In this conversation, Tad and Dr. David Hawley (Chief Science Officer at Fluence) unpack what really matters when dialing in your lighting strategy for cannabis and other high-value crops. They get deep into how plants perceive light, what “good spectrum” actually means, and how to think about intensity, uniformity, and plant response in a more scientific (and practical) way.

Topics covered include:

Understanding Daily Light Integral (DLI) and how it relates to plant metabolism

When to use far-red and what to expect from it

The truth about UV lighting and secondary metabolite production

Managing leaf temperature and avoiding hidden stress from high PPFD

How fixture placement and uniformity impact yield and morphology

Using dimming strategies through different growth stages

Why overemphasizing spectrum specs can distract from the real gains

Practical steps for mapping your grow and verifying performance

David also shares insights on under-canopy lighting, canopy architecture, and the future of horticultural light design, offering takeaways for both commercial cultivators and serious home growers.

Resources mentioned:

Fluence by OSRAM

KiS Organics Living Soil & Nutrients

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this conversation, Tad and Dr. David Hawley (Chief Science Officer at Fluence) unpack what really matters when dialing in your lighting strategy for cannabis and other high-value crops. They get deep into how plants perceive light, what “good spectrum” actually means, and how to think about intensity, uniformity, and plant response in a more scientific (and practical) way.

Topics covered include:

Understanding Daily Light Integral (DLI) and how it relates to plant metabolism

When to use far-red and what to expect from it

The truth about UV lighting and secondary metabolite production

Managing leaf temperature and avoiding hidden stress from high PPFD

How fixture placement and uniformity impact yield and morphology

Using dimming strategies through different growth stages

Why overemphasizing spectrum specs can distract from the real gains

Practical steps for mapping your grow and verifying performance

David also shares insights on under-canopy lighting, canopy architecture, and the future of horticultural light design, offering takeaways for both commercial cultivators and serious home growers.

Resources mentioned:

Fluence by OSRAM

KiS Organics Living Soil & Nutrients

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Can stress actually improve flower quality? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. José Leme to dive into the science of plant stimuli and how growers can apply it in practice. We cover:

🌿 Mechanical cues — how super cropping and vibration trigger plant defense pathways.

💧 Water restriction — why moderate, timed drought can shift carbon toward secondary metabolites like terpenes and cannabinoids.

🧪 Jasmonates (MeJA) — when they increase trichome density, and what trade-offs you need to consider.

🔬 Trichome measurement pitfalls — why bracts are the gold standard for consistent data.

🌱 Propagation & trial design — the importance of clonal fidelity and standardized protocols when testing stress strategies.

Dr. Leme and I also highlight practical guardrails for growers: cultivar differences, timing, and the “sweet spot” between beneficial stress and damaging stress.

📄 Referenced Studies:

Water Deficit Stress and Secondary Metabolites

Jasmonates in Growth, Trichomes, and Cannabinoids

Metabolic Responses to Water Deficit

Trichome Sampling & Quantification Methods

Trigonelline as a Biomarker for Drought Stress (Preprint)

Propagation & Clonal Fidelity in Cannabis Research

Additional vibration study discussed in the episode.

🎧 Whether you’re a grower, consultant, or researcher, this conversation will give you a framework for using stress not as a risk—but as a precision tool to enhance plant quality.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.