Impact of phosphorus on cannabis sativa reproduction, cannabinoids, and terpenes

Abstract

Many abiotic factors, such as mineral nutrients—including phosphorus (P)—fertility, can impact the yield and growth of Cannabis sativa. Given the economic portion of C. sativa is the inflorescence, the restriction of P fertility could impact floral development and quality could be detrimental. This study sought to track the impacts of varying P concentrations (3.75, 7.50, 11.25, 15.0, 22.50, and 30.0 mg∙L−1) utilizing a modified Hoagland’s solution. This experiment examined plant height, diameter, leaf tissue mineral nutrient concentrations, and final fresh flower bud weight as well as floral quality metrics, such as cannabinoids and terpenes. The results demonstrated that during different life stages (vegetative, pre-flowering, flowering), P concentrations impact C. sativa growth and development and yield. Regarding the cannabinoid pools, results varied for the individual cannabinoid types. For the acid pools, increasing fertility concentrations above 11.25 mg∙L−1 P did not result in any increase in cannabinoid concentrations. These results indicate that, if a crop is being produced under greenhouse conditions, specifically for cannabinoid production, an excessive P supply did not result in higher cannabinoid production. However, plants grown with a higher rate of P fertility (30.0 mg∙L−1) had greater plant width and may result in more buds per plant.