Genotypes VS Phenotypes
Genotypes VS Phenotypes: the genetic diversity of cannabis
Every cannabis plant is unique, different even from other plants belonging to the same strain. What explains this diversity? We have to dig into the concepts of ‘genotype’ and ‘phenotype’ to find our way through this fascinating green jungle.
From genotype to phenotype: A story of genetic diversity
A living organism’s genotype is its genetic code. It defines a spectrum of genes in a DNA sequence, accounting for such characteristics as blue or green eyes in humans, or size, leaf color and terpene profiles in cannabis plants. But while these physical possibilities are contained within a cannabis plant’s genotype, the form they take depends as well on various external factors.
Phenotypes are the physical expression of the genotype: they are an organism’s physical traits. And yet individuals with the same genotype can have different phenotypes. For example, siblings born to the same parents may have different eye colors. And some cannabis plants may be taller or richer in trichomes than others grown from the same strain.
How environment and cultivation affect the phenotype
A cannabis phenotype results from the interaction between its genotype, the environment in which it grows, and how it is cultivated. Elements such as temperature, humidity, nutrients, light and cultivation techniques all influence the physical expression of the plant. Traits such as flavor and aroma can then be deepened through post-harvest methods, such as the hang-drying, curing and hand-trimming we do at Lot420 to provide the highest grade product on the market.
From wilderness to hybrids: the genetic evolution of cannabis
In their earliest and untouched forms, “wild” cannabis strains showed distinctive physical variations. Indica strains were shorter and stockier, adapted to the unruly climate of the mountainous Hindu Kush regions. Sativa strains proliferated in the warmer, humid environment of the tropical jungle, developing into taller plants with narrower leaves.
Cannabis strains took a turn with domestic cultivation, especially with the development of indoor gardens in the 1970s and 1980s. New phenotypic expressions appeared, with new environments and breeding techniques giving life to new strains and varieties that mixed the traits and characteristics of “original" genotypes. That is why, for instance, certain Indica strains today have Sativa-like physical traits.
The unique profile of each cannabis plant
Although the genetic stability of certain strains and varieties can now be ensured, especially by licensed professional producers, each batch will always yield different results when it comes to characteristics such as terpene profiles, color, and trichomes density. As we have seen, while a genotype provides a strain with its genetic signature, an individual plant’s expression always depends on a complex mix of influencing factors. Ultimately, the beauty of nature arises from the interaction of genetics and the environment, giving form to the absolute uniqueness of every living thing.
Author: Bruno M.