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Special Issue "Cannabis sativa: Advances in Biology and Cultivation"

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2023 | Viewed by 10435

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Youbin Zheng

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
Interests: cannabis cultivation; controlled environment agriculture; lighting; rootzone management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapidly growing trend in legalization of Cannabis sativa (cannabis) cultivation and utilization for medical and recreational purposes in regions across the planet has increased the intensity of scientific research in cannabis biology and cultivation technologies. These research activities are essential to the cannabis cultivation industry for efficiently producing cannabis with high yield and consistent quality. This Special issue of Plants provides a platform for researchers to publish their research results on cannabis biology and cultivation and, at the same time, provides easy access for all stakeholders for information exchange. This Special Issue encourages authors to submit well-designed original research papers in all aspects of cannabis biology and cultivation, such as cannabis genetics, breeding, morphogenesis, physiology and biochemistry, tissue culture and propagation, atmosphere and rootzone management, lighting, pathogen and insect pest control, plant training, postharvest, etc. Research regarding cannabis grown in all types of cultivation environments (e.g., outdoors, greenhouse, indoors) is welcome; however, only papers involving drug-type cannabis (including hemp cultivated for medicinal or recreational purposes) will be included in this Issue.

Dr. Youbin Zheng
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Keywords

biocontrol
biostimulant
breeding
Cannabis sativa
cannabis
cannabinoids
environmental control
fertigation
flavonoids
genetics
growing media
insect pest
lighting
light spectrum
light intensity
morphogenesis
morphology
tissue culture
pathogens
plant nutrition
photoperiod
plant training
postharvest
rootzone management
terpenes
terpenoids
VPD

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 945 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Naturally Occurring Triploidy in Cannabis

and

Andrew Maxwell Phineas Jones

Plants 2023, 12(23), 3927; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12233927 - 22 Nov 2023

Viewed by 735

Abstract

Polyploidy is a significant evolutionary process in plants that involves the duplication of genomic content and has been recognized as a key mechanism driving plant diversification and adaptation. In natural populations, polyploids frequently arise from unreduced gametes, which subsequently fuse with reduced or unreduced gametes, resulting in triploid or tetraploid offspring, respectively. Cannabis sativa L. is a diploid species, but recent work using artificially induced polyploidy has demonstrated its potential advantages in an agricultural setting. Further, recent work has identified that some elite clonal cultivars, vis. Mac1, are triploid, with no indication that they were artificially produced. The current study was conducted to determine if polyploidy is a naturally occurring phenomenon in cannabis and to estimate the frequency of this phenomenon across populations. To do this, the presence of natural triploid individuals was evaluated in 13 seedling populations of cannabis using a flow cytometry analysis. Among the examined populations, natural triploids were identified in 10 groups with an average frequency of approximately 0.5%. The highest frequency of natural triploids was observed in a self-pollinated population at 2.3%. This research demonstrates that polyploidy is a naturally occurring event in cannabis and triploids are present at an average of approximately 0.5%, or 1 in 200 plants. These data shed light on the natural variation in ploidy within cannabis populations and contribute valuable insights to the understanding of cannabis genetics and breeding practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabis sativa: Advances in Biology and Cultivation)

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17 pages, 2444 KiB

Open AccessArticle

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

and

Plants 2023, 12(21), 3756; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213756 - 02 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1265

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. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabis sativa: Advances in Biology and Cultivation)

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12 pages, 2667 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cosexuality Reduces Pollen Production and Fitness in Cannabis sativa L.

