Comprehensive Phenotypic Characterization of Diverse Drug-Type Cannabis Varieties from the Canadian Legal Market

Abstract

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) stands as a historically significant and culturally important plant, embodying economic, social, and medicinal relevance for human societies. However, years of prohibition and stigmatization have hindered the cannabis research community, which is hugely undersized and suffers from a scarcity of understanding of cannabis genetics and how key traits are expressed or inherited. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive phenotypic characterization of 176 drug-type cannabis accessions, representative of Canada’s legal market. We assessed germination methods, evaluated various traits including agronomic, morphological, and cannabinoid profiles, and uncovered significant variation within this population. Notably, the yield displayed a negative correlation with maturity-related traits but a positive correlation with the fresh biomass. Additionally, the potential THC content showed a positive correlation with maturity-related traits but a negative correlation with the yield. Significant differences were observed between the plants derived from regular female seeds and feminized seeds, as well as between the plants derived from cuttings and seeds for different traits. This study advances our understanding of cannabis cultivation, offering insights into germination practices, agronomic traits, morphological characteristics, and biochemical diversity. These findings establish a foundation for precise breeding and cultivar development, enhancing cannabis’s potential in the legal market.

Characterization of Indigenous Populations of Cannabis in Iran: A Morphological and Phenological Study

“…Morphological, phenological, and agronomic traits are mostly utilized for an initial detection of germplasm and are of particular importance as basic information for breeders when examining genetic diversity [17,45]. Therefore, selecting and using traits to distinguish between plants for breeding can be considerably useful and effective [46].…”

“…For instance, Naim-Feil et al, (2021) conducted a comprehensive characterization of 13 morphophysiological and phenological traits in 121 commercial genotypes of cannabis plants under controlled conditions, revealing that significant phenotypic variation persists despite a decrease in genetic diversity within commercial resources. Similarly, Lapierre et al, (2023), conducted phenotypic characterization of 176 commercial cannabis genotypes under a greenhouse setting, focusing on 13 agronomic and morphological traits. Their study unveiled significant variations among different traits indicating the promising perspective of cannabis breeding.…”

Optimizingex-vitroone-step RUBY-equipped hairy root transformation in drug- and hemp-type Cannabis

“…Vega; 0.2% THC and 1.6% CBD) and drug-type (cv. AD248; 24% THC and 0.05% CBD) cannabis seeds from Université Laval in 2023 (Lapierre et al, 2023) were germinated in seed starter peat pellets (Jiffy group, Canada). Ten-day-old seedlings were diagonally excised from the apical portion of the hypocotyl using a sterile scalpel and subsequently inoculated (Figure S1a) with three different A. rhizogenes strains (A4, ARqual, and K599).…”

Genetic Insights into Agronomic and Morphological Traits of Drug-Type Cannabis Revealed by Genome-Wide Association Studies

“…remain largely unexplored. Morphological traits should be duly considered due to their established intercorrelations with yield, maturity and cannabinoid profiles 34 . For instance, cannabis plants cultivated for medicinal and recreational application exhibit shorter stature, have thinner stems, more nodes, higher floral density, and a different cannabinoid profiles compared to industrial hemp plants 35 .…”

“…For instance, cannabis plants cultivated for medicinal and recreational application exhibit shorter stature, have thinner stems, more nodes, higher floral density, and a different cannabinoid profiles compared to industrial hemp plants 35 . On the other hand, genetic backgrounds that prioritize yield may negatively impact THC production, and vice versa 34 . Investigating genetic variations associated with agronomic and morphological traits is essential for establishing the genetic groundwork for developing tailor-made cannabis varieties, along with breeding tools such as MAS and genomic selection (GS) 36 .…”