Global horticulture leaders convene at PHOTOx to explore unique opportunity in global cannabis industry
Fluence , a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis production, hosted its sixth PHOTOx Summit on September 23-24, 2024 in Austin, Texas.
PHOTOx is a gathering of the brightest minds in global horticulture. It represents a unique opportunity for industry pioneers to learn the latest in cannabis research and science. Organized by Fluence’s Crop Science team, the company brings together growers and researchers from around the world to explore new breakthroughs in cannabis research and essential growing practices.
David Hawley, Fluence’s Principal Scientist, highlighted the rapid evolution of cannabis’ market positioning from an underground crop to a viable and growing global industry.
“Commercial adoption and market demand have contributed to advances in cannabis cultivation technologies that would have required decades of research for other crops,” Hawley said. “In terms of lighting, we have discovered that cannabis has a much higher photosynthetic capacity than other crops grown in controlled environments, while exhibiting unique morphological and metabolic responses that are not easily explained by photobiology as we know it today. This has led to more productive cultivation practices than other crops, while raising interesting new questions about plant metabolism.”
A panel of cultivators from Clade, Aurora Cannabis and Curaleaf gathered to discuss crop metrics, husbandry practices and other key tactics that drive successful craft and commercial operations. The 2024 program also featured global cannabis researchers — including Dr. Youbin Zheng, a professor in the University of Guelph’s School of Environmental Sciences, and Dominique van Gruisen, co-founder and CEO of Innexo BV — as well as other leading figures in the fields of automation, genetics and artificial intelligence.
“We are turning a major page in the cannabis industry,” Hawley added. “If the first chapter was about maximizing and homogenizing plants, the second chapter will make cannabis a true horticultural crop. The cannabis industry has matured in some very interesting ways. Our PHOTOx program highlights the evolution of the industry by exploring next-generation cannabis cultivation practices, innovative pest management strategies, and practical growing methods that could be found in the world of market gardening.”
