"New trials to investigate the benefits of our growing media in combination with F1 hybrid seeds"

Grodan and F1SeedTech have once again joined forces to conduct cannabis cultivation research at the CRIC Labs (CRIC) in Montreal.

These new trials will build upon a collaborative study between the two companies conducted at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands, which yielded three exciting findings:

1. The total production achieved with F1 hybrid seeds can reach 6 kg/m2 (570 g/ft2) of dried flower annually when extrapolated to 5.5 crop cycles per year.
2. The flowers grown from F1 hybrid seeds had higher THC levels of 29%.
3. There was greater consistency between production batches.

"These findings suggest that a greater yield can be consistently achieved without the use of mother plants. As a result, growers who choose to use F1 seeds in Grodan stone wool could eliminate their mother rooms, creating more productive growing spaces and reducing human error in the cutting process," the companies say.

The trials at CRIC began in August 2023 and will run for one year. During this time, Grodan and F1SeedTech will conduct five cultivation experiments at CRIC to investigate the benefits of Grodan growing media in combination with F1 hybrid seeds. Different agronomic treatments will be explored, including lighting, irrigation, and climate management strategies. The results will provide insights into the optimum cultivation conditions, flower yields, and baseline cost benefits. Several events are planned for 2024 with the specific aim of transferring this knowledge to stakeholders; details will be announced.

"Grodan understands that production economics are top of mind for all producers," said Frank Janssen, Research & Project Management at Grodan. "That's why we are going to continue building on our previous findings that led to higher yields with higher THC levels, ultimately increasing the gross margin in cannabis cultivation by a minimum of 15%. We are confident that these new trials will not only support our previous findings but also reveal new ways to improve cultivation practices, ultimately enhancing our customers' bottom lines by increasing efficiency and profitability."

"Collaborating with the right partner can take research to new heights, and we at F1 SeedTech are excited to continue this journey with Grodan. After conducting multiple successful trials in Europe using Grodan's stone wool growing media and F1 hybrids of F1 SeedTech, we realized the importance of being closer to North American cannabis growers. Therefore, this facility will serve as a showcase for the Canadian market," said Maikel de Bresser, COO of F1 SeedTech.

"At CRIC, we understand the importance of groundbreaking research. We are excited to host trials that support innovative products like those being showcased by Grodan and F1SeedTech. The findings of these trials will be backed by scientific data from our state-of-the-art facility, providing additional peace of mind to producers when choosing Grodan and F1Seedtech products," said Simon Charette, COO of CRIC.