Since the announcement of a new course devoted to the cultivation of cannabis, the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture(PSLA) has received considerable attention. The class, Horticulture of Cannabis: From Seed to Harvest, developed by adjunct faculty member Matthew Debacco with assistance from Dr. Gerry Berkowitz, has put a spotlight on teaching the science behind growing the plant to meet strong student interest in a rapidly expanding industry. However, the course represents only one branch of the department’s flourishing academic focus on cannabis.
Several faculty members and students in PSLA are engaged in numerous cannabis-related research projects, including collaborations with local cultivators and producers. These research efforts are increasing cannabis knowledge for growers and the public domain through published research and presentations. These projects are bringing scientific inquiry to a plant that, for legal reasons, has remained largely unstudied by the academic community.
The passage of the 2014 US Farm Bill opened the door for institutions of higher education to grow or cultivate hemp for research purposes, allowing the department to bring rigorous science to the study of the plant. Industrial hemp (hemp) is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant recognized for its many uses, including fiber, food, biofuel and medicine.
