A Deep Dive into Tissue Culture with Nathan Johnson
About this episode
Dr. Riley Kirk and Dr. Nathan Johnson discuss the transformative role of tissue culture in cannabis cultivation.
Cannabis tissue culture, plant genetics, micropropagation, and pathogen testing are transforming modern cultivation. In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk is joined by Dr. Nathan Johnson, President & CEO of Verne Bio, for a fascinating deep dive into one of the most powerful—and misunderstood—tools in cannabis cultivation. Together they explore how tissue culture is helping preserve elite cannabis genetics, eliminate plant pathogens, improve cultivation consistency, and solve some of the industry's biggest challenges. Drawing from Dr. Johnson's extensive background in molecular biology, microbiology, bioinformatics, and plant science, the conversation breaks down how tissue culture works, why it's becoming essential for commercial cultivation, and what growers should know before adopting it. The discussion also examines cannabis testing, microbial contamination, remediation methods, irradiation, and the science behind maintaining healthy plants without sacrificing quality. They unpack how beneficial microbes interact with cannabis, why current testing regulations remain controversial, and the differences between qPCR, culture-based testing, sequencing, and…
People in this episode
Host: Riley D. Kirk, Ph.D.
Guest: Nathan Johnson
Topics covered
- tissue culture
- cannabis cultivation
- plant genetics
- microbial contamination
- cultivation practices
- pathogen detection
Keywords
- tissue culture
- cannabis genetics
- micropropagation
- pathogen testing
- cultivation consistency
- microbial contamination
- THC testing
- cannabinoid percentages
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Verne Bio
Products: cannabis, THC, cannabinoid
More episodes of BIOACTIVE
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the BIOACTIVE podcast page.