This study shows how recent advances in plant tissue culture seek to answer three key problems faced by the Cannabis industry. Firstly, rapid, reliable and economical propagation of phenotypically identical daughter plants can be achieved in tissue culture. Secondly, long-term storage of explant tissues can be used to regenerate whole plants via the cryopreservation of specific cells. Thirdly, developments in meristematic rescue protocols for the elimination of viral contamination of plant tissues, by blocking vertical transmission of the pathogen from mother to daughter plant, can be deployed in response to viral threats that have breached hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP). The implementation of plant tissue culture strategies presents a promising opportunity for a paradigm shift that can dramatically improve the Cannabis industry.

Learning Objectives:

• The presentation will inform the audience about developed tissue culture based propagation techniques, cryopreservation technologies for the protection, storage and reclamation of genetic ip and meristematic rescue strategies in response to viral threats currently faced by production facilities.