b'Cannabis plants in the field. (Photo: Dutch Passion)Hanachi notes that achieving stabilization is not hard but agrees it is time-consuming. He says stabilizing varieties with aMAIN TYPES OF CANNABINOIDScertain cannabinoid is one of Dutch Passions biggest priorities at the moment. We are adding high-CBD/low-THC varieties toCBC (cannabichromene) - non-psychoactive and does not our collection which are still above the European legal standardaffect the psychoactivity of THCof 0.2% THC, but very soon we expect to introduce several vari-CBCV (cannabichromevarin)eties with high CBD and THC below 0.2%, he reports. We areCBD (cannabidiol) - non-psychotropic & counteracts cognitive also working to stabilize varieties with cannabinoids other thanimpairment associated with the use of cannabisTHC and CBD. Currently our breeding work is most advanced CBDA (cannabidiolic acid)with CBDV and CBG. Our latest variety is THC-Victory, whichCBDV (cannabidivarin) - minor constituent of the cannabinoid contains around 7% THC and 7% THCV, and as far as we know,profileit is unique as a THCV-rich variety.CBE (cannabielsoin) CBG (cannabigerol) - non-psychoactive but still contributes to RECREATIONAL VERSUS MEDICINALthe overall effects of CannabisIn Hanachis view, it makes sense for companies who want CBGM (cannabigerol monomethyl ether)to market medicinal products to want varieties with large amounts of one specific cannabinoid; they can then mix dif-CBGV (cannabigerovarin)ferent extracted cannabinoids together into the desired final CBL (cannabicyclol)product. However, as Dutch Passion works towards this breeding CBN (cannabinol) - primary product of THC degradation, goal, Hanachi and his team usually first launch a strain with aand there is usually little of it in a fresh plant. CBN content combination of high amounts of two or more cannabinoids suchincreases as THC degrades in storage, and with exposure as THC-Victory. Then they continue working with the variety toto light and airreduce the level of the undesired cannabinoid (THC in the case CBT (cannabicitran)of THC-Victory) to virtually nothing.CBV (cannabivarin)Llos doesnt see many differences between the process THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) - primary psychoactive of breeding recreational and medicinal varieties, but both takecomponent of the Cannabis planttime. With researchers at the Universitat Politcnica de Valncia, THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)he has developed a medicinal variety called Panakeia, which has THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) - antagonist of THC at CB1 no THC but 18% CBG (the precursor to both THC and CBD). receptors and lessens the psychoactive effects of THCMorphy and his team at GreenSeal are also working to increase CBG content in select varieties, in their case through increased fatty acid production. He adds that CBD is also impor-tant. CBD has the most interest in the market from a medical perspective and there is more research on CBD than any otherSo, its somewhat of a risk for a breeder to select for a cer-cannabinoid, he says. Critically, its also the cannabinoid that istain cannabinoid as it might have a great deal of potential but most legalized globally and its likely that in many jurisdictions,never become mainstream, he notes. It took me three years to CBD products could be legal many years or even decades beforeproperly develop my CBG line for example, and when I started, THC products. The vast majority of breeding work with CBD innot much research was done on CBG. We must make the best Canada has focused on field-grown hemp, according to Morphy,decisions we can.but he sees a large opportunity to develop high-performing CBDGhidossi notes that breeding for recreational use is obvi-cannabis cultivars that can be profitable in indoor cultivation. ously mostly focused on obtaining very high-yielding varieties Ghidossi notes that especially after the fairly recent crashwith high THC content and short flowering times, with not much in prices of CBD, its now the responsibility of breeders to offerattention paid to protecting the intellectual property. Breeding some alternative varieties to producers so that the industry canfor medical I believe is more about obtaining unique genetics and be more stable and deal more effectively with any future fluc- not at this point as much about yield, he observes. It is also tuations. more about resistance to pest and diseases, which was a factor In terms of how medical research can affect cannabisnot often considered in breeding for recreational use.breeding, in Ghidossis view, breeders cannot wait for medicalIf you wish to read more about where cannabis breed-research results. He notes that whilst cannabis breeders woulders source their germplasm and innovations they have in the all love to work with cannabinoids whose properties have alreadypipeline, make sure the check out the full version on our web-been established through clinical trials, that is a long way off.site: https://european-seed.com/2020/08/high-expectations/8IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'