Aurora Cannabis Inc. says it has discovered a novel source of genetic resistance against a common fungal disease that affects cannabis plants.

The cannabis producer recently identified the novel single dominant powdery mildew resistant locus called PM2, which provides resistance to powdery mildew disease in cannabis. Powdery mildew is a fungus that affects numerous plants, spreading through spores.

This proprietary genetic marker technology is now in use in Aurora’s breeding program and is expected to produce powdery mildew resistant cultivars that will be explored for commercial launch in 2025. Aurora operates its cannabis breeding facility on Vancouver Island, Aurora Coast, which hosts the Occo research centre.

“This discovery offers a critical solution to a pressing challenge in the cannabis industry worldwide,” says Lana Culley, Vice President of Innovation and International Operations at Aurora. 

“At Aurora Coast, our state-of-the-art research and development facility, we continuously search for ways to add value to our proprietary cannabis cultivars, and this discovery will lead to new means of managing disease in cannabis production. This success story underscores the impact of our investment in scientific excellence, a commitment that sets Aurora apart from our competitors.”

In collaboration with Genome BC, the program was first announced in 2020 as part of more than $4.2 million in federal, provincial, and industry funding to aid with UBC research into enhanced cannabis cultivars, focusing on disease resistance.

The project, Fast-Track Breeding of Powdery Mildew-Resistant Cannabis, involved UBC researchers Dr. Loren Rieseberg and Dr. Todesco in partnership with Aurora Cannabis.

In a paper published on March 12, researchers presented evidence showing how PM2 helps to stop the growth of the powdery mildew pathogen. By isolating this gene, they were able to create genetic markers that can be used to introduce PM2 resistance into cannabis cultivars, reducing production costs for commercial producers and improving cannabis quality.

While powdery mildew is often controlled in other commercial crops with fungicides, such products are tightly restricted for use on cannabis in Canada.

In the peer-reviewed research led by Jose Celedon, Principal Scientist of Breeding and Genetics at Aurora, in collaboration with researchers at The University of British Columbia, it was noted that “breeding genetic resistance to economically important crop diseases is the most sustainable strategy for disease management and enhancing agricultural and horticultural productivity, particularly where the application of synthetic pesticides is prohibited.” 

Aurora has announced other recent breakthroughs from their cannabis research team. In 2024, the company was awarded US Patent 12,002,546, “Methods of Determining Sensitivity to Photoperiod in Cannabis” to aid in creating outdoor cannabis cultivars that do well in high-latitude regions like Canada. 

Aurora has been investing in its cannabis breeding program since 2018, especially through its facility in Vancouver Island’s Comox Valley. An investor report from Aurora says that since June 2019, the company has delivered 19 new proprietary cultivars from its research programs. In November 2021, Aurora also launched its new genetics licensing business unit, Occo, as part of its Comox facility. 

Aurora’s research has launched new cultivars like Chemango Kush, Pink Diesel ’71, Cosmic Cream, Moon Berry, Critical Diesel, Ginger Breath CKS, and Black Jelly into the European and Australian markets. Aurora also hopes to generate income by licensing these cultivars to other licensed producers, and has previously said they would aggressively target companies using their genetics without their permission.

Aurora is not the only company that has been looking at powdery mildew resistance in cannabis. In early 2024, Saskatchewan-based cannabis nursery Mother Labs announced a breeding program in collaboration with researchers at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, focussing on screening for mildew resistance.

The applied research project was first proposed by Mother Labs, who brought the idea to Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s BioScience Applied Research Centre (BARC). The Centre gives experts from private industry access to the polytechnic’s applied research expertise.

Brian Bain, CEO of Mother Labs tells StratCann that the two organizations have successfully completed the breeding project after identifying cultivars that tested positive for the targeted genes of interest, saying the results are promising.

“Beyond pathogen resistance, we continue to enhance genetics with minor cannabinoids such as CBG, CBC, CBD, and THCv, aligning our breeding program with emerging market trends and consumer demands,” he added. “By continuously improving and validating our genetics at scale, we ensure our partners have access to proven, high-performing cultivars that set a new standard for commercial success.”

Researchers at Cornel University in New York announced the discovery of a gene in hemp that conveys resistance to powdery mildew, in 2023 as well.

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