Sydney B. Wizenberg

Jillian Muir-Guarnaccia

and

Lesley G. Campbell

Plants 2023, 12(21), 3731; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213731 - 31 Oct 2023

Viewed by 672

Abstract

Cannabis sativa L. is cultivated globally for its cannabinoid-dense inflorescences. Commercial preference for sinsemilla has led to the development of methods for producing feminized seeds through cross-pollination of cosexual (masculinized) female plants. Although the induction of cosexuality in Cannabis plants is common, to date, no work has empirically tested how masculinization of female Cannabis plants impacts male flowering, pollen production, pollen fitness, and related life-history trade-offs. Here, we cultivated a population of Cannabis plants (CFX-2) and explored how the route to cosexuality (drought vs. chemical induction) impacted flowering phenology, pollen production, and pollen fitness, relative to unsexual male plants. Unisexual males flowered earlier and longer than cosexual plants and produced 223% more total pollen (F_2,28 = 74.41, p < 0.001), but per-flower pollen production did not differ across reproductive phenotypes (F_2,21 = 0.887, p = 0.427). Pollen viability was 200% higher in unisexual males and drought-induced cosexuals (F_2,36 = 189.70, p < 0.001). Pollen non-abortion rates only differed in a marginally significant way across reproductive phenotypes (F_2,36 = 3.00, p = 0.06). Here, we demonstrate that masculinization of female plants impacts whole-plant pollen production and pollen fitness in Cannabis sativa. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabis sativa: Advances in Biology and Cultivation)

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21 pages, 19271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphological Characterization of Cannabis sativa L. Throughout Its Complete Life Cycle

Mohsen Hesami

Marco Pepe

and

Andrew Maxwell Phineas Jones

Plants 2023, 12(20), 3646; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203646 - 22 Oct 2023

Viewed by 2368

Abstract

This study extensively characterizes the morphological characteristics, including the leaf morphology, plant structure, flower development, and trichome features throughout the entire life cycle of Cannabis sativa L. cv. White Widow. The developmental responses to photoperiodic variations were investigated from germination to mature plant senescence. The leaf morphology showed a progression of complexity, beginning with serrations in the 1st true leaves, until the emergence of nine leaflets in the 6th true leaves, followed by a distinct shift to eight, then seven leaflets with the 14th and 15th true leaves, respectively. Thereafter, the leaf complexity decreased, culminating in the emergence of a single leaflet from the 25th node. The leaf area peaked with the 12th leaves, which coincided with a change from opposite to alternate phyllotaxy. The stipule development at nodes 5 and 6 signified the vegetative phase, followed by bract and solitary flower development emerging in nodes 7–12, signifying the reproductive phase. The subsequent induction of short-day photoperiod triggered the formation of apical inflorescence. Mature flowers displayed abundant glandular trichomes on perigonal bracts, with stigma color changing from whitish-yellow to reddish-brown. A pronounced increase in trichome density was evident, particularly on the abaxial bract surface, following the onset of flowering. The trichomes exhibited simultaneous growth in stalk length and glandular head diameter and pronounced shifts in color. Hermaphroditism occurred well after the general harvest date. This comprehensive study documents the intricate photoperiod-driven morphological changes throughout the complete lifecycle of Cannabis sativa L. cv. White Widow. The developmental responses characterized provide valuable insights for industrial and research applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabis sativa: Advances in Biology and Cultivation)

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11 pages, 1657 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Method for Stimulating Cannabis sativa L. Male Flowers from Female Plants

Luke C. Owen

David H. Suchoff

and

Hsuan Chen

Plants 2023, 12(19), 3371; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193371 - 25 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 875

Abstract

Female hemp plants are desired in floral hemp operations due to their higher cannabinoid contents. To produce feminized seeds, a critical step of inducing fertile male flowers on female plants is performed. In feminized seed production, freshly mixed STS (silver thiosulfate + sodium thiosulfate) is applied to female plants as an ethylene inhibitor to induce male flowers. However, the short-shelf stability of the STS buffer can cause difficulty in the application and inconsistent results. Alternative methods with improved accessibility and stable buffers will be beneficial for the hemp industry and hemp breeders. A commercially available floriculture product, Chrysal ALESCO^®, contains silver nitrate, the same active ingredient as STS but with increased shelf stability. This study compares Chrysal ALESCO^® to the traditional STS standard methods for male flower induction on female plants and their pollen quality. The two treatments were applied to six female hemp accessions with three replicates investigated, and the male flower counts and pollen quality were compared. No statistically significant difference was discovered in their male flower counts; the STS-treated plant produced an average of 478.18 male flowers, and the Chrysal ALESCO^®-treated plant produced an average of 498.24 male flowers per plant. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and acetocarmine stains were used to investigate the pollen quality (non-aborted rate) of two chosen genotypes. FDA-stained pollen of Chrysal ALESCO^® showed a significantly higher non-aborted rate than the pollen of traditional STS-treated plants (p < 0.001); however, only a marginally higher non-aborted rate was discovered by acetocarmine staining (p = 0.0892). In summary, Chrysal ALESCO^® performed equally to traditional STS treatment at male flower counts and better or equally in pollen quality. With better shelf stability and easy application, ALESCO^® can be a viable alternative option for stimulating male flowers on female hemp plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabis sativa: Advances in Biology and Cultivation)

