Integrated pest management blueprint for indoor medicinal cannabis in Auckland
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Plant health · Auckland medicinal cannabis

Integrated pest management blueprint for indoor medicinal cannabis in Auckland

This blueprint is a system to keep pests and diseases out of an indoor facility for medicinal cannabis. The system has clean starting material, sure identification, control methods that the New Zealand regulations accept, and monitoring during the crop cycle. It also has a written record that includes the first finding, the corrective action, and the batch hold or release.

Plant health23 photos from AISources from NZ authorities and primary sources~55 min to read
01 · Read this first

Purpose and scope

This blueprint is for the operation of an indoor medicinal cannabis facility in Auckland. It connects the identification of pests and diseases to clean stock and to the safety of workers. It also connects the identification to the regulations for products and organisms in New Zealand. It connects the identification to the release of batches after the residue test, to traceability and to CAPA. We do not want you to have the most sprays. We want you to have an alternative when a pest or disease problem and a compliance problem occur at the same time.

We used the supplied 128-page IPM Book V15 to compare the coverage of this paper with the book[10]. The book includes these parts: the basic information about IPM, cultural controls, environmental controls, biological controls and chemical controls. It also includes how to make a program, eight arthropod profiles, six disease profiles, aids for identification, a glossary and tools for operators. This paper is not a copy of the book. It does not contain the commercial programs of the book, its figures or its rates. For this paper, sources of the authorities in New Zealand and primary literature are more important than the book.

An AI tool made the photos for training

Use a photo to select where to look and which part of the plant to collect as a sample. Do not use a photo to make sure that you know the species. An AI tool made each photo in this paper. Microscopy is necessary for broad mites and russet mites, and RT-qPCR or RT-PCR is necessary for HLVd. A diagnostic laboratory is frequently necessary for root diseases and leaf diseases. A photo that shows the correct signs is not a test result.

  • The current status is more important than this paper. Examine the current information each time that you get or use a product. Use the information from the Ministry, ACVM, EPA, WorkSafe, the label and the SDS.
  • The thresholds of a facility are controlled values. The numbers in this blueprint are examples or start values. Use a number from this blueprint only if your approved SOP includes it.
  • Previous damage stays on the plant. Examine living organisms, new lesions, new growth, traps, roots or laboratory results. Use them to make sure that a control had the correct effect. A plant that is in better condition is not a sign of the effect.
  • Clean stock is the most important part. A problem in the mother room increases in each clone lot. Thus give the mother room the best protection.
From data to task1Monitormap scouting,traps,environment ortest→2Confirmmicroscopy orlaboratory wherenecessary→3Classifyroom, incidence,severity, trend,zero-tolerance→4Selectregulation +efficacy +compatibility +residue limit→5Examinerecheck, record,stop or CAPA
Figure 1. The figure shows the control sequence. If you do not do the identification check or the legal gate, a small pest or disease problem can become a batch problem.
02 · Reference

Definitions

This section gives the terms for biology, diagnosis, operation and the regulations of New Zealand. The blueprint uses these terms.

Action thresholdAn action threshold is a value or a finding that you agree before the scouting. The threshold changes the task from monitoring to a response. It can be a number of organisms, a trend in some readings, a severity value, or one confirmed finding when the tolerance is zero.
AlateAn aphid with wings. A colony makes aphids with wings when it has too many aphids. These aphids can go away and start a new colony.
AntagonistA microbe that is a beneficial organism and that controls a plant pathogen. It uses the same space and nutrients as the pathogen, it makes substances that stop the pathogen, or it controls the pathogen by other methods.
AsexualThe production of offspring without sex. Indoors, most groups of pests and pathogens increase in number by this method.
AxilThe area where a leaf or branch connects to the stem. This area has protection, and thus it is important to examine it.
BiosecurityThe controls that stop the entry of pests and pathogens into the facility, and that stop their movement in the facility.
BronzingA change of color to bronze-brown. Injury from pests that eat the plant, or stress, causes it. The term shows the color that you see. It does not give the name of the cause.
CAPACorrective and preventive action. Put the event in containment, find the cause, and correct it. Change the condition that let the event occur. Then make sure that the change had an effect.
ChlorosisThe green color of the plant tissue becomes less.
Conidium / conidiaA spore of a fungus that the fungus makes without sex. It is for the movement of the fungus to other plants. One spore is a conidium. More than one spore are conidia.
CornicleOne of the two short tubes near the rear of an aphid. The cornicles are the sign that most quickly confirms that an insect is an aphid.
Crown rotDisease at the crown, where the stem connects to the root system.
Cupping / tacoingLeaf edges that bend up or down. Heat, humidity, chemical injury and mite damage cause it. Thus examine the plant for the organism before you make a decision on the cause.
Damping-offA seedling or cutting collapses suddenly because of root pathogens or crown pathogens. Pythium or Fusarium frequently cause it.
Dew-point marginThe dew-point margin is the difference between the temperature of the leaf or surface and the dew point of the air around it. When the temperature of the surface is less than the dew point, condensation occurs. If the dew-point margin is small, condensation is near.
Dissolved oxygenThe oxygen in the irrigation solution. Roots must have it. When the quantity is low, the roots have stress, and the conditions help some root diseases.
DuddingA term of production for weak cannabis plants with slow growth and flowers with weak development. The term shows how the plants look. It does not give a diagnosis, and it is not a different name for HLVd.
EntomopathogenicAn organism that can infect and kill insects or mites. The term is for the fungi, bacteria and nematodes that you use as biological controls.
ExclusionAll the controls that stop the entry of a pest, a pathogen or material that has no approval into the controlled crop system.
FRAC / IRACWhen you use one mode of action again and again, the pests or pathogens that stay are the most resistant to the product. These organisms increase in number. The name of this effect is resistance. FRAC and IRAC are the systems that put fungicides and insecticides in groups by mode of action. Thus a program can change from one group to a different group, and does not apply the same pressure again and again.
HoneydewA tacky liquid with sugar. Aphids, whiteflies and other insects that eat sap make it as waste.
IncidenceIncidence is the proportion of plants or sites that have the problem. You record incidence and severity as two different values.
InoculumPathogen material that can start a new infection, for example spores, debris with the infection, or water with contamination.
InstarThe stage of an arthropod that is not an adult, between one molt and the next molt.
LarvaA stage that is not an adult and that eats. It does not look the same as the adult. In fungus gnats, thrips and caterpillars, the larva causes the damage and it is important to identify it.
LOQLimit of quantification. The lowest concentration for which a laboratory method gives a result with satisfactory performance. At a concentration less than the LOQ, the method cannot give a number.
MeristemThe tissue at a shoot tip that divides and makes all the new growth above it.
MyceliumThe group of thin tubes that is the body of a fungus.
MoldGrowth of a fungus that you can see. The standard spelling in New Zealand is different from the spelling in this paper. Imported references use the spelling of this paper. The two spellings are for the same growth.
NecrosisPlant tissue that died.
NymphA stage of an arthropod that looks the same as the adult, but is not an adult.
OomyceteAn organism with some of the properties of a fungus, from a group that is different from the fungi. Pythium is an oomycete. It is not a fungus.
OosporeA spore with thick walls for survival, which some oomycetes make. It can stay in a system between crops.
ParasiteAn organism that is in or on a host and gets nutrients from the host. Usually the parasite does not kill the host. A parasitoid kills the one host that it uses.
ParasitoidAn organism, in IPM usually a small wasp. The stage of the parasitoid that is not an adult is in or on one host and kills the host.
ParthenogenesisParthenogenesis is the production of offspring without fertilization. Thus one female can start a colony. The number of pests increases without the time that is necessary to find a male. The number of some indoor pests increases by this method.
PathogenAn organism or agent that causes disease.
PetioleThe stalk that connects a leaf blade to the stem. It is a good area to examine for mites and for the first symptoms.
Preventive / curativeA preventive product is a product that you apply before a problem starts, to keep the pressure low. A curative product is a product that you apply after you confirm the problem, to decrease the problem.
PredatorA beneficial organism that eats many prey organisms during its life cycle.
PupaThe stage between larva and adult in insects with complete metamorphosis. It does not usually eat. It is frequently in the media or in debris, where a spray does not touch it.
PycnidiumA small fruiting body of a fungus, with the shape of a flask, that makes conidia. In a lesion of Septoria it is a dark point in the middle of the lesion.
REIRestricted entry interval. The period after an application. In this period, no person can go into the area where you applied the product. A person can go into the area only if the person uses the specified PPE and obeys the specified conditions.
ReleaseThe quality decision, with a record, that lets you move or supply a plant, material or batch that you hold. You make this decision when the necessary evidence and approvals are complete.
Residue limitThe maximum limit or action limit of a residue for the release of a batch. The residue must be less than the limit. A limit for a substance is not approval to apply the substance.
Rogue / roguingTo remove a plant with a disease or pests from the production system and to destroy it.
RussetingRough tissue with a bronze-brown color that injury from pests that eat the plant, or other stress, causes.
SeverityHow much of one plant or one site has the problem. You record severity and incidence as two different values. Incidence is the number of plants or sites that have the problem.
SachetA small bag that releases beneficial organisms into the crop gradually, if the necessary conditions are correct.
SanitationThe task to clean and, when it is necessary, to disinfect a specified surface or system with a validated method. The method removes debris and decreases the quantity of live contamination.
ScoutingAn inspection of the plants on a route on the map, which you do again and again. You use it to find, identify and count pests and diseases, and to monitor the trend of the condition of the crop.
Sooty moldA dark fungus on honeydew. It shows that insects that eat sap are above it. It is not usually the primary pathogen of the plant.
SprenchAn application with a volume between a spray and a drench. You apply it to the bottom of the plant and to the surface of the media.
SporeA fungus, or an organism with some of the properties of a fungus, makes spores. A spore lets the organism increase in number or survive. The type of spore changes how you collect samples and how you control the spores. Debris between crops is important, because spores can stay in it.
StipplingThe many very small pale points that stay where mites, or pests of the same type, remove the content of cells one by one.
Systemic resistanceA condition in all the plant that a stimulus starts. It can make the plant more resistant to a pathogen. It is not evidence of control of a pathogen that is in the plant.
VectorEach item or organism that moves a pest or pathogen from one area to a different area. A vector can be an insect, a tool, or the hands of a person.
ViroidA small RNA molecule that can infect a plant, with no protein shell. A viroid has a smaller number of parts than a virus. HLVd is a viroid.
ZoosporeA spore that moves in water. Oomycetes, for example Pythium, make zoospores. Thus the disease moves through a water system.
ACVMThe New Zealand regulations for agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines. MPI controls the regulations.
EPAThe Environmental Protection Authority of New Zealand. It sets the approvals and controls for dangerous substances and new organisms.
HSNOThe regulations of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act. The EPA controls the regulations.
Inhalation / non-inhalation lineThe decision if a lot can become a product that a patient inhales. The decision changes which regulations for the active ingredients of pesticides apply to the lot, and it changes the consequences for quality. You must make the decision before you select an input.
MPIThe Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand. It controls ACVM and the biosecurity pathways for inputs and for imported organisms.
Minimum quality standardThe quality requirements in the regulations that medicinal cannabis materials and products must obey before you supply them in New Zealand.
Approved-input registerThe controlled list of the products and organisms that the site accepts. For each item, the site examines the regulations, the safety, the test methods, the compatibility and the operations before it accepts the item.
Batch holdA quality status that stops the movement or release of a batch while the evidence or an investigation is not complete.
Trade wasteLiquid waste from commercial sites or industrial sites that goes into the wastewater network, with the controls of Watercare and of Auckland.
Quality of the information

Evidence and limitations

Three types of information

We want each paper to be correct. Thus we examine each paper for information that is not solid. This information comes from the view of one grower, from a small number of sources, or from grower methods that have no controlled test. We identify this information, and we do not show it as solid.

Frequently there is no paper for the decision that you must make. Then we use the reports of other growers and the methods that work in the rooms that we know. This information can help you, but it is not the result of a laboratory test. Use the methods that work for your plants, for your room and for your meters. If a table does not agree with your crop, use the data from your crop and record the difference.

Solid
Tests of plants, specifications or many sources that agree show that the information is correct
  • The structure of exclusion, clean stock, monitoring and CAPA.
  • In the NZ pathway, the approval status of a product is not the same as the fact that a person used the product one time.
Grower method
Many growers use this method in their rooms. Start with it, then change it for your room.
  • Threshold models and controls for the mother room, as SOPs of the facility.
Weak
The view of one grower, a small number of sources, one test, or a method that works in one room
  • The approval status of a specified product or organism, with no check of the register at this time.
  • Figures that an AI system makes, as a method to make sure of the identification of a pest. The figures are only aids for training.

If you find an error, make a report. We will correct it. Make the report on GitHub, with the name of the paper and the information that is incorrect. If you have a source, include it: Make a report of an accuracy problem. The regulations, labels and licenses of your area always override each procedure in these papers. The label weak in a paper shows the points where the risk of an error is highest.

03 · System

Basic information about IPM, control layers and the feedback loop

IPM is a loop with these steps: prevent the movement of pests into the facility, monitor with the same procedure each time, and identify correctly. Then compare the finding with a controlled threshold, use compatible controls together, record the result and do a recheck. If the recheck shows that the result is not satisfactory, the loop starts again with a stronger response. The reference on arthropods and the cannabis literature agree with control in layers for an indoor crop, and not with one product on a calendar[11].

