEA application into new areas.” And that’s Dr. Gene Fiacomelli. Since the beginning of the 80s, his research interests include the research, design, development and applications of controlled environment plant production systems (greenhouse and growth chamber): crop production systems, nutrient supply systems, environmental control, mechanization and labor productivity.

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Colorado Marijuana Revenue Is Declining As Other States Legalize, But It Still Outpaces Alcohol Taxes, Report Shows

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20 hours ago

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February 12, 2026

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Marijuana sales tax revenue has steadily declined in Colorado over the past five years as more states have implemented legalization and intoxicating hemp products have grown in popularity, state officials say in a new report. However, cannabis brings in more tax dollars than alcohol or cigarettes.

In a memo to the nonpartisan Legislative Council of the Colorado legislature, staff “wanted to answer common questions about how marijuana industry revenues fit into Colorado’s state budget.” That includes $231.1 million in cannabis collected by the state in fiscal year 2024-25.

Adult marijuana is taxed at three levels in Colorado: a 15 percent excise tax, a 15 percent sales excise tax, and a 2.9 percent general state sales tax. As one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, Colorado’s revenue from such sales “grew steadily over the first eight years of legalization, reaching $424.4 million in FY 2020-21.”

After that, however, “revenues fell for the first time in 2021-22, and have declined every year,” the Legislative Council said. “Marijuana tax revenue fell to $231.1 million in FY 2024-25, 45.5 percent below the peak in FY 2020-21.”

It is remarkable notice He says the decline in marijuana tax revenue in recent years “has been largely due to low prices and a drop in demand as other states across the country legalize marijuana, and alternatives like intoxicating hemp become more available.”

Gov. Jared Polis (D), a longtime champion of cannabis reform, noted the potential economic impact of expanding legalization, He hoped states like Texas would continue to stave off the problem by scoffing so Colorado could continue to collect marijuana tourism dollars.

Texas may remain a prohibitionist state, but cannabis is now legal for adults in almost half of US states, a broader shift. has obviously contributed to the decrease in income.

But the new report also says the rise of intoxicating hemp products is diverting tax dollars. Whether the federal ban on such products changes when it takes effect in November remains to be seen.

Even as statewide legalization expanded and consumer demand increased in the hemp market, however, the Legislative Council released data comparing marijuana to other vices, including alcohol and cigarettes.

In fiscal year 2024-25, marijuana sales generated more tax revenue than alcohol ($54.3 million), tobacco products ($68.2 million), nicotine products ($91.6 million) and cigarettes ($213.9 million).

through LCS.

Until then, surveys have consistently found this More and more Americans are choosing marijuana and cannabis-infused drinks over alcohol and cigarettes.

Meanwhile, only in 2025, Colorado saw more than $1 billion in marijuana sales, a milestone the governor announced in December. And while the Legislative Council attributed part of the decline in cannabis sales to the sale of intoxicating hemp products, Polis also said recently. The pending federal ban will “stifle growth and innovation” in the market.

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Meanwhile, the governor said that last week his state did not have to join a lawsuit supporting a federal ban on the possession of guns by people who use marijuana that’s now before the US Supreme Court, and he personally opposes the state attorney general’s “legal position on it.”

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Large Dutch greenhouse grower turns energy volatility into opportunity

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2 days ago

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February 11, 2026

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Volatility in energy prices continues to affect greenhouse gas producers across Europe, as the growing share of renewable energy and developments in electricity markets lead to stronger and more frequent price increases. For a large Dutch greenhouse grower, this challenge became the starting point for a more flexible and efficient approach to lighting management.

Like many high-intensity greenhouse operations in the Netherlands, the business faced rising electricity costs and major surprises while requiring precise light control to maintain consistent crop quality throughout the year.

To meet these challenges, the manufacturer implemented the Netvion intelligent control system. The solution enables real-time control of light intensity and spectrum without the need to rewire or make major changes to the existing greenhouse infrastructure.

© Netvion

Responding to extreme electricity prices
Electricity prices in the Netherlands have shown considerable volatility in recent years, ranging from negative prices during periods of renewable overproduction to sharp peaks in demand. “Traditional wired lighting systems offer limited flexibility to respond to rapid price changes,” says Sharan Avati with Netvion. “This often results in inefficient energy use and higher operational costs.”

With Netvion’s system, the grower can dynamically adjust lighting levels based on real-time electricity prices. During high price periods, light intensity is reduced to the minimum level required for crop development. When prices are low or negative, lighting levels can be increased to support plant growth, taking advantage of favorable market conditions.

© Netvion

Improve crop yield through clear precision
High-value greenhouse crops require precise control of light intensity at different growth stages. Using Netvion’s multi-channel lighting control, the manufacturer fine-tuned light levels from 30 µmol/m²/s at high prices to 200 µmol/m²/s when energy costs were low.

This level of precision optimized energy consumption while maintaining consistent crop quality. Instead of increasing stem length, the cultivar saw a measurable increase in crop weight, reporting 3-7% heavier crops, depending on crop type and growing conditions.

According to the grower, this improvement was driven by better alignment of light levels to plant needs during favorable energy price windows, without overstressing the crop during high-cost periods.

© Netvion

Fast financial impact through the fast energy manager
The financial impact of the wireless lighting system was very dynamic. With a capacity of 3 MW to connect to the grid (“knip”), the producer uses Netvion to respond quickly to fluctuations in electricity prices.

© Netvion In practice, correcting lighting levels allows growers to recover approximately 20-30% of their total daily energy costs in 15 minutes under extreme market conditions.
Depending on electricity prices, it can be worth up to 1,500 euros received in a single 15-minute window, shares Sharan. “This emphasizes the importance of real-time control speed rather than fixed hourly savings.”

“Combined with the reduced installation and maintenance costs enabled by the wireless infrastructure, the system provided a strong business case and approximately a two-year return on investment, while also reducing cabling, labor requirements and overall system complexity.”

© Netvion

Easy integration into existing greenhouses
Although Netvion is designed to integrate with existing climate control platforms, this manufacturer followed a different approach. Instead of using a standard third-party climate computer, the company developed custom in-house software to handle the control logic and system connections.

Netvion’s open and flexible architecture enabled integration with this custom-built platform, allowing the producer to implement their own advanced control strategies, taking advantage of wireless high-resolution lighting.

Sharan: “For other greenhouse operations using commercial climate control systems, integration can be easier. This case demonstrates that Netvion supports both standard integration and highly customized control environments based on the grower’s operational configuration.”

© Netvion

For more information:
Netvion
+31 613921828
(email protected)
www.netvion.io

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