May 27, 2021
BOULDER, Colo., May 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Front Range Biosciences® ("FRB"), a cannabis and hemp genetics platform company, today announced a licensing partnership with AgriScience Labs, one of the oldest ISO-accredited cannabis and hemp testing labs in Colorado, and CERESLabs, a leading California-based cannabis and industrial hemp analytical research and testing facility. Under the agreement, AgriScience and CERESLabs are launching commercial testing services for Hop Latent Viroid (HLVd) at their respective facilities leveraging FRB's patent pending HLVd detection assays.
HLVd is one of the biggest threats to the cannabis industry. The disease can spread asymptomatically and is hard to identify, allowing HLVd to enter a production system and spread undetected. Once symptoms do show, the effects are often devastating. HLVd reduces crop yields by causing stunted growth, deformed leaves, and smaller, sparser flowers with fewer trichomes. According to MJBizDaily, California operators have lost 10-30% of their crop from the disease, and internal data shows infected plants can also suffer up to a 35% loss in cannabinoid content such as THC, and up to 70% reduction in yield.
"We pride ourselves on providing the most advanced testing technology for our customers across Colorado, and we are thrilled to work with an innovative company such as FRB to expand our capabilities," said Frank Traylor, CEO of AgriScience Labs. "Our clients are seeing a surge in HLVd, and this new threat calls for bold solutions like the ones Front Range Biosciences is developing. We are thrilled to add their testing platform to our portfolio of trusted solutions."
"FRB has a reputation for innovation, so it's no surprise they would bring to market a fast, accurate HLVd testing program for the cannabis industry," said Sachin Barot, Founder and CEO of CERESLabs. "We are pleased to work with a company that shares our commitment to supporting cannabis operators and building a better supply chain."
"Hop Latent Viroid Disease jeopardizes not just the health of plants but also the economic health of cannabis and hemp producers," said Dr. Jonathan Vaught, Co-founder and CEO of Front Range Biosciences. "AgriScience and CERESLabs work with some of the largest cannabis producers in Colorado and California. We're excited to see these partners leverage some of the tools we have developed in our efforts to mitigate risks for growers from this devastating pathogen."
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