The IPM decision loop1Preventexclusion,sanitation,clean stock→2Monitorsame route,traps, roots,environment→3Identifyorganism + lifestage + source→4Thresholdrisk + incidence+ severity +trend→5Control + checkcontrol layers,recheck, record
Figure 2. After each control step, do the monitoring again. If you do not do a recheck, the step is only a task and is not control.
The table shows the control layers in the correct sequence for the operation. Chemical products and low-risk products are in the last layer. They can have the correct effect, but the regulations and the compatibility give them more limits than the products of the other layers.
LayerFunctionInstruction
Cultural controlKeep the problem out. Put new material in quarantine. Clean the surfaces and tools, and control the movement of persons and plants. Remove the debris and weeds that give protection to pests. Do the scouting on a route that does not change, and keep a written record.Use this layer before you use a higher layer.
Environmental controlRemove the conditions of temperature, moisture, airflow and root zone that help the problem.Use this layer before you use a higher layer.
Biological controlRelease the correct predator, parasitoid, nematode or antagonist before the pest pressure becomes too high. The number of predators increases slowly. Thus the date of release must agree with this slow increase and not with the day that the problem becomes clear.Use this layer before you use a higher layer.
Chemical or low-risk controlUse it only when the legal gate accepts the product. Apply it to the life stage that is not resistant to it. Then do a recheck on a date that you set before the application.Use this layer before you use a higher layer.
Zero tolerance is not the same as the removal of all pests from all areas

HLVd in clean stock and broad mites or russet mites in quarantine are exclusion events or quality events. Root aphids in propagation, powdery mildew on flowers and Botrytis in a bud are also exclusion events or quality events. A low count of adult fungus gnats in a vegetative room that is in operation can be a problem that you monitor with trend data. Use the organism and the consequence for the room. Do not use one number for all organisms and rooms.

This table is a severity scale for the site. You must also use the incidence and the trend. For some organisms, zero tolerance is more important than the scale.
SeverityNameDefinitionStandard response
0Not foundNo confirmed organism and no damage. Keep the set monitoring frequency, with no change.Monitor
1TraceOne confirmed organism, colony or lesion at one point on the map, with no sign of movement to other points.Escalate. Use the approved decision matrix.
2LocalMore than one finding in one zone, or a trap count that increases from one reading to the next. The problem does not move across the room.Escalate. Use the approved decision matrix.
3EstablishedSome zones have the problem, or more than one life stage occurs again and again. The incidence of disease increases, or the beneficial organisms do not control the pests.Escalate. Use the approved decision matrix.
4SystemicThe problem moves across the room or into connected rooms. The problem is in clean stock, the crop quality is at risk, or equipment or systems of more than one room have contamination.Escalate. Use the approved decision matrix.
05 · Exclusion

Clean-stock controls in IPM

The mother room is not only the area where clones start. It is a system for starting material. A problem in the mother room increases in each cutting, room and batch downstream.

A plant with HLVd can show no symptoms. HLVd moves easily with vegetative propagation and with tools that have contamination. Investigations show a risk that HLVd can move through roots and through recirculating hydroponic solution[24][25][26]. Thus a visual check of the plant is not a test for release.

New genetics1Receiveapproved source+ accession ID→2Quarantinededicated air,water, tools andpersonnel→3Examine + trapsarthropods,roots, symptoms→4HLVd testvalidated methodand tissue forHLVd→5Release or destroytrace treestarts beforerelease
Figure 3. All genetics must go through quarantine. Do not release an accession only because a visual check is satisfactory.
  • Make foundation mothers only from released material. Foundation mothers have the best controls.
  • You can trace the parent of each production mother, cutting lot and room.
  • Sanitize tools between specified groups of plants. Do not sanitize tools only at the end of the work period.
  • Quarantine, foundation stock and production stock do not use the same nutrient solution. They do not use the same return water without validation.
  • Before you collect the first sample, write the procedure for a positive result or an inconclusive result. The procedure must show how to hold the plants, do the test again, destroy the plants and do the traceback.
The table gives typical frequencies only. The controlled sampling procedure must agree with the laboratory method, the age of the plant, the tissue, the risk and the records of the facility.
Class of plantTypical frequencyInstruction for samplingInstruction for the decision
Received accessionAt receipt, and again before release from quarantine if the risk makes it necessaryOne sample for each plant. Validated tissue and validated method.Do not release the accession until it agrees with the release criteria.
Foundation motherWhen you make the mother, and then at the times that the risk makes necessaryDo one test for each plant. Do not use pooled samples as the usual method, unless you validate the pooled sample.Positive result: destroy the mother, hold the connected clones, do an investigation.
Production motherBefore a large production of cuttings, or at the times that the site selectsOne sample for each plant or a validated pooled sample, with reflex testingPositive result: stop the movement of clones and trace the clones since the last negative result that you know is correct.
Clone lotA check that the risk and the status of the mother make necessaryA sampling procedure for each lot, with controlsHold the connected rooms if the status of the source has a problem.
Hydro environmentInvestigation or sentinel testing if there is a risk in the systemTank, return water and root interface, with a validated methodA positive result from the hydro environment starts an investigation of all the connected plants. The result does not give an automatic diagnosis of one plant.
A test each month gives no protection if the genealogy is broken

Make the trace tree first. You must identify each clone lot since the last negative result that you know is correct. If you cannot, you do not know which rooms have the problem after a positive result for a mother.

06 · Contamination pathways

Facility contamination pathways

A vector can move a pest or a pathogen from one area to a different area. It is not important which group of personnel has the vector. A clean-stock program gives no protection if a worker goes back to a clean area or if scissors go between mothers. It also gives no protection if return air connects to quarantine or if a reservoir for more than one area moves root pathogens. References on cannabis diseases frequently show these routes of contamination: stock, tools, water, debris, density and the conditions of the environment. The routes have an effect on each other[19].

Hygiene gradient, one direction1Clean suppliesstorage, cleanPPE, releasedproducts→2Foundationclean stock,dedicated toolsand personnel→3Productionmothers, clones,growth, flower→4Containmentquarantine,suspect andtreated areas→5Waste exitbags, records,one direction
Figure 4. Movement is usually from clean areas to dirty areas. If an approved exception lets a person go back to a clean area, the person must do a full decontamination first. You must record the exception.
Personnel
Use gowning for each room class. Move from clean areas to dirty areas in each work period. Do not go back to a clean area without a record. Use controls for the treated areas. Keep training records for the site.
Tools
Keep tools for one room or one plant class only. Make sure that the sanitizer concentration and the contact time are correct. Sanitize tools between groups of plants. Make it easy to know if a tool is clean or dirty.
Air
Isolate quarantine from the other areas. Set the difference of pressure between rooms. Use filtered supply air. Do not use the same return air for an area with contamination and for a clean area. Make a map of the air movement in the canopy and of the dead zones. Do checks for condensation.
Water
Where the consequence of a problem is high, use dedicated tanks and circuits. Do not use recirculating water without validation. Use biofilm control. Make a map of the drains. Prevent backflow.
Plants and materials
Use approved sources. Seal waste. Use clean media and clean pots. Use controls for the beneficial organisms that you receive. Do not let cardboard or packaging go into clean rooms.
Waste
Put crop waste in bags in the room. Record the waste. Contain rinse water and spill liquids. Use approved disposal pathways and trade waste pathways. Do not send waste to stormwater.

A trade waste agreement with Watercare is necessary if the discharge of a facility is not low risk. The trade waste agreement gives the controls and the monitoring for the site[8]. In the E33 requirements of Auckland, the primary task is to prevent the discharge of contaminants. The requirements also make it necessary to have the correct control on the site, containment, treatment or permitted disposal[9]. The address of the site, the drainage and the classification of the operation are data that the facility must supply.

07 · Prevention

Cultural controls and environmental controls

These controls continue to operate when the facility becomes larger. Remove weeds, algae and plant debris. Keep doors, screens and barriers in good condition. Put each source of genetics in quarantine. Move personnel and material in one direction.

Keep the same scouting route. Measure the conditions of the root zone and of the canopy. Set the conditions correctly. These controls decrease the risk that pests go into the facility, and the rate of movement of pests in the facility.

A prevention check must give a result that you can see, which is satisfactory or unsatisfactory. A general instruction to keep the room clean is not a check.
Control pointMinimum checkSign of a problemCorrection
External and internal pest reservoirsWeeds, algae, drains, debris and standing waterFrequent high counts of small flies, or pest reservoirsRemove the source. Repair the drainage and the leaks. Clean the area. Examine the result.
SanitizerProduct, concentration, contact time, and a clean surfaceNo record of the concentration, a dirty surface, or removal of the sanitizer before the end of the contact timeMix the sanitizer again. Clean the surface first. Use the full contact time again.
Canopy airAir speed at typical points, dead zones and movement of leavesAreas with high density and no air movement, condensation, or a zone with frequent Botrytis or powdery mildewAdjust the fans and the HVAC, and decrease the density of the canopy
The change from day to nightTemperature of leaves and surfaces, RH, and the dew-point marginCondensation, or a small dew-point margin while the lights are offChange humidity removal, air movement, temperature ramp and the time of irrigation
Root zoneTemperature, dissolved oxygen if it is important, moisture pattern, drain, biofilm and algaeWarm saturated roots, drainage that is not satisfactory, sloughing, or the same symptoms in the plants of a cohortCorrect the irrigation, the oxygen and the heat. Isolate the plants. Do a diagnosis.
Sticky trapsID, color, height, date, and a clean surface that you can readTraps that are not on the map, or counts with no position and no record of previous countsReplace the traps. Put the traps on the map. Use the same procedure to read the traps.
Room RH is not the leaf microclimate

A canopy with high density, cold surfaces, the time of irrigation and the change to darkness can cause wet tissue, or tissue near condensation. At the same time, the wall sensor can show a satisfactory value. Measure the conditions in the areas where the risk is. Record the trigger for a correction.

Scouting route each week1Prepareclean kit, map,previous trends,room sequence→2Trapsread IDs, keepunknownorganisms,replace→3Plantstop, underside,meristem, stem,flower→4Rootsmedia, crown,drain, roots forsamples→5Recordphotos, samples,threshold,owner, recheck
Figure 5. Use the same scouting route, the same points and the same plant parts. Thus you can compare the trend data.
08 · Controls with living organisms

Biological control programs

A biological control program gives a satisfactory result when all of these conditions occur. The organism that you receive must be the correct organism and a living organism. You release it into a crop and a climate that are correct for it. It survives the residues that are in the crop, finds the target stage and establishes where necessary. You do a check to make sure that the result is satisfactory. Generalist predators and specialist predators are not interchangeable, and aphid parasitoids and whitefly parasitoids are not interchangeable[15][16].

The table shows only the groups and the function of each group. Before you select a beneficial organism, make sure that you know the current status of the organism in New Zealand. Make sure that a supplier can supply the organism and that the regulations let you use it.
Control groupTypical functionChecks for the release procedure
Canopy predatory mitesPhytoseiulus persimilis for hotspots of spider mites. Neoseiulus californicus or Neoseiulus fallacis for control of spider mites in a larger area. Neoseiulus cucumeris or Amblyseius swirskii for thrips larvae and, if there is evidence for it, for broad mites or the first stages of whitefly.Before you use these organisms, examine the current New Zealand status of each organism. Make sure that a supplier has the organism, and that you know the pest stage that it eats. Make sure that the room climate is correct for it. Examine the method of release, in sachets or loose, and the residues that are in the room. Make sure that there is evidence that it stays in the crop and increases in number.
Canopy predatorsOrius species for the life stages of thrips. Lacewing larvae for aphids and other prey with soft bodies on the plant surface, if evidence shows that they agree with the prey.Examine the current New Zealand status. Make sure that a supplier has the predators. Then release the predators when the prey is in the correct stage. Examine how far they move and the crop stage. Make sure that there is sufficient prey, because the predators eat each other when there is not. Examine the residues that kill them.
Parasitoids of aphidsAphidius species that you select for the confirmed aphid host. The cannabis aphid, the green peach aphid and the potato aphid are not interchangeable targets.Examine the current New Zealand status. Make sure that a supplier has the parasitoids, and that they agree with the host. Then monitor the mummies, which show parasitism. Look for wasps that kill the parasitoids, if the wasps are a problem. Monitor the residues, and the date when the next release is necessary.
Parasitoids of whiteflyEncarsia formosa or Eretmocerus species that you select for the confirmed whitefly species and nymph stage.Examine the current New Zealand status. Make sure that a supplier has the parasitoids. Then examine the whitefly species, the time of release, the climate and the evidence of parasitism. Make sure that the residues in the room are compatible.
Root-zone predatorsStratiolaelaps scimitus and, if the regulations accept it and it is available, Dalotia coriaria. They are for fungus gnat larvae, the stages of thrips that stay in the soil, and other small prey in the media.Examine the current New Zealand status. Make sure that a supplier has the predators. Examine the depth and moisture of the media, and if there is prey for the predators. Make sure that the predators are live when you receive them. Examine how equally you put them in the media. Examine the residues that are in the media, and if the number of predators increases.
Beneficial nematodesSteinernema feltiae for fungus gnat larvae that are not resistant to it, and for other stages in the media if there is evidence for it.Make sure that the regulations accept the product and the organism, and that they are available. When you receive the nematodes, examine a sample. Use the shape to find the live nematodes and the nematodes that died. Keep them cold and use them quickly. Examine the agitation and oxygen in the tank and the light on the nematodes. Examine the sizes of the filters and nozzles, and find if a dip, drench or sprench is correct.
Entomopathogenic microbesBeauveria and other approved strains that infect insects, for the aphid, thrips, whitefly or other stages that the label gives.Examine the strain and the product, and its pathway in New Zealand. Then control the storage and the viability. Examine the contact and the conditions of the environment that are necessary for it. Examine the effect on organisms that are not the target. Examine the controls for workers, the residues, and the recheck.
Plant-pathogen antagonistsTrichoderma, Bacillus or Streptomyces strains. They prevent disease from root pathogens or pathogens on the foliage, if there is evidence for it. They do not repair necrosis or a plant that has the pathogen in the internal tissue.Examine the strain and the product, and its status in New Zealand. Make sure that a supplier has it. Keep it away from sanitizers. Examine if it is correct for the reservoir and the crop, the storage, and if it colonizes the roots. Examine the evidence for the result that you want.
  1. 1
    Get approval
    Make sure that you know which organism or product you will use, and the name of the supplier. Make sure that you know the legal status in NZ, the compatibility and the target stage.
  2. 2
    Receive
    Record the lot, and the time and temperature when you receive the product or organism. Record the condition of the packaging, the expiry date and the period in which you can use it.
  3. 3
    Examine viability
    Use the method of the supplier. Examine the movement, the counts, the survival of nematodes or the condition of microbes. Reject material that is not satisfactory.
  4. 4
    Release
    Make a map of the release rate and the release location. Compare the map with the crop stage, the areas where the pest is, and the conditions of the environment.
  5. 5
    Establish
    Look for predators, hosts that have parasitoids, mummies, a smaller number of the prey stage, or other specified evidence.
  6. 6
    Correct
    If the organisms do not establish, find the cause. The cause can be dead organisms, an incorrect species or stage, climate, residues, the time of release or application.

