Compared to conventional horticulture, commercial crop cultivation of medical cannabis is a new farming niche. While commercial and academic researches regarding optimal growth condition and nutrition for cannabis are still limited, most of the known growing practice is based on growers’ experience. Only recently, useful information has started to accumulate and is available to the public.
Recent research has shed some light on the effect of different nutritional regimes on the content of active compounds in cannabis flower buds and leaves. Some of the active compounds are secondary metabolites that are produced when the plant is in under stress. For example, some preliminary research has shown that inducing potassium deficiency increases cannabinoid concentration in cannabis flower buds.
Research regarding connection between nutrient availability and stress on active compound levels is in its early stages and must be carefully referred when planning nutrition program for cannabis.
In many countries, growers practice is lead under the assumption that as long as THC and CBD content are within the regulatory limits, medical cannabis flower buds are the measured commercial yield they are looking to maximize. Therefore, crop nutrition programs should facilitate the right concentration of cannabinoids and high volume of flower yield while ensuring sufficient THC and CBD content.