Grant: Alliance Grants

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) has a rich history of diverse human applications, serving as a source for fiber, food, medicine, and exhibiting psychoactive properties. Despite its economic, medicinal, and societal importance, there is a lack of rigorous research due to the long history of prohibition. The cannabis industry faces a scarcity of empirically based best practices and optimized protocols across breeding, genetics, cultivation, processing, and postharvest stages. Stabilized cultivars resulting from the inbreeding process present a distinctive opportunity for growers to produce uniform products and explore novel combinations of cannabis genetics, unlocking possibilities of disease resistance, new flavors, altered cannabinoid levels, and increased total yields. This project aims to characterize the genetic basis of key cannabis traits, paving the way for "allele mining" and genomics-assisted breeding. Additionally, we seek to swiftly translate research findings into tangible benefits by integrating newly developed genomics tools into breeding programs for the creation of inbred lines and pure seeds. This initiative contributes to maintaining Canada's leadership in cannabis research and aligns with a long-term vision of transitioning from clonal propagation to a seed-based system.