Make sure that the regulations let the species of the invertebrate come into New Zealand. Make sure that you have the permits and the facilities that are necessary. Obey the biosecurity requirements and HSNO. Do not use the list of products of a supplier in a different country as the release list for NZ[4].

09 · Controlled exception

Selection and application of products

When a finding is more than the threshold, select the smallest number of controls. The controls must have an effect on the confirmed organism, the life stage and the plant part. The controls must agree with the regulations, be safe for workers, be compatible with the beneficial organisms, and not stop the release of batches. Where it is important, change the IRAC group or the FRAC group each time that you apply a control. You must also make sure that physical controls and controls with living organisms are compatible.

The table gives modes only. It does not give a product. Get the product, the application site and the rate from the controlled register and from the current label and SDS.
ModeFunctionTypical problem
Contact controlKills only the organisms that the spray touchesCoverage that is not satisfactory on the leaf underside or the flower, or life stages in areas that the spray cannot touch
Smothering or desiccationCauses mechanical damage to soft-bodied pestsDamage to the crop at some stages, coverage that is not full, or no compatibility
Microbe that is an insect pathogenCauses an infection in a pest stage that this microbe can infect, if the conditions are correctIncorrect stage, low viability, humidity that is not correct, or residue that is not compatible
Predator or parasitoidA predator eats the target pest. A parasitoid has its development in the target pest.A release after the correct time, an incorrect host, dead organisms when you receive them, or no establishment
Root-zone antagonistDecreases the establishment and the quantity of the pathogenA person uses it to repair dead roots, or mixes it with a sanitizer that kills it
Oxidation and sanitationDecreases contamination on the validated application siteYou think that a rate for the sanitation of pipes and surfaces is safe, or has efficacy, on the plants of the crop
Correction of the environmentRemoves a condition that helps the problemCorrection of the room average only, when the microclimate is not correct
The quality of the application is part of the efficacy

Calibrate the output. Make sure that the water is correct. Add the products in the correct sequence. Make sure that the agitation is correct. Select the nozzle, the pressure and the coverage of the target. Set the lights and the HVAC correctly.

Contain the runoff. Clean the equipment. Put warning signs in position for the REI. Do a phytotoxicity test on a small area of the crop if your approved SOP makes it necessary. A product that the regulations let you use gives an unsatisfactory result if you apply it incorrectly.

Do not release a product to storage until you complete each applicable field and each field has approval.
Approved-input register fieldNecessary
Product and supplierYes
Active ingredient / living organism / strainYes
Target organism and target life stageYes
Inhalation pathway, or non-inhalation pathway with separationYes
Legal basis for medicinal cannabisYes
ACVM registration or exemption evidenceYes
EPA approval / HSNO controls and current SDS versionYes
Label instructions, crop or contact site, and application methodYes
IRAC or FRAC group, or the physical mode of action, or the biological mode of actionYes
PPE, REI, signs, pre-harvest interval or withholding period, and limit for the crop stageYes
Test method, necessary limit, and the LOQ that is possible in the laboratoryYes
Compatibility with each beneficial organism in the roomYes
Requirements for mixture, water quality, calibration and clean-outYes
Route for waste, rinse water and spilled liquidYes
Evidence grade, the person who gives the approval, the last check, and the date of the next reviewYes
10 · Field atlas

Arthropod identification

The photo is the start of the diagnosis. Examine the morphology to make sure that the identification is correct. Collect a sample from the correct plant part. Find the difference between the organism and the problems with the same signs. Then select controls that have an effect on the life stage that you found.

Cannabis has many different piercing-sucking pests and many pests in the root zone. Primary references show that, for control in an indoor crop, it is important to know the correct identification, the life cycle and the plant location[11][12].

1. Rice root aphid (Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominale)

AI photo as an example: colonies of rice root aphids on cannabis roots
Example. The aphids are soft and have the shape of a pear. They are in the root zone in colonies of cream, amber or brown color, and a residue of wax is frequently around them. Aphids with wings occur on yellow sticky traps that are low, immediately above the media. The pair of cornicles and the wide body show that the insects are aphids and not fungus gnats. Fungus gnats are thin flies. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe signs are chlorosis with no known cause, slow growth and a weak response to irrigation. Other signs are tacky material or wax at the root crown, and colonies on the roots or at the bottom of the pot. Each symptom above the media can also have other causes.
Life cycle and movementColonies of aphids without wings eat the roots below the surface of the media. When a colony has too many aphids, it makes aphids with wings. These aphids go away and start new colonies. The aphids move in cuttings with roots, loose media, pots and runoff water. They also move on the hands and tools that touch these items.
Development and the conditions that change itIn root-zone conditions that are good for the aphids, one full generation can be approximately 10 to 14 days. The plant, the temperature and the media change this period. Look for the three types of aphid: the live young, the adults without wings, and the adults with wings. The adults with wings go to new plants.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. You can see colonies on a root mass without magnification when you remove the media. To confirm the organism, use a hand lens or a microscope at approximately 30x to 60x. At this magnification you can see clearly the antennae, the cornicles (the pair of tubes near the rear) and the body shape of an adult with wings.
Where to lookLift the material that is on the root zone. Examine the crown, the outer edge of the root mass, the drainage holes and the debris below the bench. Put yellow traps immediately above the surface of the media. Keep each specimen with wings that you cannot identify.
Identification checkMicroscopy, or identification by a specialist. Compare the antennae, the cornicles and the body shape with an adult fungus gnat before you select a control.
Problems with the same signsAdult fungus gnats, stress in the root zone or from nutrients, Pythium root rot, and too much irrigation.
Facility thresholdIn quarantine, in foundation mother plants, in production mother plants and in clone rooms, the tolerance is zero. One confirmed colony in production starts containment and an inspection of each lot that connects to it.
First responseIsolate the zone and put the plants with the most damage in bags. Do not move pots or media to a different area. Examine the mother plants and the clone lots that connect to this lot. Remove standing water and algae, but do not dry the roots until they have stress. Select only beneficial organisms or inputs for the root zone that the New Zealand legal gate accepts at this time. Then do a recheck of the roots and the low traps at the approved interval.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: reject stock and media that have pests, keep pots apart, and clean spilled liquid. Environmental control: remove standing water and algae, but do not cause stress to the roots. Biological control: you can use predators or nematodes for the root zone that the New Zealand regulations accept. Select the predators or nematodes that agree with the life stage that is the target. Approved input: use only a product that the New Zealand legal gate accepts, with a registration or an exemption for the root zone.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the colonies that you can see and the nymphs that move on the roots and the crown. Monitor the adults with wings on the traps immediately above the media. A spray on the canopy does not touch a colony below the surface.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityIn quarantine and in mother plants, the tolerance stays at zero. Before you apply a treatment, examine the legal status of the organism or product. Make sure that this status includes use in the root zone. Make sure that the treatment does not kill the beneficial organisms in the room. Then examine the crop stage, the PPE and REI on the label, and the effect of the residue on testing.
How to collect and keep the specimenPut a root sample or crown sample, with a label and some live colony on it, in a bag. Keep the specimens with wings from the low traps in a different container. Record the plant, lot, room, root zone and time of sampling. Keep the chain of custody complete. The chain of custody is a written record, with no gaps, of the persons who held the sample and the time.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultExamine the roots at the points on the map and the low traps again after the approved interval. Do this again after one full generation. The result is good when there is no live colony, no new adult with wings, and no movement to connected plants.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace the source genetics and the lots of media and pots. Trace the connections of irrigation and runoff, the benches, the tools, and the movement of personnel. Hold the connected clone lots until you know the source of the problem and how far it went.

References for this profile: [14][11]

2. Fungus gnats (Bradysia species)

AI photo as an example: an adult fungus gnat and a larva on cannabis media
Example. Adults are thin, dark flies with long legs and long antennae. Larvae are almost transparent and have no legs. They have the shape of worms, with one black head capsule at the front. The head capsule is shiny and easy to see. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyAdults walk on wet media, or they move slowly in the air above it. Larvae are where there are algae, roots that die and slime films. Larvae eat root hairs, and the damage makes the growth of young plants slow. The wounds on the roots can have an effect on root disease.
Life cycle and movementThe eggs and larvae are in the media. The larva becomes a pupa in the media, and only the adult moves in the air. A spray on the canopy does not touch most of the gnats.
Development and the conditions that change itThe time from egg to adult is frequently approximately 18 to 28 days. The temperature, moisture, substrate and the material that the larvae can eat change this time. Monitor each stage: the eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. A trap count measures the adults only, and does not measure all the stages.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. Adults are approximately 2 to 4 mm (0.08 to 0.16 in) long, and you can see them easily above the media. To confirm them, use approximately 30x to 60x. At this magnification you can see the shiny black head of a larva. You can also see the veins of the wings and the body shape of an adult.
Where to lookRead the yellow traps that you put low near the media. Put pieces of potato on the media, or collect samples of the media, to find larvae. Examine the irrigation uniformity, standing water, algae and debris from plants.
Identification checkThe veins of the wings and the body shape of an adult, or the black head capsule of a larva, with a loupe or microscope. Keep the specimens if it is possible that they are root aphids with wings.
Problems with the same signsRoot aphids with wings, shore flies, small flies that do not cause damage, and the weak growth of roots that Pythium causes.
Facility thresholdIf there is a larva in propagation, start the first response. In other areas, set a threshold for the trend at the site. A number of adults that increases on many traps is more important than one adult on one trap.
First responseDry the surface of the media as much as is safe for the crop. Remove algae and repair leaks. Clean the drains. Use an approved biological control for the larvae in the root zone. Use the traps to make sure that the number of adults decreases during the next life cycle.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: remove algae, debris and reservoirs with standing water, and repair leaks. Environmental control: let the surface dry as much as is safe for the crop, and correct drainage that is bad. Biological control: for the larvae, use nematodes or predators that stay in the media and that the New Zealand regulations accept. Approved input: keep a drench or surface treatment in its approved use, and apply it to the stage that it has an effect on.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the larva in the top part of the moist substrate and in the root zone, because the larva causes the damage. The traps show the movement of the adults. They do not control the pests. Monitor the media and the traps together during one full cycle.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityDo not let the dryback become more than the tolerance of the crop. Before you use an input, make sure that it does not kill the beneficial organisms in the root zone. Examine its effect on the irrigation system and the crop stage. Examine the PPE and REI on the label, and the residue route.
How to collect and keep the specimenSeal adults, or pieces of traps with adults, in one container with a label. Seal a sample of media or roots with larvae in a different container with a label. Record the plant, zone, height of the trap and how wet the media was. Send each specimen that you cannot identify for microscopy.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultCount the live larvae at the same points in the media. Count the adults on the same traps on the map. Do this at the interval of the site, during one full generation. The result is good when the trend decreases and stays low, and there is no root injury in propagation.
Source trace and CAPA triggerExamine the irrigation uniformity, leaks, algae and slime films, drains, new media and propagation hygiene. Examine each root disease that occurs at the same time.

