3 Common Cannabis Plant Diseases & How to Treat Them

Cannabis is considered a robust plant because of its extraordinary skills in medicine and therapeutics. But at the end of the day, it is still a plant, and like all other plants, it is also prone to many plant diseases.

Some plants are very fragile, and they can't cope with a disease attack. Unlike humans, plants lack an immune system to help them fight against a disease that comes their way. They easily get infected by fungi and other pathogens.

What saves plants in the case of a disease attack is the timely diagnosis of the disease. For a timely diagnosis of diseases in cannabis plants, first, you must be familiar with the conditions. Here are a few common diseases of the cannabis plant.

1 . Gray mold

Gray mold is also known as Bud Rot, and it is the most common disease in the cannabis plant. It is one of the biggest threats to cannabis growers. It is essentially caused by the fungus Botrytis which infects many plants, including cannabis. Botrytis mainly infects the plant buds in the late flowering stage.

A good thing about gray mold from a diagnostic viewpoint is that you can detect it with the naked eye. Diagnosis is one of the very few things you can do in case of a fungal infection. You will see a change in the color and texture of the plant at the start of the disease.

The leaves become dry, and the stems soften. A powdery white substance will appear in the early stages, turning grey and slimy over time. This stage indicates the advancement of the disease.

After the initial diagnosis, gray mold calls for immediate action. The disease quickly spreads to another plant, so you have to prevent its spread to nearby plants once you spot it. Gray mold spreads very quickly to the neighboring plants.

Treatment

Prevention of spread is the only thing you can do as, at this point, the degree of damage is quite vast. But you can permanently save the neighboring plants by immediately removing the infected plant.

2 . Hops Latent Viroid Disease (HpLVD)

HVD is a viral disease, and its transmission is mechanical. Primarily, it spreads by contact with the infected plant. Man can also be a carrier of this virus if he has physical contact with the diseased plant. Many plant experts say that HpLVD mainly arises due to a lack of sanitation during the transfer of sap from one plant to another.

Sap transfer is a crucial step in cloning. If proper sanitization is not ensured, the HpLVD virus is transmitted. Sharing of clones, a common practice among cannabis growers may also provide a way for this transmission.

Not only that but buying clones from an unreliable nursery may also pose a threat of viral infection. The main challenge posed by HpLVD is that the infected plant does not show any symptoms, but it is still capable of transferring the disease to a healthy plant.

An infected plant may show symptoms of HpLVD in the flowering stage. Infected cannabis plants exhibit a phenomenon called ‘dudding’ in which they don't grow as big as their clones. Also, lower trichrome production in such plants makes them appear less frosty. You can catch these symptoms quickly if you have an eye for them. But they are not as noticeable in many cases.

Treatment

Here are a few things you can do to prevent the spread of HpLVD in your cannabis crop. First of all, ensure sanitization, especially during the process of cloning. Another technique advised by the experts is outgrowing the virus.

You can take fresh cuttings from the infected plant and grow them. Take young and fresh cuttings from this new plant and develop a new plant. Repeat this process until the viral load reduces considerably.

3 . Fusarium wilt and root rot

Fusarium fungus causes wilt and root rot in the cannabis plant. Fusarium fungus is so effective against the cannabis plant that it literally eats away the plant. At one time, it was used by authorities in Florida to get rid of illegal cannabis.

Fusarium wipes out the plant, and due to this potency, it is being tested for various agricultural gains. Fusarium lives in the soil and starts eating the plant from its roots. The root rot turns the stem red, and it bursts. This bursting invites other disease-causing organisms to the site as well.

The root rot impacts the delivery of nutrients to the plant. The roots fail to supply nutrients to the plant, and as a result, the leaves turn yellow-brown. Then they start wilting, and the plant stoops.

Treatment

There is no effective treatment against Fusarium invasion in the cannabis plant. But there are a few techniques to be practiced in case of an outbreak. First of all, reduce the soil's moisture to the point that impedes fungal growth. Other practices include rotation, avoiding the field, and treating the seed and soil.

Dealing with diseases in the cannabis plant

Only early detection can save cannabis from the progression of a disease. Timely removal of the plant protects other plants from infection.

Unfortunately, plants don't have an immune system that prevents them from infection. It is up to us, their caretakers, to help them fight against the disease. As a nursery staff or a person that often comes in contact with plants, it is your utmost duty to practice hygiene.

Ensure sanitization in all processes that involve more than one plant. Take special safety measures during cloning. Also, keep your eyes open for changes in plants, even if it's a mild change.

If you suspect something unusual in a plant, immediately separate it from others. In plants, much damage has already been done to them by the time symptoms appear. Always have a second opinion while diagnosing a plant with a disease. But be quick in doing so and starting a treatment for the plant.