Get Higher with Vertical Farming in the Cannabis Industry
This plant has much to gain from Data-Driven approaches found in Vertical Farming
Recent innovations in agriculture have resulted in Vertical Farming. This involves stacking plants, as the name suggests, in order to maximize the crop yield while minimizing space needed. Not only is it cheaper than industrial farming, it also requires fewer natural resources and has a smaller carbon footprint. The real clinch is the precision it allows for when it comes to cultivation: the ability to control the temperature, humidity, and the nutrients absorbed by the plants.
Given this focus on control over the plant’s environment, it’s only natural that data and analyics are being brought into the vertical farming systems. Companies, such as AutoCrop and Plantix, offer software for farmers to remotely monitor plants and make adjustments as needed.
The pairing of Vertical Farming and Data Analytics have extremly positive implications for the cannabis industry. Despite the legality and popularity of cannabis in the 21st century, many challenges still exist for cannabis producers. It can be high in energy consumption with significant levels of pollution. The actual cultivation process is also trickier than with most kinds of crops, as they require specific environmental conditions to develop properly. In traditional farms, the usage of pesticides and herbicides posses serious health risks to cannabis consumers.
Is Vertical Farming is the future of Cannabis Cultivation? Perhaps not, given that one of the most significant challenges of Vertical Farming is the large amount of capital required to build such a system in the first place. However, less capital is needed as the technology becomes more accessible and widely used. Not to mention the growing demand for recreational and medicinal marijuana over the globe. Such demand will drive competiton to build cheaper technology and more efficient methodologies.
When it comes to the therapeutic effects of cannabis consumption, the deft hands of vertical farming could be a godsend. It produces high quality strains with optimal potency, whether that be for THC, CBD or some combination of both. One reason for this is because it’s straightforward to use LED lighting in Vertical Farming systems. LED lights have a higher intensity and are also more energy efficient compared to traditional lights; LEDs ensures that no heat from the lights cause damage to the crops. Additionally, the increased air exchange leads to cannabis plants producing an increased amount of trichomes (the compound that gives cannabis its high). It also allows for hydroponic techniques, circulating water to provide a consistent supply of nutrients and oxygen to the plant’s roots. All of this can help increase the potency of cannabis. But potency isn’t everything, and cannabis strains with high THC to CBD ratios have serious health risks. How can we ensure the cannabis industy is moving towards healthier outcomes for their consumers, when farmers have financial incentive to make the cannabis as THC rich as possible for their recreational users?
Data Analytics offer even greater control over Vertical Farming. For instance, monitoring the effect of light, temperature and humidity at varying levels can help in preserving healthier strains. There’s also the possibility of genetic modifications for better cannabis cultivation, including:
Controlling number of trichomes to vary the levels of THC in cannabis plants.
Increasing the level of cannabinoids, such as CBD.
Increasing the size of the roots for a better yield
Looking more deeply into a subfield of Data Analytics called Machine Learning (also known as Artificial Intelligence), it’s possible to use Generative Models for more advanced cultivation too. Generative Models can simulate plant breeding and explore different possible phenotypes for new strains. Phenotyping, in historical farming, has lead to the improvement of the quality of foods such as corn and potatoes. Going forward, leveraging Data Analytcs in Vertical Farming will enable all sorts of new cannabis strains to appear. The future of the cannabis industry will consist of careful measurements and plant selection, as well as responsible consumer practices. Eventually, cannabis farming may become cheaper, cleaner and healthier than most kinds of crop farming as they exist today.