The cultivation of triploid genetics could be the game changer for the cannabis industry, as it promises to deliver higher THC levels, larger yields, faster growth, and seedless flowers.
The application of triploids is not a new concept in agriculture. Consuming seedless fruit generally enhances the eating experience for most people. Consider bananas, for instance. Bananas lack seeds because the parent banana tree is triploid, even though pollination normally occurs. Typically, species with a chromosome set number divisible by two can produce seeds, while those with uneven sets of chromosomes are either sterile or do not produce seeds.
Cannabis is a diploid plant characterized by having two chromosomes. However, certain rare organisms possess multiple chromosomes. In such cases, cannabis plants can naturally develop with three chromosomes, making them triploids. During cell division, genetic material is copied, with the new cell inheriting the copied chromosomes while the original cell retains the original set. Treating a cannabis plant with a natural chemical disrupts mitosis, leading to the creation of extra chromosomes without cell division. Consequently, the original diploid cell becomes triploid or, in other cases, tetraploid (four chromosomes), pentaploid (five chromosomes), and so forth.
This phenomenon has, in recent years, piqued the interest of growers who are deliberately breeding triploid cannabis. They typically start with a standard diploid plant, select a high-performing clone, and then apply a natural chemical that interferes with the cell division process.
Read more at forbes.com