Evaluating Squid Juice as a viable fertilizer/supplement in a controlled environment agriculture setting

Challenge: 
Determine if a novel, squid hydrolysate-based product can act as a fertilizer/supplement in a controlled environment agriculture setting

Solution: 
Run trials in a controlled environment setting and establish the commercial viability of the product by evaluating impact on plant growth, yield, and chemical profiles

Impact: 
Trials evaluated the effects of this product on the growth, yield, and chemical profile of plants. This information will help the business make decisions regarding product validation and use in Canadian horticulture facilities
The HESIC team conducting a trial growing the cannabis cultivar ‘White Shark’ with several treatments using Seaborn Organics’ Squid Juice at full strength rate, combined with differing water-soluble fertilizer rates in two different commercially available grow media, peat/perlite and coco coir. (Photo credit: Niagara College)

OBJECTIVE

The primary goal was to assess the effectiveness of Squid Juice, a novel squid hydrolysate-based product, as a fertilizer/supplement in the cultivation of Cannabis sativa ‘White Shark’ within a controlled indoor agricultural setting. The study aimed to establish the commercial viability of Squid Juice by evaluating its impact on plant growth, yield, and chemical profiles including cannabinoid and terpene content.

CHALLENGE

Seaborn Organics faces a pivotal challenge in establishing the commercial viability of their Squid Juice product. While the product promises a sustainable and organic nutrient solution, its efficacy remains largely unproven in commercial cannabis production. Demonstrating the product’s effectiveness on cannabis growth, yield, and quality can provide tangible evidence to potential customers. Seaborn Organics currently does not have access to an indoor controlled environment to perform reliable growth trials to gain knowledge on their product’s efficacy on cannabis plant growth.

SOLUTION

The Horticultural and Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC) team at Niagara College executed a trial growing the cannabis cultivar ‘White Shark’ with several treatments using Seaborn Organics’ Squid Juice at full strength rate, combined with differing water-soluble fertilizer rates in two different commercially available grow media, peat/perlite and coco coir. These were compared against a standard peat/perlite and coco coir media that was solely fertilized using either Seaborn Organics or a traditional water-soluble cannabis fertility program. The trial evaluated the effects of this novel product on the growth, yield, cannabinoid and terpene content of the plants.

(Project #NC136)