Order Tests

The STOP Pathogens Program

Download Sanitation Guide

Phytosanitary Recommendations

No single solution or activity can eliminate the threat of pathogens in a cultivation facility. Effective pathogen prevention stems from understanding pathogens biology and transmission. This information can be used to create a comprehensive package of activities that work together to minimize disease.

Creating these programs can be difficult given the varied pathogen types and their complex interaction with the environment. To help cannabis cultivators face this challenge, TUMI Genomics has created a cannabis pathogen prevention and mitigation program called STOP, that outlines critical steps in limiting crop loss due to disease.

Components of STOP

  • Sterile Environment
  • Test Regularly
  • Organize and Observe
  • Protect your Borders

Sterile Environment

Your goal as a cannabis cultivator is to create the most sterile environment possible for your plants. Minimizing exposure to pathogens by strict cleanliness protocols can go a long way to preventing disease.

Test Regularly

Regular testing and culling of diseased plants are necessary to reduce economic loss. Many pathogens appear asymptomatically or symptoms are not apparent until significant spread has occurred. Starting with clean, tested stock and regular pathogen screening is standard practice in general agriculture and economic benefits are well established (1).

TUMI Genomics recommended testing schedule is adapted from established clean stock programs in other vegetative crops. We recommend testing your mother stock every 4-6 weeks or twice in the lifetime of the plant. Screening of a subset of clones and periodic water testing can dramatically limit introduction and spread of both viral/viral-like and fungal pathogens.

Organize and Observe

Organizing a facility to reduce disease impact and spread is a crucial component of pathogen mitigation measures. Controlling traffic through your facility from the most valuable rooms to the rooms with the highest pathogen pressure as well as meticulously recording the locations of clones cut from each mother are important organizational tasks. 

Careful, routine observation of your plants in all stages can help catch pathogen and pest issues before they get out of control.

Protect your Borders

The most effective way to limit pathogens is to keep them out of your facility in the first place. Whether you are bringing in new clones or popping new genetics from seed, it is critical to test these unknown plants for economically damaging pathogens.

We recommend getting two negative tests at least three weeks apart before putting new material in the same room as your most valuable varieties. The pathogens that cause serious economic consequences if they are introduced and spread in a facility include hop latent viroid, Fusarium and Pythium.

STOP Program Deep DiveHelp me with a Custom Program