Cannabis producers across the United States are faced with a slew of challenges in terms of managing quality control. No matter how technologically advanced an operation might be, there are always dangers that can creep in and threaten the overall caliber of a crop. In some cases, if not detected early enough, disease can annihilate it. Hop latent viroid (HLVd) is perhaps the most menacing malady on the scene. It is arguably the one invisible monster that haunts cannabis producers in their dreams. Show us a farmer who isn’t afraid of the devastation that can occur following an HLVd infection, and we’ll show you one that hasn’t been ravaged by it yet. This bug can infect a single plant and spin a web of chaos without any apparent signs of infection. Before the producer knows it, it can rampantly spread to the entire crop, stifling cannabinoid content, trichome production and reduce yields to a near fruitless state.
Cannabis is susceptible to this dastardly obligate pathogen, and detecting symptoms are complicated. Sure, a farmer might catch a bit of luck and identify rare signs of distress (brittle stems, tiny buds, and a lack of trichomes), but by the time any of these ills are discovered, it will be too late. HLVd can stem from infected pruning tools to contaminated seeds, clothing, or physical touch. Again, it can be challenging to identify an infection and even harder to pinpoint the cause.
Without preventative measures in place, growing cannabis is like the average person off the street trying to ride a unicycle on a highwire without a safety net and praying they don’t get hurt. HLVd is an imminent threat and without early detection the blow can be quick and severe. We’re talking millions of dollars of cannabis crops essentially rendered worthless. Some farms would never recover.
Scared yet?
Well, don’t be. There’s no reason to be afraid of HLVd or even risk any surprise misfortune to your cannabis operation. Fortunately, preventing this aggressive pathogen from running amok and destroying profits is just as simple as making field HLVd testing part of your cultivation site’s operational protocol. A testing kit that is as easy to use as a pregnancy test is really all it takes to get a firm grip on HLVd and detour it from its path of destruction. Think of it as your operation’s Department of Plant Defense. Without one, HLVd can invade, and it takes no prisoners.
The good news is that Kaycha Labs partnered up with a company that has the technology needed to protect companies from this dreaded infection. We’ve partnered with MH Verify to develop the first field cannabis test available in America. As mentioned before, MH Verify acts as a defense system that allows cannabis producers to constantly monitor their crops for profit-pounding pathogens at every stage of the grow process. It’s protection at a reasonable investment, and it could literally save US cannabis producers billions of dollars (Billion with a B) as legalization becomes more widespread.
Over the years, growers have taken it on the chin thanks to the scourge of HLVd. And while there is next to no media coverage detailing the vexing power of this disease, it is pervasive. Some reports show that HLVd affects nearly 90% of legal cannabis at some point before harvest. Only those companies with the foresight to conduct regular testing can rise above the panic, paranoia, and uncertainty and take steps to ensure that their entire crops are not obliterated.
However, many cannabis firms are oblivious to the protection methods available. Many employ third-party labs or implement expensive in-house laboratories. But most firms don’t have the time or resources to wait weeks for results or build their own on-site testing facilities. This is where we step in and save the day. MH Verify provides growers with peace of mind by providing almost immediate results that won’t break the bank. Above all else, the testing kit makes cultivation easier.
But don’t take our word for it.
Klone Premium Genetics, arguably one of the leading wholesale genetics producers in the country, recently partnered with Kaycha Labs scientists and MH Verify. Klone works with 30,000+ commercial cultivars per month, develops, grows, and sells unique retail-ready seeds and clones.
Their clients use their services to start new facilities or revamp their catalogs with fresh strains. Some just want to start over. With 72 unique breeds, Klone knows the benefits of detecting HLVd early, and MH Verify is an integral part of that charge. Considering that Klone’s genetics serves 60% of Colorado’s legal cannabis marketplace, the implications of not identifying these pathogens quickly can be nothing short of devastating. Even a slight loss can mean millions in lost revenue.
It’s no surprise that the folks at Klone have come to rely on the MH Verify field testing kit to keep their operation clean and tight. The test provides them with a cost-effective method that ultimately keeps their finger on the pulse of their plants’ health. It also allows them to delve deeper into the nature of the viroid.
“The test makes it easier to confer with clients that might be unaware of the potential dangers, as well allowing us to bring the potential danger to their attention and give them something to combat it with,” Klone said.
Indeed, run enough tests for HLVd, and your operation will start to better understand how to detect and prevent it too. This alone is invaluable. It sure is to Klone. In ways, they not only sell high quality seeds and clones, but they also provide their customers with a valuable education on keeping plants healthy.
As with any disease, prevention is key. With MH Verify, Klone has managed to keep their products clean and disease-free. Kristen Klone and Jesse Thomas, two of Klone’s valued team members, have used MH Verify quite extensively. They wanted to share this about their experience: “We were able to test our entire facility in about two hours between prepping the workstation and getting results! It was super easy to use once we understood the process,” the team members said. “It’s really important for us to be able to run these tests in-house, being the only true nursery and genetics facility in Colorado. Not only is the MH Verify kit more cost-effective for our operation, but it also has a much faster turnaround than sending material out to a testing facility.”
CANNABIS TESTING