References for this profile: [17][11]

3. Thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis and other thrips species)

AI photo as an example: thrips and the injury that they cause on cannabis
Example. The adults are thin, with wings that have a fringe of small hairs. The larvae are smaller and pale. When thrips eat, they remove the content of the plant cells. This leaves silver stripes or patches, usually with small black points of frass (the waste of insects). An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe signs are silver areas, new leaves with an incorrect shape, scarring on flowers, and dark points. Adults and larvae stay in folded new leaves and in flowers. The stages between larva and adult are frequently in the media or in debris and not on the plant.
Life cycle and movementThe adults put the eggs in plant tissue, and a spray cannot touch the eggs there. The larvae eat the plant. The next stages do not eat. They stay in areas with protection, and then the adults go back to the canopy.
Development and the conditions that change itIn warm indoor conditions, one generation is frequently approximately 14 to 21 days. The species and the temperature change this time. The eggs are in plant tissue and the larvae eat the crop. The stages that do not eat stay in areas with protection. The adults go to other plants.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. To find adults and larvae, examine the plant parts carefully. At approximately 30x to 60x you can see the pale larvae and the hairs on the edge of the wings of the adults. At this magnification you can also identify the species and find eggs in the tissue.
Where to lookUse blue or yellow traps. Tap flowers above white paper. Examine new folded leaves and flowers carefully. Collect samples of the media and debris where the larvae become pupae.
Identification checkA loupe or microscope. The identification of the species is important when you select a specialist biological control. It is also important when you examine the risk that thrips move a virus from one plant to a different plant.
Problems with the same signsMechanical damage, damage from wind, edema, and injury from a previous spray.
Facility thresholdIn quarantine and in clean stock, the tolerance is zero. In production, one confirmed hotspot, or a trap count that increases from one reading to the next, starts the response of the site.
First responsePut the hotspot in containment. Remove the tissue that has the most damage carefully, to prevent the movement of insects across the room. Apply a treatment to the canopy and to the stages in areas with protection away from the plant. Make sure that the treatment does not kill the beneficial organisms in the room. Then read the traps on the map again after the recheck period ends.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: reject stock that has pests, put the material of hotspots in bags, and remove debris. Environmental control: remove weeds and debris that give protection to thrips, and correct the canopy conditions that help them. Biological control: use predators or parasitoids that the New Zealand regulations accept and that agree with the species and the stage. Approved input: select a contact product or microbe product that the regulations accept, that touches the target, and that does not kill the beneficial organisms.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the larvae that eat the new leaves and flowers, and the stages that are in areas with protection away from the plant. The adults move, and the eggs are in the tissue. Thus one contact application is not sufficient. Set the monitoring and the time of the next application from these facts.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityThe species can change the biological control that works. Contact with flowers and residues that cause damage to beneficial organisms limit the selection. The quality at the crop stage, the PPE and REI on the label, and the effect of the residue on testing also limit the selection.
How to collect and keep the specimenCollect larvae and adults from a hotspot on the map. Put them in vials with a label, and seal the vials. Keep a leaf or flower with symptoms in a different container. Record the trap and the plant part that each specimen came from. Thus the person who identifies the specimen has the information about the source.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultTap the flowers above white paper again, examine the plants again, and count the traps again. Do this at the approved interval, during one full generation. The result is good when there are no larvae that eat the plant and the number of adults decreases. The problem must not move out of the first hotspot.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace the new plants, cut flowers and packaging, doors and screens, weeds and tools. Trace the sequence in which personnel move through rooms, and the debris in the substrate. Identify the species if the control gives a bad result or if the virus risk is different for each species.

References for this profile: [12][11]

4. Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae)

AI photo as an example: two-spotted spider mites, eggs and webbing on cannabis
Example. The mites are oval and have two dark patches on the top of the body. The eggs are spherical and almost transparent. The colonies are on the undersides of leaves. Thin webbing occurs when the number of mites increases. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe first sign is the stippling of small pale points. Then the leaves show bronzing and deterioration, and webbing occurs on petioles, shoots and flowers. Small areas in the canopy that are hot and dry usually show the signs first.
Life cycle and movementThe stages are the egg, a larva with six legs, two nymph stages and the adult. Frequently all the stages occur at the same time. When the temperature is higher, the development is much faster. Thus a small patch can become a large problem in days.
Development and the conditions that change itThe time from egg to adult can be approximately 7 to 14 days. The time is shorter when the canopy temperature increases. Look for eggs, the larva with six legs, the two nymph stages and adults. Indoors, these stages usually occur at the same time.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. Examine each leaf, on the underside, with a loupe at 10x to 30x. Use a microscope if you are not sure about the two dark patches or the eggs. Use it also to identify the difference between the pest and a mite that is a beneficial organism.
Where to lookMake a map of the hot, dry zones first. Examine the undersides of leaves with a loupe at 10x to 30x. Tap the foliage above white paper. Find the live colony that made the webbing.
Identification checkMicroscopy for the two dark patches and the life stages. Before you apply a treatment, identify the pest mites and the mites that are beneficial organisms.
Problems with the same signsResidue of a spray, small points from nutrient problems, dust, and mites that are beneficial organisms.
Facility thresholdIn quarantine and on mother plants, the threshold is one confirmed colony. In the vegetative stage and in the flowering stage, one colony that increases in number is sufficient to start containment. Do not wait for webbing.
First responseIsolate the hotspot and put a mark on it. Do not let personnel and tools move through the hotspot. Put the leaves with the most damage in bags, and correct the areas that are very hot and dry. Release the approved predatory mites, or use a different control that the regulations accept and that is compatible with them. Examine the result from the number of live mites and not from the leaf damage. The damage stays on the leaf.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: reject stock that has pests, put the leaves of the hotspot in bags, and prevent the movement of mites by contact. Environmental control: correct areas that are very hot and dry, but do not make an area with high humidity that increases the risk of disease. Biological control: release predatory mites at the first stage of the problem, if the regulations accept them at this time. Approved input: use only a compatible contact product or microbe product that the regulations accept and that touches the undersides of leaves.
Target stage and plant partThe target is live mites and eggs on the undersides of leaves, and the outer edge of the hotspot. Colonies in flowers with webbing are not easy to touch, and they cause more damage to the batch.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityStippling from before the treatment does not show if the treatment had an effect. Before you use an input, examine its effect on the predators and the contact with flowers. Examine the crop stage and the PPE and REI on the label. Examine the residue route and the risk of damage to the leaves.
How to collect and keep the specimenPut leaves with live mites from the outer edge of the hotspot in bags with a label. Keep the samples cool and complete. If the laboratory tells you to prepare a slide or a tape mount, prepare it as a different sample. Record the temperature of the hotspot and the position of the plant.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultCount the live mites and eggs again on the same leaves on the map, and at the hotspot edge. Do this after the approved interval, and again before the end of one full generation. The result is good when the problem does not move out from the hotspot and the number of live stages decreases and stays low.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace the contact between plants, the personnel and tools, the carts, and the new stock. Trace the hot, dry areas with no airflow. Examine the time between the start of the problem and the finding of the mites. Examine if the number of predators did not increase because of a residue that is not compatible.

References for this profile: [12][11]

5. Broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus)

AI photo as an example: broad mites and eggs with ridges on a cannabis meristem
Example. The mites are pale and too small to see without magnification. They are on the softest, newest tissue. The eggs are the most important sign for the diagnosis. They are oval, with pale points or ridges above the surface. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe new growth is hard, glossy or twisted, with blisters. The internodes are short, and the shoot tips have damage. The symptoms stay after the mites go away.
Life cycle and movementMost of the mites are on the new growth, where they have protection. They move on plant material, on workers and on equipment. The mites are very small. If you look without magnification, you do not find all the mites.
Development and the conditions that change itIn a warm crop with high humidity, one generation can be approximately 4 to 7 days. When you set the time of the controls, include all four stages. The stages are the egg, the larva with six legs, the stage between larva and adult, and the adult. The egg has points or ridges. The stage between larva and adult does not move, and it is in an area with protection. The adult is too small to see without magnification.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. The adults are less than approximately 0.2 mm (0.008 in), and you cannot see them without magnification. Examine complete shoot tips and the eggs, which have a typical shape, at approximately 20x to 60x. Use a compound microscope to confirm.
Where to lookCollect samples of the newest tissue with an incorrect shape, the bottom of the petioles, and the shoot tips. Make a tape mount or a slide with a piece of leaf, for a dissecting microscope or a compound microscope.
Identification checkMites that you see with the microscope, and the typical eggs. Confirm the identification before you change the feed or apply an emergency treatment, because the symptoms have different causes.
Problems with the same signsLeaf edges that bend because of heat or light, and injury from a herbicide or a spray. Nutrient toxicity, and slow growth that a virus or viroid causes. Fasciation, which is an incorrect shape of the meristem because of the genetics of the plant.
Facility thresholdIn quarantine, in mother plants and in propagation, the tolerance is zero. In production, each confirmed finding is very bad, because the infestation started a long time before you can see it.
First responseIsolate the confirmed plants of clean stock, and usually remove them. Trace the clones and the movements. Collect more samples of tips. Select a control that the regulations accept at this time and that agrees with the crop stage. Examine the result from the new growth and microscopy. Do not use the leaves that have an incorrect shape from before.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: reject stock that has pests, isolate the tips, and remove the confirmed plants of clean stock. Environmental control: correct too much heat and humidity, but do not use one setpoint for all rooms. Biological control: use a predator that the regulations accept at this time, with evidence that it kills the stages of the broad mite. Approved input: use only a product that the regulations accept and that touches the shoot tip. The product must be compatible with the predators and the crop stage.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the eggs and the mites that move in shoot tips, folded leaves and the bottom of petioles. The stages that do not move are in areas that a spray does not touch. Thus the result is good only if the coverage and the time of the next application are correct.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityFor the diagnosis, a microscope is necessary, because the symptoms stay after the mites go away. Do not kill the beneficial organisms. Before you use an input, examine the contact with flowers and the crop stage. Examine the PPE and REI on the label, the residues, and the risk of damage to the leaves.
How to collect and keep the specimenCollect some complete shoot tips with symptoms from the outer edge of the hotspot. Put them in sealed bags with a label, and keep them cool. Prepare tape mounts or leaf mounts with the method of the laboratory. Do not cause damage to the tip.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultExamine some new tips from the hotspot and from its edge with the microscope. Do this after the approved interval and during one full generation. The result is good when you find no live mites and no eggs each time. The new growth must be usual, and the area with the problem must not become larger.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace the source plants and clones, the movement of workers and tools, the carts, and the crops near the hotspot. Trace each treatment that removed the symptoms but not the mites. Hold the connected propagation material until microscopy shows that it is clean.

References for this profile: [16][12][11]

6. Hemp russet mite (Aculops cannabicola)

AI photo as an example, with high magnification: hemp russet mites on cannabis
Example. The mites are very small and pale. They are thin at the rear and have the shape of worms. They have only two pairs of legs, and the two pairs are near the head. High magnification is not optional here. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyBronzing or russeting with a matte color occurs, and petioles break easily. Leaf edges bend, the new growth is weak, and the flowers have a lower quality. The damage frequently moves up the plant.
Life cycle and movementThe mites collect on stems, petioles, leaf surfaces and flowers. They move in the airflow, on persons, on tools, and by contact between plants.
Development and the conditions that change itIn warm indoor conditions, one generation can be approximately 7 to 10 days. The plant and the environment change this time. Monitor the eggs, larvae, nymphs and adults. Each stage that moves has two pairs of legs near the head. The mites move up the plant.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. The adults are less than approximately 0.2 mm (0.008 in). The eggs can be approximately 20 micrometers (0.0008 in). Examine samples of stems, petioles and flowers at approximately 60x to 100x. You can also send the samples to a diagnostic laboratory.
Where to lookCollect some samples from the outer edge of the symptoms, from petioles, stems and flowers. Use approximately 60x to 100x, or a diagnostic laboratory.
Identification checkSpecialist microscopy. One clean sample does not show that a plant with symptoms is clean. The mites are in patches and are not equally on all the plant.
Problems with the same signsInjury from broad mites, leaf edges that bend because of heat or light, nutrient problems, and drought. The weak vigor that occurs with hop latent viroid (HLVd).
Facility thresholdIn quarantine, in mother plants and in propagation, the tolerance is zero. One confirmed plant in production starts containment and trace-back.
First responsePrevent contact between plants and do not move plants. Put the confirmed plants in bags as the procedure of the site tells you. Collect samples from the groups of plants that connect to them. Examine the airflow and the tool routes as vectors. Apply only measures that are compatible and that the regulations accept at the crop stage. Do not stop the response until the microscopy gives a negative result more than one time.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: reject stock that has pests, prevent contact between plants, and put confirmed plants of high consequence in bags. Environmental control: examine the airflow and the stress from heat or dry air, but do not use the climate to remove the mites. Biological control: use only a predator that the regulations accept, with evidence that it kills this group of mites. Approved input: select a method that the regulations accept, only after you confirm the mites at high magnification. The method must agree with the crop stage and with the beneficial organisms that are in the room.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the outer edge of the symptoms on stems, petioles, new leaves and flowers. Collect samples at different heights, because the mites move up and are in patches.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityYou must confirm the identification at high magnification. In the last stage of flowering, only a small number of products can touch the crop. Examine the compatibility with beneficial organisms and the PPE and REI on the label. Examine the residues, the quality and the risk of damage to the leaves.
How to collect and keep the specimenCollect some pieces of stem, petiole, leaf and flower from the outer edge of the symptoms. Collect also material from connected plants that look in good condition. Put a label on each piece, keep the pieces cool and sealed, and send them complete for specialist microscopy.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultDo the counts again at 60x to 100x, or send samples to the laboratory. Use the same heights on the map and the outer edge of the symptoms. Do this after the approved interval and during one full generation. Stop the response only when each sample gives a negative result and the mites do not move up the plant.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace the genetics, the groups of clones, the contact between plants, the airflow, and the personnel and tools. Examine how sensitive the sampling method was. Hold the connected material of clean stock. Examine each result that showed clean material and that was incorrect.

