Characteristics of the Diploid, Triploid, and Tetraploid Versions of a Cannabigerol-Dominant F1 Hybrid Industrial Hemp Cultivar, Cannabis sativa ‘Stem Cell CBG’

Abstract

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has recently become an important crop due to the growing market demands for products containing cannabinoids. Unintended cross-pollination of C. sativa crops is one of the most important threats to cannabinoid production and has been shown to reduce cannabinoid yield. Ploidy manipulation has been used in other crops to improve agronomic traits and reduce fertility; however, little is known about the performance of C. sativa polyploids. In this study, colchicine was applied to two proprietary, inbred diploid C. sativa inbred lines, ‘TS1-3’ and ‘P163’, to produce the tetraploids ‘TS1-3 (4x)’ and ‘P163 (4x)’. The diploid, triploid, and tetraploid F1 hybrids from ‘TS1-3’ × ‘P163’, ‘TS1-3 (4x)’ × ‘P163’, and ‘TS1-3 (4x)’ × ‘P163 (4x)’ were produced to test their fertilities, crossing compatibilities, and yields. The results indicated a reduction in fertility in the triploids and the tetraploids, relative to their diploid counterparts. When triploids were used as females, seed yields were less than 2% compared to when diploids were used as females; thus, triploids were determined to be female infertile. The triploids resulting from the crosses made herein displayed increases in biomass and inflorescence weight compared to the diploids created from the same parents in a field setting. Statistical increases in cannabinoid concentrations were not observed. Lastly, asymmetric crossing compatibility was observed between the diploids and the tetraploids of the genotypes tested. The results demonstrate the potential benefits of triploid C. sativa cultivars in commercial agriculture.

Near-Hexaploid and Near-Tetraploid Aneuploid Progenies Derived from Backcrossing Tetraploid Parents Hibiscus syriacus × (H. syriacus × H. paramutabilis)

“…(lily) [ 43 ]. Since tetraploid H. syriacus has been reported to have a disomic segregating allotetraploid genome, the segregation of hexaploids would act as triploids, which might be linked with low fertility [ 13 , 44 ]. We report that the population developed from hybrid cultivars produce ploidy and chromosomal level diversity that might potentially provide novel phenotypes.…”

Adapting network theory for spatial network externalities in agriculture: A case study on hemp cross‐pollination

“…Network diffusion models can accommodate the aforementioned spatiotemporal complexities associated with SANEPs but require novel techniques of parameter estimation and model 1 Recent work, after the period of our study, developed pollen-immune or "triploid" cultivars of Cannabis sativa L. Crawford et al (2021) reviews the details of pollination on these new strains. This process requires monitoring to cull rogue male plants or removing plants that were feminized clones but hermaphrodized from environmental stress (Gerlach, 2019;Place, 2019aPlace, , 2019b.…”

Gene Dosage at the Autoflowering Locus Effects Flowering Timing and Plant Height in Triploid Cannabis

“…Recently, triploid cannabis cultivars, that exhibit significant reduction in fertility, have been developed as a solution for crop loss from seed set during outdoor flower production in areas experiencing pollen drift (Crawford et al 2021). Triploid plants are frequently seedless, because unequal segregation of chromosome pairs during meiosis results in inviable gametes (Wang et al 2016).…”

“…Triploid plants are frequently seedless, because unequal segregation of chromosome pairs during meiosis results in inviable gametes (Wang et al 2016). The triploid cannabis cultivar Stem Cell CBG was found to produce 98% less seed than its diploid counterpart, following exposure to feminized pollen (Crawford et al 2021), which has lower viability than pollen from genetically male plants (DiMatteo et al 2020). If triploid cannabis continues to demonstrate significantly reduced seed set compared with diploids when exposed to pollen, then triploid cultivars will be sought for flower production.…”