Nitrogen (N) is the most abundant mineral element in plants and it’s present in most of the metabolites used for Cannabis development and metabolism (chlorophyll, protein, and nucleic acid synthesis).
Specifically, N supplementation during the vegetative growth stage (prior flowers manifestation) is crucial since it affects the biomass yield and cannabinoid concentration of the flowers. As a result, it’s imperative to supplement Cannabis with adequate concentrations of N to guarantee optimum flower production.
What does the latest research tell us?
A new study from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem investigated the chemical, developmental, and physiological responses of medical Cannabis to N supplementation. Specifically, they tested several dosages of N during the vegetative stage of the Indica-like strain Annapurna. Furthermore, several properties of the plant which affect the quality of the flowers (i.e. plant biomass, plant development, photosynthetic rate, gas exchange, relative water content, among others) were examined.
Herein, they found that daily 160 mgL-1 of N was optimal as seen in the visual conditions of the leaves, shoots, roots, and biomass yield. Meanwhile, under and over-supplementation of N hindered plant physiology and development (Fig. 1). Furthermore, photosynthesis rate, gas exchange, and relative water content were also shown to be optimal when the plant received 160 mgL-1 of N.
Can the Cannabis industry benefit from optimal Nitrogen supplementation?
N supply has been widely researched in industrial hemp, however, N supply in medical Cannabis remains unexplored. Mineral nutrition is vital for adequate plant morphology, physiology, and chemistry. Thus, the understanding of mineral nutrition such as N could improve methodologies for effective nutrient supplementation in Cannabis plants.
Saloner, A., & Bernstein, N. (2020). Response of Medical Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) to Nitrogen Supply Under Long Photoperiod. Frontiers in plant science, 11, 572293. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.572293