References for this profile: [12][11]

7. Whiteflies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum, Bemisia tabaci complex and related species)

AI photo as an example: adult whiteflies and nymphs on the underside of a cannabis leaf
Example. The adults are white, with a powder on the body, and they have the shape of small moths. They move up in the air from the underside of a leaf when you touch the leaf. The eggs, the crawlers and the flat nymphs stay on the underside. The nymphs have the shape of scale insects. The nymphs in the last stages can have red eyes. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe signs are general chlorosis, tacky honeydew, black sooty mold on the honeydew, and large numbers of adults when you touch the foliage. The nymph stages are not easy to see.
Life cycle and movementOnly the first nymph stage, the crawler, moves for a distance. After this stage the nymphs stay in one position and eat there. The species and the stage change the effect of a parasitoid and the control that is correct.
Development and the conditions that change itIn warm indoor conditions, the time from egg to adult is frequently approximately 21 to 28 days. The species and the temperature change this time. The first stages are the egg, the crawler that moves, and the nymph that does not move. The last stages are the nymph with red eyes and the adult with wings.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. The adults are approximately 1 to 2 mm (0.04 to 0.08 in), and you can see them easily when you touch the leaves. The eggs, the crawlers (the first stage that moves), the nymphs that do not move, and the last stage with red eyes are all on the underside. Use approximately 30x to 60x to see them. A specialist must identify the species.
Where to lookLift the leaves in the bottom and middle of the canopy, and count the leaves that have nymphs. Put yellow traps at the height of the canopy. Examine each area where honeydew or sooty mold occurs.
Identification checkMicroscopy. If the biological control is different for each species, a specialist must identify the species.
Problems with the same signsPowdery mildew, small moths, the molted skins of aphids, and white debris that does not cause damage.
Facility thresholdAt entry, the tolerance is zero. In production, one colony on the underside of a leaf that increases in number starts the response. A trap count that increases from one reading to the next also starts the response. The response must start before the adults move to other plants.
First responsePut the zone in containment, and put the leaves with many colonies in bags. Do more scouting of the undersides of leaves. Release only beneficial organisms that agree with the species, or use a compatible input that the regulations accept. Use two numbers to make sure that the result is correct. They are the adults on the traps and the live nymphs on the leaves.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: reject plants that have pests, put the leaves with colonies in bags, and remove weeds and other host plants. Environmental control: correct hot areas with no airflow, but do not increase the humidity. Biological control: use predators or parasitoids that the regulations accept and that agree with the confirmed species. Approved input: use only a product that the regulations accept and that touches the undersides of leaves. The product must not cause damage to the parasitoids or to the crop stage.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the crawlers and the nymphs in the first stages, on the undersides of leaves. The yellow traps monitor the adults. A second application is usually necessary for the nymphs in the last stages that do not move and for the eggs. Set the time of this application for the correct stage.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityThe correct parasitoid is different for each species. Before you use an input, examine the contamination of flowers and the honeydew and sooty mold. Examine the effect of residues on the beneficial organisms. Examine the PPE and REI on the label, the crop stage, and the testing for release.
How to collect and keep the specimenPut leaves with eggs and nymphs on the underside in bags with a label. Keep some adults, or pieces of traps, in a different container. Record the height of the plant, the position of the trap and the honeydew. Do this before you send the specimens for identification.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultCount the live nymphs on the same leaves on the map. Count the adults on the same traps. Do this at the approved interval, during one full generation. The result is good when there are no new colonies and the two numbers decrease and stay low.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace the new plants, the weeds, the doors, the vents and screens, and the personnel and tools. Examine if the beneficial organism that you released was correct for the species. Examine the sooty mold and the surfaces of products that it touched.

References for this profile: [12][11]

8. Aphids on leaves (Phorodon cannabis, Myzus persicae, Macrosiphum euphorbiae and other species)

AI photo as an example: cannabis aphids on a cannabis shoot
Example. The insects are soft and have the shape of a pear. They have a pair of cornicles, which are tubes near the rear. A colony has nymphs, adults without wings, white molted skins, and, in some colonies, adults with wings. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe signs are groups of aphids on shoots, stems, undersides of leaves or flowers. The growth bends and has an incorrect shape. Tacky honeydew occurs, and black sooty mold occurs on it.
Life cycle and movementIn crop conditions, the females make live young without a male. Thus a colony can increase in number quickly from one aphid. When a colony has too many aphids, it makes adults with wings. These adults go away and start new colonies.
Development and the conditions that change itIn warm indoor conditions, one generation can be approximately 7 to 10 days. The live young become adults without wings. Too many aphids in a colony, or stress, makes adults with wings that move to new plants. The generations occur together.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. You can see colonies and adults on shoots and on the undersides of leaves. At approximately 30x to 60x you can see clearly the cornicles, the molted skins and the nymphs. You can also see the parts that identify the species.
Where to lookExamine the shoot tips, the undersides of leaves, the petioles and the flowers. Make a map of the honeydew. Read the yellow traps for adults with wings. Make sure that you can identify the difference between aphids and the larvae of beneficial organisms that eat aphids.
Identification checkIdentify the species when you select a specialist parasitoid. The cannabis aphid, the green peach aphid and the potato aphid are not interchangeable targets.
Problems with the same signsWhitefly nymphs and molted skins, scale insects, the larvae of beneficial organisms, and root aphids with wings.
Facility thresholdIn clean stock, the tolerance is zero. One colony that increases in number in production starts local containment and an inspection of all the room.
First responsePut the tips with many aphids in bags. Control ants. Keep honeydew away from tools and clothing, to prevent the movement of honeydew in the room. Select beneficial organisms that the regulations accept and that agree with the species, or a compatible input. Then do a recheck for live aphids and for new nymphs.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: reject stock that has pests, put tips with aphids in bags, control ants, and remove weeds. Environmental control: correct stress of the plant, but do not think that the climate is sufficient to control aphids. Biological control: use predators or parasitoids that the regulations accept and that agree with the aphid species. Approved input: select a contact product or microbe product that the regulations accept and that is compatible with the beneficial organisms and the crop stage.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the nymphs and the adults without wings that you can see on shoot tips, undersides of leaves, petioles and flowers. Monitor the adults with wings on yellow traps. Apply again, because new nymphs continue to occur.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityThe species can change if a parasitoid has an effect or not. Honeydew on flowers is also a quality risk. Examine the effect of residues on the beneficial organisms and the crop stage. Examine the PPE and REI on the label and the effect of the residue on testing.
How to collect and keep the specimenCollect live adults without wings, adults with wings and nymphs from a colony on the map. Put them in sealed vials with a label. Keep a tip with symptoms in a different container. Record the part of the plant that each specimen came from.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultCount the live aphids and the new nymphs again on the same tips. Count also the adults with wings on the traps on the map. Do this after the approved interval and during one full generation. The result is good when there is no colony, or when the number of aphids decreases by the approved quantity and stays low. The problem must not move to other plants.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace the new stock, the weeds, the ants, and the personnel and tools. Examine if the beneficial organism that you released was correct for the species. Examine where the honeydew went and which lots of clean stock connect to the colony.

References for this profile: [13][12]

9. Budworms and caterpillars (Lepidopteran larvae. You must identify the species.)

AI photo as an example: caterpillar damage and frass in a cannabis flower
Example. The larva eats the foliage or the flowers. It makes holes, and frass pellets occur. Injury in a flower makes a wound, and Botrytis can go into the wound. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe flower has holes and frass, and it has less tissue than usual. One area has brown color, and one sugar leaf wilts. The damage can stay in the flower where you cannot see it until you open the flower.
Life cycle and movementThe larvae come out of the eggs and eat the plant. The pupae and adults can be external to the crop. To keep the insects out of the crop is much better. To try to remove the larvae from a flower after they go into it is not a good method.
Development and the conditions that change itThe time is different for each species and temperature. Thus identify the larva before you set an interval. Look for four different stages: the egg, the larva that eats, the pupa and the adult.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. Open all the flower. Examine the inner part for larvae, holes and frass pellets. Use approximately 30x to 60x to see eggs, very small larvae, and the parts that identify the species.
Where to lookExamine the entry points and screens. Look for flowers with frass or one leaf with wilt. If the risk is high, open flowers to examine the inner part, and accept the damage to the flowers.
Identification checkThe parts of the larva, or identification by a specialist. Open the flower with damage. Find if the injury is from an insect, or from a Botrytis infection that started with no insect.
Problems with the same signsBotrytis with no insect, mechanical damage to flowers, and broken stems.
Facility thresholdIn indoor production, the tolerance is zero. Each finding in a flower is immediately a quality event.
First responseRemove the larva with the flower that has damage, and put them in a bag. Examine the plants near it. Close the route where the larva came in. Examine the flower for secondary rot. Use a control that the regulations accept and that agrees with the crop stage, only if it is necessary.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: keep the exclusion screens in good condition, examine the entry points, and put larvae and flowers with damage in bags. Environmental control: decrease the external host plants and the pressure of insects at the entries, but do not decrease the airflow. Biological control: you can use only an organism that the regulations accept and that is correct for the species. Approved input: the treatment of a flower in the last stage of flowering is a decision about regulations and quality. Use it only when no other method is sufficient, and not as the usual method.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the eggs and the small larvae that you can see, before they go into a flower. When a larva is in a cola, remove the larva and examine the rot that follows. That method is better than a treatment on the surface.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityYou must confirm the species. Before you apply a treatment to flowers, examine the crop stage, the residues and the microbial quality. Examine also the compatibility with beneficial organisms, the PPE and REI on the label, and the release of the batch.
How to collect and keep the specimenSeal the larva in a container with a label. Seal the flower with damage and its frass in a different container with a label. Make a photo of the hole where the larva went into the flower, and keep the specimen complete for identification.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultExamine the flowers near the damage and the entry points each day during the containment period. The result is good when there is no new frass, hole, larva or secondary rot in the risk period that the site sets.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace the doors, the screens, and the new plants and materials. Trace the external host plants, the work at night, and the movement of personnel. Examine the connected flowers and the Botrytis risk as a quality event.

References for this profile: [11]

11 · Field atlas

Disease diagnosis and sampling

Disease symptoms can be the same for different diseases. Use the symptoms to select the tissue, the records of the environment and the correct laboratory route. Do not make a release decision only because a symptom agrees with a photo.

The cannabis literature on diseases gives evidence for different controls for powdery mildew, Botrytis, Pythium, Fusarium and systemic pathogens in propagation[20][21][22]. Related species of Septoria make the diagnosis not easy. Thus the color of the lesion is not sufficient for the diagnosis[27][28].

1. Powdery mildew (Golovinomyces and other powdery mildew fungi on cannabis)

AI photo as an example: first colonies of powdery mildew on a cannabis leaf
Example. The colonies are white and are above the surface of live leaves, petioles, stems or flowers. They occur in patches. The first colonies are patches that do not connect to each other, and not a layer of powder that is equal on all the surface. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe signs are pale areas with a matte color. Growth and spores occur on the surface of the areas. The colonies become larger and release airborne spores. These spores start the next infections.
Life cycle and movementThe fungus is on the surface of the plant, and it gets nutrients from the cells immediately below the surface. Canopies with high density, genetics that are not resistant, and air that does not move help the fungus to move to other plants. Free water on the leaf is not necessary for this.
Development and the conditions that change itIn canopy conditions that are good for the fungus, germination starts in hours. In some days, colonies that you can see can make a new group of spores. The cultivar and the local conditions change this interval.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. Examine all the leaves, stems and flowers with light from the side. Then examine one colony at approximately 30x to 60x. Use microscopy or a laboratory when it is possible that the cause is spray residue or trichomes.
Where to lookUse light from the side across the leaves and stems. Examine the bottom and inner parts of the canopy and the flowers. Record each colony on the map. Compare the finding with the records of the last sprays.
Identification checkA hand lens or microscope to see the structures of the fungus. Send the sample to a laboratory when dry spray, mineral residue, trichomes or dust make the identification not sure.
Problems with the same signsDry residue of a foliar spray, mineral residue, dust, trichomes, and the reflection of light on the leaf.
Facility thresholdIn quarantine and on mother plants, the tolerance is zero. The tolerance is also zero for one colony on a flower. One colony on a plant in the vegetative stage starts containment and more scouting in all the room.
First responsePut the tissue with the problem in bags, and do not shake it. Do not let personnel and tools move through the room. Decrease the density of the canopy and correct areas with high humidity and no airflow. Use only a method that the regulations accept and that agrees with the crop stage. Examine if new colonies occur, and do not use the scarring from before.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: reject stock with the disease, put lesions in bags, and clean the items that move spores. Environmental control: correct zones with high density and no airflow, and correct the humidity or dew point when it is not in the correct range. Biological control: use only an antagonist that prevents the disease and that the regulations accept, with evidence that it controls this pathogen. Approved input: select a product that the regulations accept, that touches the crop, and that is correct for the tissue and the growth stage.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the first colonies on the surface and each new movement of the fungus on leaves and stems. When a flower has an infection, it is a quality event. Then only a small number of methods are possible.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityDo not think that a residue is an infection. Contact with flowers, residues that you can see, and the compatibility with beneficial organisms limit the selection of an input. The PPE and REI on the label, the crop stage, the risk of damage to the leaves, and the testing for release also limit it.
How to collect and keep the specimenMake a photo of a complete colony. Use clean tools to put the colony in a bag with some adjacent tissue that is in good condition. Keep the records of the last sprays with the sample. Send the sample dry and cool, as the instruction of the laboratory tells you.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultGo back to the points on the map after the approved interval. Use light from the side and microscopy. Do this again in the period when a new group of spores can occur. The result is good when there are no new colonies and the colonies that you found before do not become larger.
Source trace and CAPA triggerExamine the source stock, the personnel and tools, the airflow and the canopy density. Examine the humidity and dew point when the lights are off. Examine how resistant the cultivar is, and the flowers and batches that have the problem.

