Episode 150: Plants Under Pressure: How Stress Shapes Secondary Metabolites (w/ Dr. José Leme)

Can stress actually improve flower quality? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. José Leme to dive into the science of plant stimuli and how growers can apply it in practice. We cover:🌿 Mechanical cues — how super cropping and vibration trigger plant defense pathways.💧 Water restriction — why moderate, timed drought can shift carbon toward secondary metabolites like terpenes and cannabinoids.🧪 Jasmonates (MeJA) — when they increase trichome density, and what trade-offs you need to consider.🔬 Trichome measurement pitfalls — why bracts are the gold standard for consistent data.🌱 Propagation & trial design — the importance of clonal fidelity and standardized protocols when testing stress strategies.Dr. Leme and I also highlight practical guardrails for growers: cultivar differences, timing, and the “sweet spot” between beneficial stress and damaging stress.📄 Referenced Studies:Water Deficit Stress and Secondary MetabolitesJasmonates in Growth, Trichomes, and CannabinoidsMetabolic Responses to Water DeficitTrichome Sampling & Quantification MethodsTrigonelline as a Biomarker for Drought Stress (Preprint)Propagation & Clonal Fidelity in Cannabis ResearchAdditional vibration study discussed in the episode.🎧 Whether you’re a grower, consultant, or researcher, this conversation will give you a framework for using stress not as a risk—but as a precision tool to enhance plant quality. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.