Naturally Occurring Triploidy in Cannabis

Area of Science:

• Plant genetics
• Evolutionary biology
• Genomics

Background:

• Polyploidy, or whole-genome duplication, is a major driver of plant evolution and adaptation.
• Cannabis sativa (cannabis) is typically diploid, but artificial polyploidy shows agricultural benefits.
• Natural triploid cannabis (Mac1 cultivar) has been observed, suggesting potential natural occurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the natural occurrence of polyploidy in cannabis.
• To determine the frequency of natural polyploid individuals in cannabis populations.
• To understand the implications of natural polyploidy for cannabis genetics and breeding.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated 13 seedling populations of cannabis for natural triploid individuals.
• Utilized flow cytometry analysis to assess ploidy levels.
• Quantified the frequency of natural triploids within examined populations.

Main Results:

• Natural triploid individuals were identified in 10 out of 13 cannabis populations.
• The average frequency of natural triploids across populations was approximately 0.5%.
• A self-pollinated population exhibited the highest frequency of natural triploids at 2.3%.

Conclusions:

• Polyploidy is a naturally occurring phenomenon in Cannabis sativa.
• Natural triploids are present in cannabis populations at an average frequency of 1 in 200 plants.
• These findings provide insights into natural ploidy variation and inform cannabis breeding strategies.