References for this profile: [20][19]

2. Botrytis bud rot (Botrytis cinerea)

AI photo as an example: Botrytis bud rot in the inner part of a cannabis cola
Example. The tissue in the flower changes color to tan, then brown, and it collapses. Gray growth of spores, in a powder, can follow. One sugar leaf with wilt is frequently the first sign that you can see on the outer part of the flower. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyOne leaf wilts. Soft or dry necrosis occurs in a flower with high density, and gray mold occurs. In conditions with high humidity, the disease moves quickly into tissue that touches the infection.
Life cycle and movementSpores go into tissue that is not resistant, that has a wound, or that is in senescence. Flowers with high density keep air with high humidity in them. Sclerotia are hard survival bodies of this fungus. Sclerotia and debris with the infection can move the fungus from one crop to the next crop.
Development and the conditions that change itWhen the humidity is high for a long time and the tissue is not resistant, an infection can cause decay and spore growth. You can see them in approximately 3 to 5 days. The temperature, the time that the tissue is wet, wounds, and the shape of the flower change the rate.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. First examine all the flower. Then open the flower, and examine the edge of the lesion and the growth of spores with a hand lens. Use laboratory microscopy or culture when the species has an effect on the decision about the batch.
Where to lookExamine the flowers with a high risk each day. Open each bud with high density that you think has a problem. Record the cultivar, the zone, the irrigation events, the humidity at night, and the mechanical injuries.
Identification checkThe typical decay and spore growth in the inner part of the flower. Use a diagnostic laboratory if the decision about the batch changes with the species.
Problems with the same signsCaterpillar damage, mechanical damage, usual senescence, and other flower rots.
Facility thresholdEach confirmed flower is immediately a containment event, with consequences for the batch.
First responseStop movement, and stop the fans that can move spores while you remove the material. Put the infected tissue in a bag, with some tissue in good condition around it. Examine the plants near it, and hold the lot with the problem as the procedure of the site tells you. Correct the humidity, the airflow and the canopy density. Open a CAPA if there is more than one finding.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: remove tissue in senescence and tissue with wounds, and put flowers with the problem in bags. Environmental control: prevent condensation, tissue that stays wet for a long time, and zones with high density and no airflow in the canopy. Biological control: use only an antagonist that prevents the disease and that the regulations accept, with evidence. Approved input: in the last stage of flowering, a product must have an approval for the regulations, the quality and the residues.
Target stage and plant partThe target is to prevent the infection of tissue that has wounds or is in senescence, and to remove the lesions in the flower. A spray on the surface does not repair necrosis in the flower.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityA flower with the problem has consequences for the batch and for its microbial quality. Touch the material carefully, to prevent the release of spores. Before you use an input, examine the crop stage and the PPE and REI on the label for the workers. Examine also the residues, the compatibility and the testing for release.
How to collect and keep the specimenStop the local airflow, and make a photo of the flower in its position. Use clean tools to put the edge of the lesion in a bag. Also put a flower that you did not open, and that you think has the problem, in a bag. Keep the bags cool. Do not send the bags with the samples of flowers in good condition that you use to compare.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultExamine the flowers on the map each day during containment. Open flowers again at the approved interval, to examine the inner part. The result is good when there is no new decay or spore growth in the zone with the problem.
Source trace and CAPA triggerExamine the cultivar, the structure of the flower and the injury. Examine the canopy density, the humidity and dew point when the lights are off, and the airflow. Examine the sanitation, the personnel and tools, and each lot or batch with the problem.

References for this profile: [21][19]

3. Pythium root, crown rot and damping-off (Pythium species (oomycetes))

AI photo as an example: root rot with signs of Pythium in cannabis roots
Example. The roots have a tan to brown color, and the tissue has water. The outer layer of the roots is weak and can move from the root. The root tips are weak, seedlings collapse, or rot occurs at the crown. Compare them with roots that are hard, white and in good condition. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe signs are weak roots, wilt in the middle of the day although the media is wet, chlorosis, and slow uptake of water. Other signs are collapse at the bottom of the stem, and the same symptoms on all the plants that use the same water circuit.
Life cycle and movementSpores with thick walls, for survival, stay in the system. The organism also makes zoospores (spores that move in water). Warm root zones, low dissolved oxygen, saturation and slime films can increase the risk. The species are different.
Development and the conditions that change itZoospores can infect root tips that are not resistant quickly. Symptoms can increase in some days in systems that are warm, that have low oxygen, or that have saturation. The species, the age of the plant and the root-zone conditions change the development.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. Compare the root mass and the root tips with white roots in good condition. Compare also the outer layer of the roots and the crown. To identify the cause, you must use a diagnostic laboratory: microscopy, culture or molecular testing.
Where to lookExamine the roots, the crown, the drain water, and the slime film in tanks and pipes. Measure the root-zone temperature and the dissolved oxygen. Examine the frequency of irrigation, the standing water, and each group of plants that uses the same water.
Identification checkA diagnostic laboratory for plants, with microscopy, culture or molecular testing. The color of the roots is not sufficient to identify the organism.
Problems with the same signsRoots that die because of causes that are not organisms. Low oxygen with no infection, Fusarium, and injury from salt in the nutrients. The usual brown color of roots in senescence.
Facility thresholdThe threshold is one group of seedlings that collapse, one crown rot, or a pattern on plants that use the same water circuit. Then isolate the plants and examine the water system.
First responseDo not use the same water or material for different plants. Remove the plants that collapse. Collect the samples before you sanitize, because the sanitation removes the evidence. Correct the faults of oxygen, moisture and temperature in the root zone. Clean the slime films with a validated procedure. Use only beneficial organisms or inputs that the regulations accept.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: start with clean stock and clean media, and isolate the water circuits with the problem. Environmental control: correct saturation, heat, low dissolved oxygen, standing water and slime films. Biological control: use only an antagonist that prevents the disease, that the regulations accept and that is correct for the reservoir. Approved input: a product that touches the crop or roots is different from a validated sanitation of pipes or surfaces. Make sure that you know the difference.
Target stage and plant partThe target is to prevent the infection at the root tips and crowns, and to prevent the movement of the spores in the water. Collect samples before the sanitation. Remove the roots that die and correct the system. No treatment repairs a dead root.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityMany sanitizers kill the antagonists that you use. Make sure that the regulations accept the product in the root zone. Examine the status of the strain or product, and the crop stage. Examine the PPE and REI for the workers and the residue route. Examine the compatibility with the reservoir and where the waste water goes.
How to collect and keep the specimenCollect the samples before you clean. Collect roots and crown from the edge of the lesion, media, and water from the connected tank and drain pipe. Put each sample in a different sterilized container with a label. Keep the samples cool. Record the circuit and the lot that each sample came from.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultExamine the root tips, the crowns and the connected groups of plants again. Do the validated test of the water or the roots again after the approved interval. The result is good when the new roots are white and in good condition, and no more plants collapse. The problem must not move to connected plants.
Source trace and CAPA triggerExamine the source of propagation and the water circuit. Examine the temperature, the dissolved oxygen, the saturation and the dryback. Examine the slime films, the hoses and trays, the tools, the personnel, and each connected group of plants.

References for this profile: [23][22][19]

4. Fusarium wilt, root and crown disease (Fusarium species complexes)

AI photo as an example: wilt with signs of Fusarium, and brown xylem, in cannabis
Example. Wilt or chlorosis that increases, frequently on one side of the plant. The crown and roots have lesions. The xylem in a stem or crown that you cut has brown color. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe signs are weak roots, seedlings that collapse, and lesions at the bottom of the stem. Other signs are chlorosis, wilt that does not recover, and patterns that agree with a batch of stock, tools, media or water.
Life cycle and movementDifferent groups of Fusarium species cause disease in the roots, the crown, the xylem or the flowers. Spores move in water with contamination, in plant tissue and in equipment. The spores germinate at root tips or wounds. The fungus moves up in the xylem. Chlamydospores, which are spores with thick walls for survival, stay in debris of plants and media.
Development and the conditions that change itRoot infection and internal symptoms can occur in days to weeks. The group of species, the quantity of inoculum, the temperature, the moisture and the stress of the plant change this time. The spores for survival stay for a much longer time.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. Examine all the plant for deterioration on one side. Then cut the crown or stem along its length, and examine the edges of the lesions on the roots. To identify the organism, you must use laboratory isolation and molecular testing.
Where to lookCut a crown or stem with symptoms along its length. Compare the internal tissue with a plant in good condition. Examine the roots. Trace the source of propagation, the tools, the lots of media and the connections of irrigation.
Identification checkLaboratory isolation, and molecular testing when it is necessary. The next steps are different for each type of disease and each source.
Problems with the same signsPythium, drought or low oxygen, mechanical injury to the roots, nutrient problems, and the weak vigor that occurs with hop latent viroid.
Facility thresholdEach confirmed finding in clean stock or in a clone line has a high consequence. Think that a group of findings in production is systemic until the trace-back shows that it is not.
First responseIsolate the plants, put them in bags and destroy them as the procedure of the site tells you. Hold the connected clones. Collect samples before you clean. Examine the stock, the tools, the media and the water. Correct the structural faults that you find. Do not tell a person that there is a cure for a plant with the fungus in the internal tissue.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: use clean media, clean tools and stock with a negative result in a test. Destroy plants with the disease in the xylem. Environmental control: correct root injury, saturation and heat, but do not think that the climate removes an infection. Biological control: use only an antagonist that prevents the disease and that the regulations accept, with evidence for that strain. Approved input: a product that you use on roots to prevent disease is different from the sanitation of pipes and surfaces. Do not mix them.
Target stage and plant partThe target is to prevent entry at the root tips and wounds, and to prevent the movement of spores between plants. When the fungus is in the xylem, there is no cure with evidence for it. Thus the decisions are about the confirmed plants and the pathways that gave the fungus to them.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityYou must confirm the species and the type of disease. Before you use an input, make sure that the sanitizer does not kill the antagonist. Make sure that the regulations accept the product in the root zone. Examine the crop stage. Examine the PPE and REI on the label, the residue route and the waste water.
How to collect and keep the specimenUse clean tools to collect the edges of the lesions on roots and crown. Collect also a section of stem along its length, with brown tissue and tissue in good condition in it. Put the pieces in different bags, keep them cool, and record the connections to the stock, media and water.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultExamine the connected groups of plants for new wilt and brown color in the stems. Do the laboratory tests again at the approved interval. The result is good when there are no new findings after you remove the plants and correct the faults. A plant with the infection that recovers does not show a good result.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace the genealogy of the mother plants and clones, and the source of the seeds or plants. Trace the tools, the lots of media, the water circuits, and the root injury. Trace the movement of personnel, and each connected group of plants or batch.

