Every now and then, the cannabis industry sees the introduction of a new product or technique that promises to change the market for the better. This time, triploid genetics is in the spotlight and while the concept has been around for a while, it is fairly new in the cannabis world. So, what even is triploid genetics, and could it really help to improve cannabis cultivation and consumption? Let’s find out.
What is triploid genetics?
Triploidy is the phrase used to refer to the presence of three sets of single chromosomes in an organism or cell line. Most cells in animals and plants naturally occur in a diploid state (two sets of single chromosomes – one from the father and one from the mother); however, some plants and invertebrates can be triploids. Naturally occurring triploid plants are thought to arise from natural crosses between diploid and tetraploid plants in the same population.
The concept of selectively breeding triploid plant species began to be widely studied in the 1930s and 40s. However, perhaps the most famous case of triploid genetics is the cultivation of the modern banana. The bananas we eat today are a far cry from what they once were. In fact, it too is believed to be the result of a cross between a diploid species (Musa acuminata) and the tetraploid species (M. balbisiana) which is thought to have occurred around 1,000 years ago. The main difference between the modern triploid banana and its predecessors? Seeds.
The triploid genetics of modern bananas are why the fruit commonly has no seeds.
Unlike the fleshy and seedless bananas we might find in our lunch box, Musa acuminata and M. balbisiana produce seeded fruit. However, their interbreeding produced a sterile triploid plant with seedless fruit – which proved to be extremely popular with humans. The favourable food-producing properties of this new species helped the banana to become one of the first foods cultivated by humans.
Triploidy has a number of benefits in commercial food production, including improved growth, pathogen resistance and an improved eating experience. Moreover, triploid species are often completely infertile or do not produce seeds which can prevent commercial species from growing in the wild. Instead, triploid plants can only reproduce through vegetative propagation – also known as cloning.
Triploidy is now harnessed in the commercial production of many foods, including fruits such as grapes and watermelons, as well as fish and molluscs. But how could it benefit cannabis production?
Cannabis and triploidy
Cannabis is an ancient plant that has been cultivated by humans for food, medicine, and industrial materials for millennia. For most of this time, cannabis was thought to be a diploid plant, featuring two sets of chromosomes; however, we now know that certain cannabis species can possess three sets of chromosomes – triploid cannabis.
In recent years, triploidy has increasingly been artificially induced in cannabis crops. The technique, which involves treating a plant with a natural chemical to disrupt mitosis (where replicated chromosomes are separated into two new nuclei) creates an extra set of chromosomes without cell division.
A recent study found that polyploidy can also occur naturally in cannabis, with triploid plants occurring at a rate of 0.5%. If correct, this means that around 1 in 200 cannabis plants may be triploids.
Triploid cannabis has been shown to hold several benefits in an agricultural setting, from larger yields to faster growth. However, the benefits of triploid cannabis really become clear when it comes to consumption.
An easier solution for seedless cannabis?
Most plants, including cannabis, possess either male or female reproductive parts. Pollen is produced by male plants to fertilise the flowers of female plants which then produce seeds. This is how cannabis has reproduced in the wild for thousands of years; however, as our understanding of the plant began to evolve, so too did the methods used to cultivate it.
The Asexual reproduction of cannabis is achieved via vegetative propagation – a technique that has been used for decades. In the 1970s, cannabis cultivators noticed that unfertilised female plants produced much larger flowers. More importantly, though, the effects of these plants seemed to be stronger than their fertilised counterparts or male plants. It soon became clear that these favourable properties were due to the absence of seeds.
Seedless cannabis – also known as sinsemilla (the Spanish word for “seedless”) – soon became the norm in cannabis cultivation. However, ensuring the cultivation of solely female plants and preventing pollination from male plants is not always easy (especially when we take into account the presence of hermaphrodite cannabis). This has been demonstrated recently by an apparent spike in the number of medical cannabis patients finding seeds in their medication.
It is understandable, then, that the introduction of triploid cannabis has been heralded as a new age in cannabis cultivation. Growers appear to be increasingly enthusiastic about introducing triploid cannabis, and with the faster-growing rates and larger yields, it’s easy to see why. But how could consumers benefit?
The benefits of triploid cannabis for consumers
As we mentioned earlier, unfertilised cannabis plants have long been known to produce larger buds and flowers with higher concentrations of cannabinoids. These boosted concentrations of THC and CBD, as well as other minor cannabinoids, could be a plus for both recreational and medical consumers alike. Higher levels of THC and CBD, bigger crops, faster growth and seedless flowers are all benefits that will likely delight consumers.
The psychoactive cannabinoid THC is obviously a popular draw for recreational users; however, in recent years, the popularity of the non-intoxicating CBD has also been on the rise, thanks to its potential health and wellness benefits. The therapeutic properties of these cannabinoids are also the basis of most medical cannabis products. Triploid genetics may offer a more stable cultivation technique to prevent pollination and guarantee the production of cannabinoid-rich plants. Nonetheless, while interest is ramping up, it seems that it might still be a while until the industry fully adopts triploid genetics.
For now, scientific research into the implications of triploid cannabis remains limited. Some have also raised concerns about the impact of artificially induced triploid cannabis cultivation on biodiversity and the environment. Still, given the potential benefits that could go with it, we’re likely to be seeing much more about triploid cannabis in the near future.