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18 pages, 2568 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is Twelve Hours Really the Optimum Photoperiod for Promoting Flowering in Indoor-Grown Cultivars of Cannabis sativa?

Ashleigh Ahrens

David Llewellyn

and

Youbin Zheng

Plants 2023, 12(14), 2605; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12142605 - 10 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2765

Abstract

Cannabis sativa (“cannabis” hereafter) is a valuable recent addition to Canada’s economy with the legalization for recreational use in 2018. The vast majority of indoor cannabis cultivators use a 12-h light/12-h dark photoperiod to promote flowering. To test the hypothesis that robust flowering initiation responses can be promoted in indoor-grown cannabis cultivars under longer photoperiods, clones of ten drug-type cannabis cultivars were grown under six photoperiod treatments. All treatments were based on a standard 24-h day and included 12 h, 12.5 h, 13 h, 13.5 h, 14 h, and 15 h of light. The plants were grown in a growth chamber for 3 to 4 weeks, receiving an approximate light intensity of 360 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ from white LEDs. Flowering initiation, defined as the appearance of ≥3 pairs of stigmas at the apex of the primary shoot, occurred in all cultivars under all photoperiod treatments up to 14 h. Delays in flowering initiation time under 14 h vs. 12 h ranged from no delay to approximately 4 days, depending on the cultivar. Some cultivars also initiated flowering under 15 h, but floral tissues did not further develop beyond the initiation phase. Harvest metrics of some cultivars responded quadratically with increasing photoperiod, with ideal levels of key flowering parameters varying between 12 h and 13 h. These results suggest there is potential to increase yield in some indoor-grown cannabis cultivars by using longer than 12-h photoperiods during the flowering stage of production. This is attributed to the inherently higher daily light integrals. Indoor cannabis growers should investigate the photoperiod responses of their individual cultivars to determine the optimal photoperiod for producing floral biomass. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabis sativa: Advances in Biology and Cultivation)

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Review

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14 pages, 803 KiB

Open AccessReview

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Potential Pathogen Resistance in Cannabis sativa

Tiziana M. Sirangelo

Richard A. Ludlow

and

Natasha D. Spadafora

Plants 2023, 12(15), 2764; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12152764 - 25 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1030

Abstract

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is one of the earliest cultivated crops, valued for producing a broad spectrum of compounds used in medicinal products and being a source of food and fibre. Despite the availability of its genome sequences, few studies explore the molecular mechanisms involved in pathogen defense, and the underlying biological pathways are poorly defined in places. Here, we provide an overview of Cannabis defence responses against common pathogens, such as Golovinomyces spp., Fusarium spp., Botrytis cinerea and Pythium spp. For each of these pathogens, after a summary of their characteristics and symptoms, we explore studies identifying genes involved in Cannabis resistance mechanisms. Many studies focus on the potential involvement of disease-resistance genes, while others refer to other plants however whose results may be of use for Cannabis research. Omics investigations allowing the identification of candidate defence genes are highlighted, and genome editing approaches to generate resistant Cannabis species based on CRISPR/Cas9 technology are discussed. According to the emerging results, a potential defence model including both immune and defence mechanisms in Cannabis plant–pathogen interactions is finally proposed. To our knowledge, this is the first review of the molecular mechanisms underlying pathogen resistance in Cannabis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cannabis sativa: Advances in Biology and Cultivation)

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