



We all have our favourite strain of cannabis. A lot of you might even have favourite strains for specific times of the day or specific activities, but do you know what makes these strains so unique and different from each other? It’s their genetics ! Genetic variations go much further than just indica and sativa cannabis strains. They are the deciding factor of how your cannabis will look, smell, taste and grow. Cannabis cultivators and researches have

understood the basics of cannabis genetics for quite some time; however, they have only recently (with legalization and a growing acceptance) been able to really dig into the genes of cannabis to discover what makes it so beneficial. Understanding these genetics is going to allow researchers and growers to work together in creating strains that will be tailored for specific ailments or conditions.

The genetic traits that are in a cannabis plant are known as its genotype. The genotype of a plant is essentially a list of all of its possible outcomes, including its shape, size, odour and THC or CBD potency. The genotype of a plant can only be manifested by the

environment in which it grows. These genetic traits that manifest through environment are known as a plants phenotype. This is why some growers may notice that their White Widow plant looks a little different than another growers White Widow plant. If two plants of the same strain are bred from different ancestors (mother and father plants) they will have different genetic traits, or genotypes, and these different genotypes will present themselves physically, as different phenotypes, depending on the environment. For instance, your 75 degree grow tent with a 1000w HPS light may produce a short and bushy phenotype of White Widow, where another grow tent that is 75 degrees but only has a 250w HPS light may produce a taller and wispy phenotype of White Widow. Each plant has a genetic list of possibilities and it is up to the environment to manifest these genetics into physical traits.





Genetics don’t just determine the shape or height of a plant though. They are also responsible for the possible outcomes of flavour. These genetics are know as Terpenes,

you may have heard of them before. There are about 120 different terpenes that have been identified in cannabis. These terpenes are what will determine the flavour, such as “citrusy” or “earthy”, you may have noticed certain cannabis strains being advertised to have. On top of flavour, your plants colour is predisposed in its genetics also. Cannabis flowers colour is determined by its flavonoids (flavonoids play no role in the flavour). These flavonoids are a collection of about 400 pigment molecules that can appear as purple, blue or red depending on their pH level. These flavonoids can be exaggerated by different temperatures, Ph levels and lighting.







