Greengro signs cannabis genetic JV with plant geneticist

Greengro Technologies has signed a joint venture with Maqsood Rehman, Ph.D., a leading horticulture geneticist, for the development, patenting and licensing of cannabis strains.

The JV is between GenoBreeding, a majority-owned Greengro subsidiary, and Dr. Rehman. Under the terms of the agreement, GenoBreeding will own 60 percent of the JV, and Dr. Rehman 40 percent. As was disclosed just last week, the Company’s GenoBreeding has already signed its first customer, igot420.

Dr. Rehman brings 15 years’ successful experience and industry leadership including five years with Monsanto Company, and five years with Dow Agrosciences. To implement the JV’s business plan for surpassing the current industry state of cannabis strain development, he and his scientific team will utilize advanced technologies including breeding methods, genome sequencing, development of new molecular markers for key traits, and bioinformatics (software tools to develop predictive breeding methods).

The combination and relative potency of about 200 terpenes, flavonoids, cannabinoids including THC, CBD and other molecular constituents give various strains of cannabis their distinctive flavors, scents and therapeutic properties. The number of combinations of these constituents, at differing potencies, is unlimited.

The strains GenoBreeding selects for commercialization will be patented, assigned bar codes and included in its growing library for licensing, to companies such as igot420 for example. Initially, the its commercialization strategy targets growers, producers and dispensaries seeking their own proprietary marijuana strains, in their own name, to build brand equity as well as to be able to offer customers unique, high quality strains to build brand loyalty. Secondarily, the company will target the rapidly growing number of biotech firms conducting advanced, FDA compliant clinical research on cannabis from San Diego to Tel Aviv. They require highly specific, custom strains from which to extract and/or synthesize terpenes, CBD and the many other cannabis constituents.

Maqsood Rehman
Maqsood Rehman, Ph.D. has 15 years’ successful industry experience. He has worked for Dow Agrosciences since 2012, most recently as Soybean Leader. Prior, he served Monsanto Company since 2007 as Soybean Breeder.

Dr. Rehman has published peer reviewed articles in eight scientific journals. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Plant Science from the University of Idaho, and completed post-doctoral studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia.