This is a great topic worthy of further duscussion.
I think @BenMGC would be a perfect expert to consult here with that question.
I found a great article on the subject on the Medicinal Genomics:
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Hey guys. Sorry for jumping on late. First, as others have pointed out, Aspergillus is not PM or Botrytis (bud rot). So even though there are no signs of those, doesnāt mean Aspergillus is not present.
As for during what stage the product acquired the infection, that is difficult to tell. According to the literature, Aspergillus is most commonly found in soil, but its spores propagate rapidly in the air with each fungus capable of producing thousands of conidia. These spores are commonly spread through environmental disturbances and strong air currents, that allow them to be found both indoors and out. Aspergillus spores are tiny, even by biological standards, allowing them to travel great distances in the air.
Aspergillus is also a plant EndoPhyte. Many bacteria of concern are also hemp endophytes. Endophytes live inside the plant, not on the surface.
Another thing to consider is that Aspergillus grows poorly on various culture-based microbial tests. As a result, many labs used DNA-based methods, like the ones we sell at Medicinal Genomics. Thatās important because even if you were to irradiate the flower before testing, a DNA-based test would be able to detect the DNA of dead Aspergillus. Thatās a good thing, because Aspergillus produces mycotoxins that can be harmful to consumers even if the fungus itself is dead.
Letās not forget, Aspergillus is the biggest threat to cannabis users. The only deaths associated to cannabis use are due to Aspergillus infection. Aspergillus: The Most Dangerous Cannabis Pathogen | Medicinal Genomics
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Thank you so much for the information. If Aspergillus is everywhere including plant tissue. I dont see any remedies for it. I understand that it can be dangerous, but are there certain levels that are not dangerous? Because even if we treat the environment how can we do anything about it being in the plant tissue. As a grower itās tough to find out we have to destroy thousands of dollars worth of product without there being a real solution for the problem.
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No. States that require Aspergillus testing typically look for 4 species known to be dangerous (flavus, fumigatus, niger, and terreus), and they canāt be present in the sample at all. We call those presence/absence tests.
I can certainly understand the frustration. I think the key would be controlling the environment so that the Aspergillus never gets into the plant tissue. I believe there are beneficial microbes that can be used to prevent Aspergillus infection as well. Iāll check in with our CSO when I get to the office this morning.
TBH, our company is mainly focused on arming the testing labs with the best technology to detect microbial contamination, and we havenāt been focused on helping the growers keep their crop clean. Perhaps, that should changeā¦
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