References for this profile: [22][19]

5. Hop latent viroid disease (Hop latent viroid (HLVd))

AI photo as an example: a cannabis plant in good condition, and a plant with symptoms that can be HLVd or other problems
Example. You cannot be sure of the diagnosis with the eyes. Plants can look usual. They can also show shorter internodes, weak vigor, weak roots, a smaller number of trichomes, and small flowers with a low quality. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyA clone line, or a connected hydroponic group, is weaker than usual, and you cannot find a cause in the environment. The symptoms are the same as the symptoms of many other problems. If a plant has no symptoms, this fact does not show that the plant is clean.
Life cycle and movementThe viroid moves in vegetative material with the infection and on tools with contamination. Tests also give evidence that the viroid can move through roots and through recirculating hydroponic solution.
Development and the conditions that change itA latent infection is in the plant and can move to other plants while the plant looks usual. HLVd is latent. There is no period when you can be sure to see the infection. Thus the validated method of molecular testing and the risk interval for that stock set the time of the surveillance.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. Compare all the plants and the groups of clones only to select the plants for the samples. Confirm the identification with RT-qPCR or RT-PCR. Use one plant that you can trace, or a validated sample with tissue of more than one plant. Magnification does not confirm the identification.
Where to lookDo surveillance with molecular testing in quarantine, foundation mother plants and production mother plants. Make sure that you can trace each result. The validated laboratory method tells you which tissue to collect and when to collect it.
Identification checkRT-qPCR or RT-PCR only, with the correct controls. Write a procedure for tests that you do again and for inconclusive results. The AI photo is not evidence for the diagnosis.
Problems with the same signsRoot disease, irrigation faults, nutrient problems, russet mites and broad mites. Plants that are weak because of the genetics, and other pathogens that move through all the plant.
Facility thresholdIn quarantine, in foundation mother plants, in production mother plants and in the source material of clones, the tolerance is zero.
First responsePut the plant, and all the items connected to it, in quarantine, and do not move clones. Confirm the result. Destroy the plants with a positive result with the approved procedure. Hold each clone that you cut from the plant since the last confirmed negative result. Examine the tools, the route of the personnel, and each hydroponic system that connects the plants. Do follow-up tests to make sure that the corrective action had an effect.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: accept only stock with a negative result in a test, and keep the genealogies apart. Sanitize the tools between groups of plants, and destroy the plants with a confirmed positive result. Environmental control: keep recirculating solution that you did not validate apart, because the climate does not remove an infection. Biological control: no beneficial organism cures HLVd. Approved input: apply sanitizers only with a validated procedure that the regulations accept, on tools and surfaces.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the pathways, not the symptoms that you can see. The pathways are exclusion, mechanical movement and contact of roots. Monitor quarantine, foundation mother plants and production mother plants with molecular testing, and trace each lot of clones.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityA photo, a number for the vigor, or no symptoms is not sufficient to release stock. The validated RT-qPCR or RT-PCR method sets the tissue to collect and the time to collect it. It also sets the controls, the pooling, the tests that you do again, and the procedure for inconclusive results. Examine the PPE, the REI and the residues of the sanitizers in a different step.
How to collect and keep the specimenCollect the validated tissue in the container of the laboratory. Use a new tool for each plant, or disinfect the tool. Keep the chain of custody complete. Record the accession number, the plant, the mother plant and the lot of clones. Record also the person who collects the sample, the time and the temperature.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultDo the tests again for positive results and inconclusive results. Do a test of the connected material with the approved method. The result is good when you destroy the plants or put them in containment, with a record. The surveillance must give confirmed negative results in all the trace group. Symptoms that become less are not a good result.
Source trace and CAPA triggerTrace each clone that you cut since the last confirmed negative result. Trace the tools, the route of the personnel, the contact of roots, and the hydroponic circuits that plants use together. Examine if the sampling was correct. Hold the lots with the problem until quality assurance completes the investigation.

References for this profile: [24][25][26]

6. Septoria leaf spot (Septoria cannabis, S. neocannabina, S. cannabicola and other Septoria species)

AI photo as an example: leaf spot with signs of Septoria on a bottom cannabis leaf
Example. The leaf spots are tan, gray-brown or brown, and each leaf spot has a yellow edge. Pycnidia, which are very small dark fruiting bodies of the fungus with the shape of a flask, can be in the middle of the lesions. The leaf spots can connect to each other, and the bottom leaves can die. An AI tool made this photo. The photo does not show the correct sizes, and the magnification that you see is not the same on all photos.OpenAI image generation
First signs that show the problem correctlyThe bottom leaves and the leaves in senescence usually show it first. Splash of water, wet foliage and debris with the infection help the disease to move. How important the disease is indoors is different for each site.
Life cycle and movementSeptoria species make fruiting bodies and spores in the lesions. The shape and color of a lesion are not sufficient to be sure of the species name.
Development and the conditions that change itLesions and fruiting bodies occur in days to weeks. The species, the temperature and the time that the leaf stays wet change this time. The cycles that splash causes continue while wet debris stays.
Size and magnification for inspectionThe photo does not show the correct sizes. Examine all the bottom leaf. Then examine the middle of each lesion at approximately 30x to 60x, for the small dark fruiting bodies. Laboratory microscopy, culture or sequencing is mandatory when the species is important.
Where to lookMake a map of the lesions on the bottom leaves. Look for splash, wet leaves and debris with the infection. Make photos of the two sides of the leaf. Examine the records of sprays and nutrients.
Identification checkA diagnostic laboratory for plants, with microscopy or culture. Use sequencing methods when the species is important.
Problems with the same signsNutrient deficiency, splash of chemicals, Cercospora, Bipolaris and other leaf spots, mechanical injury, and usual senescence.
Facility thresholdEach confirmed finding in quarantine or in stock starts exclusion. In production, lesions that occur again and again, or a pattern that moves to other plants, start containment and laboratory work.
First responsePut the debris with the infection in bags. Stop the splash, and do not let leaves stay wet. Increase the airflow. Do not move wet tools and clothing between rooms. Confirm the diagnosis. Apply a control only if the regulations accept it, if there is evidence for it, and if it is necessary.
Control methods for each layerCultural control: reject stock with the disease, put lesions and debris in bags, and do not move wet tools between rooms. Environmental control: stop splash and leaves that stay wet for a long time, and increase the airflow at the bottom of the canopy. Biological control: use only an antagonist that the regulations accept and that has evidence for the confirmed diagnosis. Approved input: select a product that touches the crop and that the regulations accept, only after the laboratory result. Also examine if the disease is important indoors at your site.
Target stage and plant partThe target is the bottom leaves with the infection, the debris and the pathways of splash, before the lesions connect to each other. Prevent the infection of the new foliage. The necrosis in lesions does not recover.
Limits from the crop, the workers, the residue and compatibilityHow important the disease is indoors is different for each site. The species is also different for each site. Contact with flowers, the crop stage and the compatibility with beneficial organisms limit the treatment. The PPE and REI on the label, the residues, and the risk of damage to the leaves also limit the treatment. Spray injury can look the same as the disease.
How to collect and keep the specimenMake photos of the two surfaces of the leaf. Collect some dry leaves from the edges of lesions with fruiting bodies, and a leaf in good condition to compare. Put the leaves in different paper bags with a label, or in containers that the laboratory accepts. Keep the records of sprays and nutrients with them.
Recheck date and the condition for a good resultCount the new lesions on the bottom leaves and on the new leaves again, and record them on the map. Do this after the approved interval and after each event when the leaves are wet. The result is good when there are no new lesions and the disease does not move up the plant in the period of the recheck.
Source trace and CAPA triggerExamine the new stock, the debris with the infection, and the splash and irrigation from above. Examine the condensation, the wet leaves, the tools and clothing, the injury from nutrients or chemicals, and the connected rooms.

References for this profile: [27][28][19]

12 · Controls for diagnosis

Problems with the same signs

An atlas without reference plants in good condition makes personnel see disease in all plants. Compare the same parts: underside to underside, opened flower to opened flower and new meristem to new meristem. Compare roots of the same age in the same substrate.

Terms in the facility OpenAI image generation
Leaf underside in good condition
Leaf underside in good condition
White roots in good condition
White roots in good condition
Shoot tip in good condition
Shoot tip in good condition
Inner part of a flower in good condition
Inner part of a flower in good condition
A fungus gnat near a root aphid with wings
A fungus gnat near a root aphid with wings
Leaf edges that bend because of heat and light, with no mites
Leaf edges that bend because of heat and light, with no mites
Dry spray residue, and not powdery mildew
Dry spray residue, and not powdery mildew
Root stress with no pathogen, and no diagnosis at this time
Root stress with no pathogen, and no diagnosis at this time
The photos that you use to compare are aids for training. An AI tool made them. They are not reference specimens.
Two problems with the same signsSign that shows the differenceNext step
Adult fungus gnat compared with winged root aphidA gnat has the legs and the antennae of a fly, and wing veins. An aphid has a body in the shape of a pear, and cornicles.Keep the specimen from the sticky trap near the media. Use microscopy.
Broad mites or russet mites compared with tacoing from heat or lightMites and eggs on the outer edge of the symptoms, where you collect a sample. Abiotic stress agrees with the pattern of exposure and has no organisms.Examine many tips with a microscope before you change the feed or the climate.
Powdery mildew compared with dried residue on the leafPowdery mildew makes colonies above the surface that increase in size, and fungal structures. Residue agrees with the pattern of drops and circular marks, and with the spray records.Light from one side, microscopy, or a laboratory test. Use a laboratory test if you make the decision about the flower from the identification.
Pythium compared with abiotic root stressPythium: roots with water in the tissue, sloughing, and a pattern of disease in connected plants. Abiotic stress: dry tan roots with stress and no evidence of a pathogen.Collect samples of roots and water before sanitation. Send the samples to a diagnostic laboratory.
HLVd compared with all other causes of stuntingNo visual sign gives a sure diagnosis.RT-qPCR or RT-PCR, with a sample that you can trace and with controls
13 · Operation

The IPM program for each week

  1. 1
    Calculate the consequence
    Room class, clean-stock status, target organism, crop stage and the consequence for product quality.
  2. 2
    Measure the problem
    Incidence, severity 0-4 and life stages. The pattern in the room and the trend of traps, roots and laboratory results. The density of beneficial organisms.
  3. 3
    Zero-tolerance findings
    A zero-tolerance finding does not use a threshold with a number. Start containment immediately.
  4. 4
    Find the source
    Received stock, movement of personnel and tools, air, water, media, packaging, weeds, algae, or pests from the previous crop.
  5. 5
    Select layers
    First do a correction with cultural controls and environmental controls. Then select biological controls and permitted products that are compatible.
  6. 6
    Schedule
    Select the target life stage and the date of application or release. Select the room controls, the change of mode, the recheck date, and the instruction to stop or to escalate.
  7. 7
    Examine the result
    Measure living organisms, new lesions, new growth, establishment and damage to the plants. Examine the effect on residue and if the problem occurs again.
  8. 8
    Stop or CAPA
    Stop the response only when the result agrees with the condition for a good result. If it does not, examine the cause again and escalate.
The meeting each week gives tasks for each room. It does not give a long report that no person uses.
Information for the meeting each weekDecision output
Trap and scouting trendsA task for each room or zone, an owner and a recheck
HLVd and pathogen resultsA decision to release, hold, do the test again, destroy and trace
Receipt, release and establishment of beneficial organismsA decision to continue, to add more organisms, to replace them, or to do an investigation of a problem with compatibility
Excursions of the environment and of the root zoneCorrection with engineering controls or cultural controls, and a date for the end of the correction
Applications of products and the status of treated areasRelease of the area from the REI, a check of the efficacy and a check of the residue
Open CAPA and connected batchesStatus of containment, gap in the evidence, quality decision for the batch, and a check of the effect of the CAPA

Worksheet for the decision about the control method

Complete the worksheet with the current approved-input register and the current register of beneficial organisms. Do not write product names and rates in a paper that has no document control.
Decision itemControlled entry
Confirmed target, life stage and plant partFACILITY INPUT
Current problem: incidence, severity, trend and distributionFACILITY INPUT
Possible source and pathway, and the evidenceFACILITY INPUT
Corrections with cultural controls and environmental controlsFACILITY INPUT
Biological control, evidence of establishment and compatibilityFACILITY INPUT
Alternative product, legal gate, mode group and residue routeFACILITY INPUT
Limits from the crop and the workers, REI and release of the treated areaFACILITY INPUT
Owner, date of the task, recheck date, the condition for a good result, and the instruction to stop or to escalateFACILITY INPUT

Table for control steps and releases of beneficial organisms, with dates

Use sufficient rows for the full period of development of the target. The period changes if the conditions change. Change the rows after each recheck.
Date and timeRoom or zoneTarget stageTask or releaseMode or organismCompatibility and REIRecheck
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT

Table of the target and the approved tool

This table is an interface to the controlled registers. It does not replace them.
TargetApproved tool at this timeTarget stage and siteGrade and source of the evidenceDate of the check of the regulationsCompatibilityMeasurement of a good result
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
From finding to end1Confirmorganism, lifestage, location→2Containmovement,plants, water,treated area→3Controlpermittedcontrol layers→4Recheckspecified dataand date→5Stop or CAPAgood result orcause examinedagain
Figure 6. This figure shows the minimum record for each event with a finding that is more than the threshold.
14 · Crop cycle

Crop-cycle IPM operations

The table is a full control model for the crop cycle. Use the approved production procedure for the times. The times change with the cultivar and the facility.
StageStandard work for each dayWork for each week, or scheduled workMandatory decision
Receipt and quarantineAccession, check of the source and of the regulations, visual inspection and inspection of roots, dedicated tools and wasteTraps, procedure for HLVd and pathogens, and a new check of the statusRelease only if the accession agrees with the release criteria for the regulations and for biology.
Foundation mothers and production mothersWalk to examine the plants, control of tools, irrigation and environmentTimes of the molecular tests, full scouting, audit of hygiene in pruningA positive result for HLVd, or a pest that is systemic or has a high consequence: stop, hold, trace.
Cuttings and rootingClean cutting procedure, humidity and airflow, dead cuttings, and inspection of rootsDevelopment of roots, traps, a check for fungus and for root diseaseA pattern of problems starts an investigation of the source and of the water, and a diagnosis.
VegetativeInspection of the environment and the root zone. Walk to look for pests that you can see.Full scouting, sticky traps, release and establishment of biological controlsOne hotspot with a high risk, or a trend that increases, starts a control step for the target.
FlowerClimate, dew point, air movement and inspection of canopy with high densityFull scouting. In the last stage of flowering, cut the buds that have the highest risk. Examine the buds. Do a check of residue and application.Powdery mildew on a flower, or Botrytis in a bud: start the control steps immediately.
Harvest, drying and batch holdHygiene when you move and touch the plant material, separation of waste, condition of the dry room and checks for moldSampling for residue, microbes and unwanted material, and a check of the deviationsRelease the batch or continue the batch hold. Do a remediation if the regulations let you and the method has validation, or reject the batch.
IPM continues after harvest

Tools with contamination and dirty processing equipment can cause contamination of a clean crop. Slow drying, drying at different rates and flowers with high density that you do not examine can also cause problems for a clean crop. The product stays in batch hold until you have the necessary quality evidence and you complete the check of the deviations.

