From Theory to Practice: Building a Future in Cannabis Horticulture

An interview with Deron Caplan, PhD

Deron Caplan, PhD, is a cannabis cultivation scientist and Senior Consultant at Sostanza. With a background in horticulture and over a decade of experience optimizing high-performance cultivation systems, Deron was among the first researchers in the world to complete a PhD focused on indoor cannabis production. In this interview, he shares how his early fascination with plants evolved into a career at the intersection of science, engineering, and cannabis cultivation.

Take us back to the beginning, what first drew you to cannabis?

I’ve always been passionate about horticulture and plant production, that’s where it all started. I was studying horticulture at the University of Guelph in Canada, long before cannabis was legalized recreationally. At that time, only a small medical program existed, so cannabis didn’t seem like a viable research path.

But I was fascinated by it. Cannabis combines advanced horticultural systems, automation, and technology with a focus on quality and detail. It’s a high-value crop that rewards precision. I’ve always been a bit of a perfectionist, and cannabis gave me a way to merge my love for system design with plant science. I started growing at home, building my own automated systems with aquarium controllers, well before commercial automation tools existed.

“Cannabis was the perfect bridge between science, engineering, and plant artistry. It demanded precision, and rewarded it.”

Do you remember the first time you really looked at cannabis as something to study seriously?

That moment came when I met my graduate advisor, Dr. Youbin Zheng. When I told him I wanted to study medical crops and horticultural production, he kept asking, “What do you want to do after that?” Eventually I said, “One day I’d like to work in cannabis.”

He said he was open to it, and he found a way to make it happen. Together we partnered with a licensed producer in Ontario, and I became the first person to complete a PhD on indoor cannabis cultivation in North America. I studied everything from propagation and cloning to organic fertilization, growing media, and drought stress physiology. We even mounted sensors directly into the plant stems to measure water potential. Every part of it was new, and that was exciting.

Working in cannabis research early on must have come with resistance. What were some of the biggest barriers or misconceptions you had to overcome?

I was lucky to have strong institutional support. The University of Guelph was open-minded, and Dr. Zheng shielded me from most of the resistance. The real challenge was regulatory.

Because the system was so new, everything had to be done by the book. For example, in one of my drought stress trials, I had to monitor plants around the clock and hand-water whenever they reached a specific threshold, sometimes at two in the morning. I needed a licensed “responsible person in charge” present every time I entered the grow room, even in the middle of the night. I remember defrosting my car with a hair dryer in the middle of winter just to get there to meet the unenthusiastic and sleepy head-grower. It was exhausting but worth it. Those experiences make me appreciate how far the industry has come.

What is it about this plant that still fascinates you today?

I love building systems, HVAC, irrigation, fertigation, anything that involves understanding how complex elements interact to create optimal plant performance. What’s changed is the accessibility of professional tools. We now have integrated control systems like Priva, Argus, Growlink, and Trollmaster that make it possible for more growers to achieve precision results without starting from scratch.

It’s nice to see how much easier it’s become to teach, implement, and optimize these systems. More people can now access high-quality technology that used to be out of reach.

Do you see cannabis cultivation as more of a science, an art, or a bridge between the two?

Definitely both—but I lean toward science by nature. I rely on creative partners in breeding and product development to bring the artistic side. Breeders create the genetics, an essential part of the equation, while I design the systems that help those genetics reach their full potential.

The other creative piece comes from consumers. I’m fascinated by how preferences vary, from connoisseurs chasing rare terpene profiles to newcomers seeking specific effects. My role is to design cultivation systems that can produce a range of desired outcomes, efficiently and consistently.

“The science builds the foundation. The creativity comes from genetics, consumers, and how we choose to express the plant.”

How do you see the future of cannabis cultivation evolving—and what role do you hope to play in it?

The pace of learning is accelerating. More growers, more markets, and better data mean faster innovation. Tools like AI and advanced automation now let us embed what we’ve learned directly into growing systems, making expert knowledge scalable.

For me, it always comes back to helping people, building systems that allow others to grow better, faster, and more sustainably. The next frontier is using technology to make that knowledge accessible globally, without growers needing direct one-on-one guidance. That’s the exciting part.

Closing thoughts

At Sostanza, Deron applies this same data-driven, systems-based approach to help cannabis producers worldwide design, optimize, and scale their cultivation operations. From environmental control and fertigation design to GACP/GMP implementation and staff training, Sostanza’s consulting services turn proven science into repeatable success. Whether clients are building a new facility or refining existing operations, the goal remains the same: efficient systems, consistent quality, and empowered growers.