{"id":5138,"date":"2023-09-13T16:43:16","date_gmt":"2023-09-13T16:43:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/?p=5138"},"modified":"2026-02-22T17:54:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T17:54:28","slug":"hop-latent-viroid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/the-plant\/hop-latent-viroid","title":{"rendered":"Hop-latent viroid (HLVd): How the \u201cCOVID\u201d of cannabis is wreaking havoc on grows"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>HLVd is not transmissible to humans, but it's estimated to be infecting 75% of cannabis grows<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>HLVd has no cure and spreads easily from plant to plant<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>The viroid causes plants and flower growth to be stunted and is estimated to cost cultivators billions each year in lost revenue<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There's a plant disease as worrisome as COVID spreading to cannabis grows worldwide. While this is alarming, the plant disease in question, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1999-4915\/15\/3\/681\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hop Latent Plant Viroid (HLVd or HpLVd)<\/a>, is neither transmissible nor seems to affect humans. Good news for the health of cannabis consumers, but certainly not for growers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It's been estimated that this silent crop pathogen is <a href=\"https:\/\/tumigenomics.com\/hop-latent-viroid-testing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">infecting 75%<\/a> of facilities across the US, Canada, and Europe and upwards of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/cannabis\/article\/cannabis-farms-infectious-pathogen-18115205.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">90% of cultivation operations<\/a> in California, where it can drastically decrease the quantity and potency of their harvests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wm-article-table-of-contents-header\" id=\"what-is-hlvd\">\n\tWhat is HLVd?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Also known as Dudding Disease, HLVd is a type of plant pathogen called a viroid. Viroids are related to but different from viruses such as COVID. They're made up of a single strand of RNA that lacks the typical surrounding protein coat commonly found in viruses, and they are the smallest plant pathogens known to scientists, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nano.gov\/about-nanotechnology\/just-how-small-is-nano\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">measuring less than 50 nanometers in size<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image \">\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2.jpg\" data-modal-open=\"lightbox_3493\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-768x432.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 768px) 476px, (min-width: 1218px) 772px, 100vw\" alt=\"hybrid cannabis plant\" title=\"Click to see a larger version of the image\">\n\t\t\t<\/a><cite>Photo by: Gina Coleman\/Weedmaps<\/cite><\/figure>\t\t\t<div id=\"lightbox_3493\" data-modal data-modal-hide-heading data-modal-manual-close hidden>\n\t\t\t\t<h2>Image lightbox<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-768x432.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/180713_3983_FrozenNorthFarms_AlienCream_2623-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"hybrid cannabis plant\">\n\t\t\t\t<button role=\"button\" class=\"a11y-modal__close-btn\" data-modal-close-btn>\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M13.414 12l4.293 4.293a1 1 0 01-1.414 1.414L12 13.414l-4.293 4.293a1 1 0 11-1.414-1.414L10.586 12 6.293 7.707a1 1 0 011.414-1.414L12 10.586l4.293-4.293a1 1 0 011.414 1.414L13.414 12z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Viroids find their way to the nucleus of the plant's cells, where they hijack the genes and force the cell to replicate the viroid. Then, they spread throughout the plant using its vascular system and sap flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wm-article-table-of-contents-header\" id=\"what-happens-to-cannabis-plants-infected-with-hlvd\">\n\tWhat happens to cannabis plants infected with HLVd?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Similar to COVID, the symptoms of HLVd can range from none to severe and depend on the <a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/the-plant\/understanding-marijuana-plant-stages#:~:text=The%20cannabis%20plant%20experiences%20growth,the%20cycle%20to%20start%20again.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plant's stage of development when it becomes infected<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Propagation stage:<\/strong> If infected in the propagation stage, root length and emergence can be significantly reduced. This leads to slower development of clones and poor quality of root cuttings.&nbsp; Additionally, <a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/the-plant\/cannabis-pest-disease-identification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this makes the plant more susceptible to other infections<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Vegetative stage:<\/strong> If infected in the vegetative stage, the plant's growth will be stunted, and other symptoms, such as lateral branching, brittle stems, unusual odor, and shorter internodal spacing, can occur. The leaves also appear smaller, more narrow, malformed, and discolored.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Flowering stage:<\/strong> If infected in the flowering stage, the plants will appear smaller than usual and may have yellowing of leaves near the bud sites. This is the stage where infected plants show clear signs of HLVd infections and when tested, have higher concentrations of the viroid.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>While smaller and less resilient plants are problem enough for cannabis cultivators, the disease also causes a reduction in the size of <a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/dictionary\/trichome\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">trichomes produced by the plants<\/a>, which means a decrease in the potency of phytocannabinoids and terpenes. Some have reported a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xQTRWQuUCzY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">30% reduction of total cannabinoid production<\/a> in infected plants, <a href=\"https:\/\/stratcann.com\/insight\/the-hop-latent-viroids-warning-shot-to-the-canadian-cannabis-industry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">with others reporting even higher losses<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/Tnhrn91zOqUQMkOp36N6dzTDRmx80WJc7wH8EQ0xgqazWtYl__KNnyOscmq7-8edeiiqnwGRBq_gIeA8-a_yzFEGadV8MTXw7xg9W-HFzGqG5618I_Lr6lC05W0owaTiLSDKJ5lDrN3LKTxmqcfgrO4\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Electron microscope images of healthy (left) versus infected (right) trichomes. <br>Photo by: Zamir Punja, PhD<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Smaller plants producing smaller flowers with less potency can drastically impact a cannabis cultivator's bottom line, with some estimates putting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com\/news\/cannabis-hop-latent-viroid-infections-dark-heart-nursery-crop-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">annual losses to the industry at $4 billion<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wm-article-table-of-contents-header\" id=\"how-is-hlvd-detected\">\n\tHow is HLVd detected?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>HLVd was <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/2454454\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">first discovered in hop plants in 1987<\/a>, but it was only first confirmed in California cannabis plants in 2019. The disease can be detected with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstage.jst.go.jp\/article\/jjphytopath1918\/58\/5\/58_5_677\/_pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)<\/a> test, similar to the COVID-19 tests we use in humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no cure for HLVd. However, if a particular strain's genetics are valuable and need to be preserved, they can be restored to their pre-disease state with <a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/the-plant\/tissue-culture-cloning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">meristem tissue culture technologies<\/a>. Tissue culture can also be used to generate viroid-free clones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wm-article-table-of-contents-header\" id=\"how-does-hlvd-spread\">\n\tHow does HLVd spread?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Part of the reason that HLVd has become so prevalent is because it spreads quickly and easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the sap from an infected plant gets onto pruning tools, grower's hands, or any other piece of equipment used in cultivation, it can pass to healthy plants. It can also spread by water sources, especially when the source is recirculated or shared among plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Within an individual plant, Dr. Punja's work showed that <a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/dictionary\/photoperiod-weed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">once a photoperiod plant shifts to a 12-hour light\/12-hour dark light schedule<\/a> for flowering, the viroid's movement throughout the plant becomes much higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image \">\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited.png\" data-modal-open=\"lightbox_5140\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-768x576.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited.png 1604w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-1536x1152.png 1536w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-510x382.png 510w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-1080x810.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 768px) 476px, (min-width: 1218px) 772px, 100vw\" alt=\"Graphic of HPLd progression\" title=\"Click to see a larger version of the image\">\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/figure>\t\t\t<div id=\"lightbox_5140\" data-modal data-modal-hide-heading data-modal-manual-close hidden>\n\t\t\t\t<h2>Image lightbox<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-768x576.