15 · Quality system

Containment, investigation and CAPA

Classify each event as local, room-wide or systemic. First do the containment. Then find the root cause and the effect on the batch. Keep the evidence. Do not complete the CAPA until the check of the effect shows that the change had the correct effect.

The CAPA connects the cause in biology, the cause in the workers or the system, and the consequence for the quality of the product.
EventFirst containment stepsInvestigation of the batch and the cropItems for the CAPA
Mother with a positive result for HLVdStop the movement of clones. Isolate the mother. Put the mother in a bag. Use the SOP. Hold the connected clones.All clone lots since the last negative result that you know is correct, and the connected tools and waterSource, frequency of tests, integrity of samples, sanitation of tools, separation of hydro systems, and traceability
Powdery mildew on flowerIsolate the zone or the room. Put the tissue with disease in bags. Increase the scouting.Size of the area with disease, crop stage, permitted alternatives, residue and the decision for the marketMicroclimate at night, density, airflow, sensitivity of the scouting and compatibility with the program
Botrytis in a flowerRemove the flower carefully. Prevent the movement of spores. Examine the plants near it.Batch hold and size of the area, pattern for each cultivar and zone, records of the environmentHumidity removal, condensation, structure of the flower, damage when personnel touch the plants, and debris
Root disease in plants that use the same waterIsolate the circuit. Stop the movement of water and plants. Collect samples before sanitation.All connected cohorts and the source stockDesign of the reservoir and of the return water, biofilm, temperature and DO, cleaning validation, and separation of water
A worker goes into the area during the REIRemove the worker. Do the steps for the exposure. Prevent access to the area. Put warning signs in position.Examine the contact with the crop, the contamination and the treatment statusLockout, position of the warning signs, training, supervision and access control
  1. Release: the necessary laboratory results, the treatment records, the traceability and the check of the deviations are satisfactory.
  2. Continue the batch hold: a result, a second sample or a connected lot status is not available. Also continue the batch hold while an investigation is in progress.
  3. Reject, or do a validated remediation: the lot does not agree with a limit. Do the same if the treatment records do not agree with the regulations. Do the same if the lot has a connection to systemic contamination. Remediation does not replace prevention.
16 · Tools for work

Controlled IPM tools

Facility approval sheet

Scouting record for each week

Use one row for each site on the map and for each exception. For an unknown organism, write the reference of the specimen or the photo. Do not write a name that you are not sure of.
Necessary fieldEntry
Date and time, scout, room, zone, bench and point on the set routeFACILITY INPUT
Plant or lot ID and growth stageFACILITY INPUT
Parts that you examined: top of the leaf, underside of the leaf, shoot tip, stem and crown, flower, media and rootsFACILITY INPUT
Trap ID, color, height, date of installation and of replacement, and trap count for each organismFACILITY INPUT
Confirmed organism, life stage, incidence and severity 0 to 4FACILITY INPUT
Beneficial organism and the evidence that its number increasesFACILITY INPUT
Unusual condition in the environment or root zone, and the last treatmentFACILITY INPUT
Photo ID, specimen ID, chain of custody and lab resultFACILITY INPUT
Threshold status, containment, person for the task and date for the taskFACILITY INPUT
Recheck date, the condition for a good result, and the decision to stop the response or to open a CAPAFACILITY INPUT
Sites to examine, completed sites, and exceptions for sites that you did not examine or sites without accessFACILITY INPUT

Log of quarantine and of movement from clean to dirty

Record each movement of an accession and each approved movement back to a clean area on the hygiene gradient.
Date and timePerson or materialFromToRelease and status evidenceChange of PPE and toolsException approval
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT

Record of the release and establishment of beneficial organisms

FieldEntry
Species, strain, supplier and lotFACILITY INPUT
Evidence of the NZ legal status, and the approval dateFACILITY INPUT
Time, temperature and condition when you receive the organismsFACILITY INPUT
Viability and count check, and the decision to rejectFACILITY INPUT
Target pest and stage, room map and release rateFACILITY INPUT
Climate, and a check of residues that are not compatibleFACILITY INPUT
Establishment and recheck date, and evidenceFACILITY INPUT
Corrective action, or the decision to stop the responseFACILITY INPUT

Checklist for the quality of spray and of application

CheckControlled entry
Event ID, approved product and lot, target, room and zone, crop stageFACILITY INPUT
Evidence of the check of the current label, SDS and the regulations for medicinal cannabis, ACVM and HSNOFACILITY INPUT
Applicator, calibration, output, nozzle and pressure, and target coverageFACILITY INPUT
Water quality, sequence for the mixture, agitation and volume of the mixtureFACILITY INPUT
Controls for HVAC and lights, containment, and risk of weather and external dischargeFACILITY INPUT
PPE, warning signs, access control, REI start and end, and release of the treated areaFACILITY INPUT
Mixture that you did not use, rinse water, disposal of spills and waste, and equipment clean-downFACILITY INPUT
Phytotoxicity, efficacy and residue: recheck dates and resultsFACILITY INPUT

Record of the outbreak, the effect on the batch, and the CAPA

FieldEntry
Event ID, the first finding, and the person who found itFACILITY INPUT
Confirmed organism, evidence and uncertaintyFACILITY INPUT
Room, zone, plants, mothers, clone lots and batchesFACILITY INPUT
Connected personnel, tools, air, water, media and lots of productsFACILITY INPUT
Containment done immediately, and controls for the treated areaFACILITY INPUT
Investigation of the effect on product quality and on residueFACILITY INPUT
Decision to hold, destroy, do a remediation, or releaseFACILITY INPUT
Root cause and other conditions that help to cause the eventFACILITY INPUT
Corrective action and preventive action, with owners and datesFACILITY INPUT
Evidence that the CAPA had the correct effect, and the decision of QA to stop the responseFACILITY INPUT

Worksheet for the dashboard of the population trend

Make a graph of the trend of these same controlled fields in the validated record system of the site. Record the denominator and the sites that you did not examine. Thus you can read the graph correctly.
Week or dateRoom or zoneTargetTraps or points for samplesCount of living organisms, or incidenceSeverity 0-4Density of beneficial organismsAction thresholdDecision
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT
FACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUTFACILITY INPUT

Control of spills and waste

  • The current drain map shows which drains go to the sewer or to trade waste, and which drains go to stormwater.
  • Secondary containment and spill kits are correct for the substances that you keep and for the spill volume that can occur.
  • Do not let pesticide, sanitizer, nutrient concentrate, rinse water with contamination, or spill liquid go into stormwater.
  • Show the Watercare and Auckland triggers for a pollution event in a position where personnel can see them. Give personnel training on the triggers.
  • The waste contractors and the disposal records are current. The findings of the drill each year go into the CAPA.
17 · Competency

Training for competency

WorkSafe makes it necessary to have information, instruction, training and records for the site. Previous training of a person does not remove the duty of the site[7].
ModulePersonnelResult that personnel show
The legal gate for NZ medicinal cannabisQA, procurement, IPM leads and cultivation leadsReject a possible product, or give approval for it, with a correct record of the evidence
Hygiene zones and movementAll personnel for cultivation, sanitation and maintenance, and contractorsDo the room sequence, the changes of tools and PPE, and the procedure for exceptions
Scouting, and how to collect and keep specimensScouts and room leadsUse the same scouting route. Identify plant parts. Record incidence and severity. Keep unknown specimens.
Mother stock and HLVdPersonnel for the nursery, personnel for the mother plants and QA personnelCollect a sample that you can trace. Start a batch hold. Trace the clones. Do the steps for a positive result.
Control with beneficial organismsIPM personnel and personnel for receiptExamine the viability on receipt, the release map, the compatibility and the establishment
Application, REI and PPEApplicators, supervisors, QA and EHSCalibrate. Mix. Apply. Contain waste. Put warning signs in position. Release the treated area.
CAPA and the effect on the batchQA, cultivation managers and the IPM leadDo a mock event from containment to the check of the effect
Do drills for events with a very bad effect

Do drills for these events as a minimum. A mother has a positive result for HLVd. A cluster of Botrytis occurs in the last stage of flowering. Root disease occurs on a circuit for more than one area.

After application, you find a product that the regulations do not let you use. A worker goes into an area during the REI. A spill can go to a drain. You know that a procedure is satisfactory only after personnel use it in a drill.

18 · Control of the document

Evidence and version register

This blueprint is controlled guidance and can change. Examine the parts that change frequently before you examine the parts that do not change.
Class of claimMinimum evidenceTrigger for a new check
NZ regulationsA current source from an authority: the Ministry, MPI, EPA, WorkSafe, Watercare or AucklandA change of a regulation or guidance, a new product or organism, or the check each year
Biology of pests and diseasesA primary paper or a review article of high quality, with the limits for the speciesA new result of diagnosis, or an organism with behavior that is different from the behavior in this blueprint
Status of the product or organismCurrent register and approval, label, SDS, supplier and approval of the siteEach time that you get a product or use it, and each change of the document
Facility thresholdRecords of the site, the evidence for the risk, and quality approvalA trend that you did not find, crop loss, a false alarm, or a change of production procedure or market
Setpoint for operationA facility SOP or validation that you can identify, and measured dataA change of equipment, cultivar, room, substrate or production procedure
A photo that an AI tool madeThe last prompt, the AI tool, a check of the diagnosis that a person does, and a record that an AI tool made the photoAn error in the morphology, a problem in training, or a better reference that you know is correct
A strong IPM program

In a strong IPM program, the facility has no products that the regulations do not let you use, and no genetics with an infection. Water and air do not become systems that move pests and pathogens. The movement of personnel is easy to see. You can see the release criteria when you select a control. All other parts are not necessary.

Related papers

References

  1. New Zealand Ministry of Health. Pesticide use during cultivation of medicinal cannabis. Guidance under the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019; updated guidance effective from July 2024. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer) https://www.health.govt.nz/regulation-legislation/medicinal-cannabis/information-for-industry/pesticide-use-during-cultivation
  2. New Zealand Ministry of Health. Requirements for the medicinal cannabis minimum quality standard. Testing, validation, laboratory and pesticide requirements; page current in 2026. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer) https://www.health.govt.nz/regulation-legislation/medicinal-cannabis/information-for-industry/working-with-medicinal-cannabis/requirements-for-the-minimum-quality-standard
  3. New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries. ACVMs exempt from registration: exemption classes, conditions and obligations under other legislation. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer) https://www.mpi.govt.nz/agriculture/agricultural-compounds-vet-medicines/acvms-exempt-from-registration
  4. New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries. Steps to importing invertebrates: eligibility, import health standards, facilities, permits and EPA status determination. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer) https://www.mpi.govt.nz/import/importing-live-animals/invertebrates/steps-to-importing-invertebrates
  5. New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority. What hazardous-substance approvals are and how to find an approval, including SDS section 15 and current controls. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer) https://www.epa.govt.nz/hazardous-substances/substance-approvals-and-group-standards/what-approvals-are-and-how-to-find-one-for-your-product/
  6. WorkSafe New Zealand. Restricted entry intervals for pesticides - quick guide: labels/SDS, off-label risk assessment, indoor signs, access and PPE. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer) https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/hazardous-substances/regulations/restricted-entry-intervals-for-pesticides/restricted-entry-intervals-for-pesticides-quick-guide/
  7. WorkSafe New Zealand. Information, instruction, supervision and training for workers handling hazardous substances. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer) https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/hazardous-substances/managing/information-instruction-supervision-training/
  8. Watercare. Trade waste agreements: classification, controls, monitoring and management-plan requirements for Auckland businesses. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer) https://www.watercare.co.nz/business/help-and-support/trade-waste/trade-waste-agreements
  9. Auckland Council. Auckland Unitary Plan Operative in Part, E33 Industrial and trade activities: contaminant avoidance, onsite management, containment and lawful disposal. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer) https://unitaryplan.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Images/Auckland%20Unitary%20Plan%20Operative/Chapter%20E%20Auckland-wide/5.%20Environmental%20Risk/E33%20Industrial%20and%20trade%20activities.pdf
  10. Athena Ag, Inc. (2026). IPM Guide for Cannabis, V15 digital edition. Commercial vendor guide supplied by the user; used only as a coverage benchmark. (source not from a journal, for example from a manufacturer)
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  15. Lopez, L. (2023). Meet Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae): a commonly used predatory mite in vegetable crops. Journal of Integrated Pest Management, 14(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmad018
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  22. Punja, Z.K., Tirajoh, A., Collyer, D., & Ni, L. (2023). Biological control of Fusarium oxysporum causing damping-off and Pythium myriotylum causing root and crown rot on cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) plants. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 45(3), 245-264. https://doi.org/10.1080/07060661.2023.2172082
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Each citation in the paper, for example [1], refers to an item in this list. Each item is a primary source or an instruction from an authority, unless the item shows a different type. The results of cannabis tissue culture change much with the genotype. Before you use the dilutions, hormone doses and local regulations, make sure that they agree with the primary sources.