News: Salk Researchers Create Detailed Genetic Atlas Of Cannabis To Date.

Published 12:00 AM EST, Fri May 30, 2025 The team analyzed 193 different cannabis genomes (entire sets of genetic information), revealing an unprecedented diversity, complexity, and untapped opportunity within this foundational agricultural species. This landmark achievement was the result of a multi-year collaboration with Oregon CBD, Oregon State University, and the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology.

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Researchers at the Salk Institute have produced the most comprehensive cannabis genetic atlas to date, analyzing 193 genomes from diverse global cannabis plants. This pangenome study revealed extraordinary genetic diversity and complexity, including detailed insights into the plant’s cannabinoid synthesis pathways and sex chromosomes. Utilizing advanced long-read sequencing technology, the team achieved full haplotype resolution, enabling the characterization of both male and female chromosome sets, a first for cannabis genomics. This level of detail uncovered vast genetic variation, structural genome features, and the role of transposable elements in creating cannabinoid diversity.

Cannabis, long valued for its fiber, seed oil, and medicinal cannabinoids, remains an underdeveloped crop due to historical legal restrictions. The study highlighted important genetic variation beyond cannabinoid genes, especially in fatty acid metabolism and plant defense, suggesting opportunities for breeding more robust hemp varieties with enhanced nutritional and industrial properties. Notably, genes linked to rare cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) were identified, underscoring the potential to breed plants with novel, non-psychoactive therapeutic compounds. The inclusion of male-specific Y chromosome genes reveals untapped breeding potential, challenging current feminization-based breeding strategies that neglect male genetic contributions.

The research also points to an ancient, undiscovered cannabis relative in Asia, which may hold valuable genetic adaptations for crop resilience. The authors foresee this pangenome as a vital resource guiding future breeding to optimize cannabis for medicine, fiber, seed oil, and possibly biofuel applications. By unlocking cannabis’s full genetic potential, the study paves the way for innovative agricultural practices and new cannabis-derived products. This landmark genetic atlas provides the cannabis industry with an unprecedented tool for precision breeding and innovation. By mapping cannabis’s extensive genetic diversity and identifying critical genes for cannabinoid production, fiber quality, and resilience, breeders and seed companies can develop superior varieties tailored to medicinal, nutritional, and industrial markets. The revelation that current breeding methods overlook valuable male genetics challenges existing paradigms, encouraging more comprehensive breeding programs. With legal reforms fueling market growth, this foundational research positions the industry to accelerate product development, improve crop yields, and diversify applications—from high-value cannabinoids to sustainable hemp oils—thereby expanding market opportunities and solidifying cannabis’s role as a multi-use agricultural powerhouse.

Source: Salk Institute