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited.png 1604w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-1536x1152.png 1536w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-510x382.png 510w, https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-13-at-9.07.13-AM-edited-1080x810.png 1080w\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"Graphic of HPLd progression\">\n\t\t\t\t<button role=\"button\" class=\"a11y-modal__close-btn\" data-modal-close-btn>\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M13.414 12l4.293 4.293a1 1 0 01-1.414 1.414L12 13.414l-4.293 4.293a1 1 0 11-1.414-1.414L10.586 12 6.293 7.707a1 1 0 011.414-1.414L12 10.586l4.293-4.293a1 1 0 011.414 1.414L13.414 12z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Photo by: Zamir Punja, PhD<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The viroid was found to survive on gloves covered in sap for up to five days and in fallen leaves and root tissues for weeks. Small root tissues infected with the viroid heated to 158\u00b0F (70\u00b0C) for 30 minutes tested positive. The viroid could not be destroyed in a trial of ultraviolet-C light, which can burn human skin, and HpLVd also appears resistant to other eradication treatments, such as bleach, peroxyacetic acid, and other well-known and commonly used disinfectants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No studies document the spread of the viroid through insects at this point, but this remains a concern for cultivators.\u00a0And to complicate matters, plants infected with HLVd can remain asymptomatic for long periods, with some cultivars never displaying symptoms, making containing its spread much more difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wm-article-table-of-contents-header\" id=\"what-can-cultivators-do-to-prevent-or-avoid-hlvd-infection\">\n\tWhat can cultivators do to prevent or avoid HLVd infection?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cultivators can regularly test plants, with special attention given to new plants or clones in quarantine before introducing them to the facility. Testing regularly and eradicating infected plants has been shown to reduce overall infection rates over time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>General sanitation practices, such as soaking tools in bleach or other disinfectants, are highly recommended. In preliminary research, Dr. Punja reported that an enzyme called a nuclease, found in plants, bacteria, fungi, yeast, and humans, destroyed the RNA in the viroid. Still, products containing nuclease aren't yet readily available.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When looking ahead to future generations of plants, specific genetic breeding could be used to produce plants that are more resistant to the viroid and may become a viable option for reducing the occurrence and spread of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wm-article-table-of-contents-header\" id=\"faq\">\n\tFAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-prevalent-is-hlvd-in-cannabis-grows\">How prevalent is HLVd in cannabis grows?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hop Latent Viroid has quickly become one of the most problematic plant pathogens faced by cannabis cultivators. HLVd is easily spread and present in about three-quarters of North American and European facilities. It's often present in asymptomatic plants, making its containment challenging.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-are-some-cannabis-cultivars-resistant-to-hlvd\">Are some cannabis cultivars resistant to HLVd?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, scientists at Medicinal Genomics <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=G-s7uM9Bd8M&amp;list=PLY7VMskICYhxrA0wm8crfWVM-cSkSztOF&amp;ab_channel=MedicinalGenomics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">discovered one strain that's been shown to partially resist<\/a> the effects of HLVd: <a href=\"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/strains\/jamaican-lion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jamaican Lion<\/a>, a sativa with landrace genetics. Though it's not fully resistant, it offers a sliver of hope for other cannabis plants with similar genetics to possibly fight the common viroid.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-can-hlvd-be-cured\">Can HLVd be cured?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This \u201cCOVID\u201d of cannabis causes plants and flower growth to be stunted and is estimated to cost cultivators billions each year in lost revenue. There is currently no cure and little in the way of effective treatments or containment measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Bonni Goldstein, MD<\/em><\/strong><em> is a physician specializing in cannabis medicine in Los Angeles, California. She has successfully treated thousands of adult and pediatric patients with cannabis. She regularly speaks about cannabis medicine at conferences and patient groups worldwide. She is the owner and medical director of CannaCenters and medical advisor to Weedmaps.com. She is the author of the recently published book Cannabis is Medicine.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hop-latent viroid (HLVd) is known as the COVID of cannabis plants. Learn what its symptoms are, how it spreads, if it can be cured, and how to prevent it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":3895,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[110],"tags":[2149,2150,2151,2152],"class_list":["post-5138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-plant","tag-hop-latent-viroid","tag-hlvd-in-cannabis","tag-cannabis-plant-disease","tag-cultivation-biosecurity"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v18.9 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Hop-latent viroid: The COVID of Cannabis | Weedmaps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hop-latent viroid (HLVd) is known as the COVID of cannabis plants. 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