Impact of Different Phytohormones on Morphology, Yield and Cannabinoid Content of Cannabis sativa L

The impact of exogenously applied plant growth regulators (PGR), 1-naphthalenaecetic acid (NAA), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and a mixture of both (NAA/BAP-mix), was investigated in regard to plant height, length of axillary branches, number of internodes, biomass yield and cannabinoid content of three different phytocannabinoid-rich (PCR) Cannabis genotypes. The results showed that total plant height was significantly reduced under the application of NAA (28%), BAP (18%), and NAA/BAP-mix treated plants (15%). Axillary branch length was also significantly reduced by 58% (NAA) and 30% (NAA/BAP-mix). BAP did not significantly reduce the length of axillary branches. The number of internodes was reduced by NAA (19%), BAP (10%), and the NAA/BAP-mix (14%) compared to the untreated control. NAA application influenced the plant architecture of the tested cv. KANADA beneficially, resulting in a more compact growth habitus, while inflorescence yield (23.51 g plant^-1) remained similar compared to the control (24.31 g plant^-1). Inflorescence yield of v. 0.2x and cv. FED was reduced due to PGR application while cannabinoid content remained stable. Overall, the application of PGR could be used on a genotype-specific level to beneficially influence plant architecture and optimize inflorescence yield per unit area and thus cannabinoid yield, especially in the presence of space limitations under indoor cultivation.

Keywords: Cannabis sativa L.; biomass yield; cannabinoids; growth regulators; indoor growth; length of axillary branches; number of internodes; plant height; plant morphology.