LeafWorks Launches Gender ID Test for Cannabis, Hemp

LeafWorks, a plant genetics company specializing in botanical identification for cannabis and hemp, has launched its proprietary Gender ID Test to solve a pervasive problem among cannabis cultivators – male plants. Rapid and 99.9 percent accurate screening and removal of male plants is critical in the cannabis industry as males lack the desirable buds sold at dispensaries and can ruin harvests with accidental pollination of neighboring females, which turns lucrative buds into seeds.

The normal wait time to learn a cannabis plant’s gender can be more than five weeks after germination. LeafWorks’ DNA-based test for Gender ID turns five weeks into 14 days and eliminates the human-error factor prevalent in traditional plant “sexing,” according to the company.

Comprised of a leadership team of specialized plant geneticists trained in next-generation genomic methods, chemistry and bioinformatics, LeafWorks is the first herbal genetics company to offer a comprehensive DNA validation system in the cannabis market.

By only working with DNA, which is not subject to Schedule I restriction, LeafWorks is able to provide comprehensive DNA-based solutions for cannabis supply chain issues no matter where they occur.

Gender ID Test – Available Today

Cannabis plants come in two sexes — male and female, both determined by a XY and XX chromosomal system, respectively. By enabling seedling stage identification of the Y chromosome in cannabis males with 99.9 percent accuracy for quick male removal, the LeafWorks Gender ID Test reportedly saves at least 20 percent of operational costs per harvest.

The test kit takes five minutes to prepare a DNA sample that is then compliant to mail. LeafWorks’ Gender ID testing is available internationally.

Expansion into Herbal ID & Cultivar ID Testing

Using next-generation genomic techniques, LeafWorks will launch its Herbal ID test to help combat widespread fraud in the larger botanical industry. LeafWorks will soon offer its Herbal ID Test “to give brands and consumers peace of mind to know the ginseng in their pill is actually ginseng and not celery powder.”

Similarly, LeafWorks is in the final stages of development for a cannabis Cultivar ID Test, which will provide the cannabis industry cultivar name verification.