Hop Latent Viroid Spreads Across Cannabis Industry

Key Takeaway

Cannabis researchers found that hop latent viroid had infected approximately 90 percent of California cannabis grow facilities, causing an estimated $4 billion in annual industrywide losses across the US. The plant pathogen, first identified in hops, reduces THC and terpene levels while cutting yields by up to 42 percent in infected crops. Infection spreads asymptomatically through contaminated cutting tools, clones, and worker movement between facilities, making containment extremely difficult. The revelation prompted California cultivators to invest heavily in tissue culture, genetic testing, and biosecurity protocols. For cannabis operators, the viroid outbreak underscored the need for strict clone sourcing, regular plant testing, and facility biosecurity investments as core operational disciplines.