Pandey Yash, Chaturvedi Trishna, Singh Nivedita, Gupta Anil Kumar, Shanker Karuna, Tiwari Gunjan
Division of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resource Conservation, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O. CIMAP, Lucknow, India.
Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
Biochem Genet. 2025 Jun 19. doi: 10.1007/s10528-025-11166-4.
Cannabis sativa is a versatile crop of immense industrial and medicinal value, cultivated for its fiber, seeds, and especially for its bioactive cannabinoids, yet early identification of sex and chemotype remains challenging due to delayed morphological differentiation and limited cannabinoid accumulation during early growth. This study validated reproducible DNA markers for early selection in Indian cannabis germplasm. For sex determination, i.e., three Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) markers-SCAR119, SCAR323, and the Male-Associated DNA Clone 2 (MADC2), were evaluated. The MADC2 marker reliably amplified a 390 bp fragment in male plants, whereas most female plants exhibited 560 bp and 870 bp bands. This strong correlation between MADC2 genotypes and phenotypic sex underscores its utility for early sex identification, which is critical for maximizing cannabinoid yield by preventing unwanted pollination. In parallel, chemotype-specific markers were assessed to predict cannabinoid profiles. Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), plants were classified into three chemotypes based on THCA: CBDA ratios: THC-dominant, intermediate, and CBD-dominant. The dominant marker D589 was associated with THC biosynthesis, while the co-dominant marker B1080/B1192 provided refined differentiation between chemotypes by detecting allelic variations in cannabinoid synthase genes. Cloning and sequence analysis of these markers revealed significant similarity to known genomic regions involved in cannabinoid production. In summary, the validated SCAR markers enable early and accurate identification of sex and cannabinoid chemotype in Cannabis sativa. These tools offer substantial benefits for marker-assisted breeding, regulatory compliance (e.g., maintaining THC levels below 0.3% for hemp), and optimizing cultivation practices for both industrial and pharmaceutical applications in India.
大麻是一种具有巨大工业和药用价值的多用途作物,因其纤维、种子,尤其是生物活性大麻素而被种植。然而,由于早期生长阶段形态分化延迟和大麻素积累有限,性别和化学类型的早期鉴定仍然具有挑战性。本研究验证了可重复的DNA标记,用于印度大麻种质的早期选择。对于性别鉴定,即评估了三个序列特征扩增区域(SCAR)标记——SCAR119、SCAR323和雄性相关DNA克隆2(MADC2)。MADC2标记在雄性植株中可靠地扩增出一个390 bp的片段,而大多数雌性植株显示出560 bp和870 bp的条带。MADC2基因型与表型性别的这种强相关性突出了其在早期性别鉴定中的实用性,这对于通过防止不必要的授粉来最大化大麻素产量至关重要。同时,评估了化学类型特异性标记以预测大麻素谱。使用高效液相色谱(HPLC),根据THCA:CBDA比率将植株分为三种化学类型:THC主导型、中间型和CBD主导型。显性标记D589与THC生物合成相关,而共显性标记B1080/B1192通过检测大麻素合酶基因中的等位基因变异,在化学类型之间提供了更精细的区分。这些标记的克隆和序列分析显示与参与大麻素生产的已知基因组区域具有显著相似性。总之,经过验证的SCAR标记能够早期准确鉴定大麻的性别和大麻素化学类型。这些工具为标记辅助育种、法规遵从性(例如,将大麻的THC水平维持在0.3%以下)以及优化印度工业和制药应用的种植实践提供了巨大益处。