Cannabis physiology: people need to know more

The academic event organized by the Agronomic Engineering program featured two lectures. The first was "Physiology of Cannabis Cultivation," presented by agronomist Bryan Steve González Vanegas, a graduate of UCundinamarca, with an M.Sc(C) in Agricultural Sciences, specializing in Plant Physiology and CEO of One Tropical Seeds.

Engineer González began his presentation by stating that cannabis cultivation was approved in Colombia five years ago under a series of national and international regulations and requirements, with the goal of contributing to the country's economy. While legalization was achieved, these requirements now hinder the participation and contributions of small producers and industries dedicated to its cultivation and commercialization.

He also asserted that environmental conditions in Colombia are very different from the production systems of Europe and the United States due to geographical variability. "Colombia has very special conditions that are responsible for the outstanding quality of its national production.".

He also stated that Cannabis producers in the country face different factors that influence their production, such as environmental conditions and the agronomic management that is done in said process.

“With good agronomic management, the goal of increasing production and obtaining a good yield can be achieved. To achieve these two variables, it is necessary to lower electricity costs, properly manage temperature, use irrigation systems with quality water, and control CO2 and humidity levels for certain production phases,” stated engineer Bryan.

He went on to explain the basic concepts of plant cultivation and how to take advantage of the resources present in the environment.

The second talk, “Secondary Metabolites of Cannabis,” was given by chemical engineer Hugo Alexander Mejía Botero, from the University of Antioquia, who also works as a technical advisor.

In his speech he asserted that secondary metabolites are chemical compounds synthesized by plants that perform non-essential functions in them and that their absence does not impede their growth.

He also stated that the best way to grow Cannabis is in its own soil, that is, directly in the ground, but if it is done in pots, ideally it should be in geo-pots, which are made of a special type of textile, which allows the roots to breathe, unlike clay pots.

At the end of the event, engineer Bryan González stated that companies should support student research and that One Tropical Seeds, his company, welcomes all types of research. He also affirmed that one way to contribute to academia is to make the company's technical equipment available to students.

For his part, engineer Mejía insisted on the need to expand knowledge networks so that knowledge does not remain in books or laboratories, but is disseminated throughout society.

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