Elevate Your Operation with On-Site Cannabinoid Testing at Key Testing Touchpoints
Phenotyping in Breeding Programs
A successful breeding program, whether it starts with seeds or clones, requires a clear objective. Developing your own seeds, or stabilized cultivar, provides the opportunity to emphasize characteristics that support your brand’s competitive edge, meet customer preferences for specific cannabinoid profiles, and respond to varied growing conditions. Phenotyping coupled with access to real-time, on-site cannabinoid test data can be used to rapidly inform which genetics are carried forward, more confidently than ever.

Selecting Clones
Once several clones are established, it is possible to measure the THC:CBD ratio of the clones. By selecting clones based on desired cannabinoid ratios, the end product will remain consistent and finely tuned to current product requirements. Protect your genetic lines and identify outliers in young plants to operate at greater efficiency.
Real-Life Example:
Three cultivars were cloned and grown large enough to remove material for testing. The material was analyzed on a LightLab by a team member, revealing that cultivar #1 returned 2% THCA and 2% CBDA, which is the 1:1 ratio this particular grower wanted. The underperforming plants were terminated, saving resources, and the desired plant was selected for continued growth.
Harvest Timing
Once plant begins to flower, testing plants regularly with LightLab will help determine when to harvest. Lights, nutrients, labor, and other inputs cost money. Harvesting at peak cannabinoid content can save tens of thousands in energy/nutrient costs, and hundreds of thousands of dollars annually at scale if plants are matured to maximum potential. Market demands for products with elevated potency reinforces the benefits of understanding each cultivar’s cannabinoid conversion behavior, in order to maximize each cycle.
Real-Life Example:
At the start of the flowering stage, a particular cultivar contained 3% CBGA and 3% THCA. As the plant progressed, the CBGA peaked at about 6% and then began to drop. Once the CBGA dropped below 1% and the THCA reached 18%, it was clear the plant would not produce more THCS and was harvested at peak cannabinoid productivity. If your final product contains high CBGA values, it was harvested too early. Testing with the intent of watching CBGA drop will allow you to maximize yield.

Grow Optimization
During the grow cycle, yield, consistency, and quality can be monitored with LightLab to optimize output. Testing the cannabinoid content of different plants within the room/field as well as different locations on a single plant, will identify lighting hot spots and opportunities to optimize nutrients and produce a more consistent, cannabinoid-rich yield across the cultivation.
Real-Life Example:
A grower found that plants near the corner of the grow room were consistently producing low cannabinoid content as compared with other plants in the room. By adding lights and ensuring good coverage, the issue was eliminated. Product consistency improved, and ultimately the cultivator was able to improve footprint productivity and sell the flower at a higher price.
Curing
A curing process which has not been thoroughly vetted can reduce the overall value of a product. Determining THCA/D9THC ratios will help determine if the curing method is resulting in any degradation. Use LightLab proactively to screen for potential problems.
Real-Life Example:
A grower uses forced air to cure product. They found that when using heated air, they could speed up the curing process. When the product was measured on a LightLab, D9THC levels were above 5% and terpenes were low which indicated that the curing process was partially decarboxylating THC, and likely also resulting in lost terpenes, reducing the value of their product.