Breeding Cannabis sativa for Medicinal and Industrial Applications

Presented by Joseph R. ChidiacDepartment of Horticulture

University of Arkansas

Taxonomyo Kingdom: Plantaeo Subkingdom: Viridiplantaeo Infrakingdom: Streptophytao Superdivision: Embryophytao Division: Tracheophytao Subdivision: Spermatophytinao Class: Magnoliopsidao Superorder: Rosanaeo Order: Rosaleso Family: Cannabaceaeo Genus: Cannabiso Species: Sativa

Indica

Sativa

Legal History Pre-1900: The cultivation of cannabis was ubiquitous and

highly encouraged in every culture for its myriad of uses.

1906: Pure Food and Drug Act—required cannabis to be properly labeled.

1914: Harrison Narcotics Tax Act—gave the federal government authority to regulate the trade of narcotics.

1925: International Opium Convention—banned the export of Indian hemp but not American or European hemp.

1932: Uniform State Narcotic Act—encouraged states to adopt the authority to regulate illicit trade.

1937: Marihuana Tax Act—banned the possession and distribution of hemp outside of licensed use.

Current State of Affairs (2015)• Alaska• Arizona• California• Colorado• Connecticut• DC, Washington• Delaware• Hawaii• Illinois• Maine• Maryland• Massachusetts• Michigan• Minnesota• Montana• Nevada• New Hampshire• New Jersey• New Mexico• New York • Oregon• Rhode Island• Vermont• Washington

• Australia• Austria• Canada• Chile• China• Denmark• Egypt• Finland• France• Germany• Great Britain• Hungary• India• Italy• Japan• Korea• Netherlands• New Zealand• Poland• Portugal• Russia• Romania• Slovenia• Spain• Switzerland• Turkey• Thailand• Ukraine

• Israel• Canada

Economic Significance• Colorado:

– $98 million– *$40* million– $350 million (2014)

• California: – $104 million– $433 million (2014)

• USA: – $581 million– $3/$35 billion (2014)

• British Columbia: – $6 billion (2014)

Industrial Hemp77.5% cellulose

10% hemi-cellulose

6.8% lignin

2.9% pectin

0.9% wax and lipids

Modern Uses for Hemp

More Uses…Foods,Paper,

Jewelry,Biofuels,

Cosmetics,Soil remediation,

Bedding for livestock,Organic weed control,

Plastics and composites,Electrodes for supercapacitors,

Building materials and insulation,And much more…

Medicinal and Recreational Cannabis

Grow Operations

CannabinoidsCBG: Cannabigerol

CBGa: Cannabigerolic Acid

CBD: Cannabidiol

CBDa: Cannabidiolic Acid

THCa: Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid

THCv: Tetrahydrocannabivarin

∆8/9-THC: Tetrahyrdocannabinol

CBC: Cannabichromene

CBN: Cannabinol

Trichome

Common potency: 5-25% THC, <2% CBD, Rest <1%.

85!

CBGa – Cannabigerolic acid

Properties:• Analgesic• Anti-bacterial• Anti-inflammatory• Anti-proliferative

Potential in treating:• Cancer

Studied for its role in the synthesis of other cannabinoids.

THCa – Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid

Properties:• Analgesic• Anti-emetic• Anti-inflammatory• Anti-insomnia• Anti-proliferative• Anti-spasmodic• Immune system

modulator• Neuroprotective

Potential in treating:• Nausea• Cancer• Lupus• Brain injury

THCa in Literature

THC - Tetrahydrocannabinol

Properties:• Analgesic• Anti-emetic• Anti-proliferative• Anti-oxidant• Antispasmodic• Neuroprotective• Appetite Stimulant• Euphoriant*

Potential in treating:• Cancer• Pain• Anorexia• HIV• PTSD• Crohn’s disease

THC in Literature

https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/dad-arrested-for-giving-cannabis-oil-to-daughter-108654025667.html

THCv - Tetrahydrocannabivarin

Properties:• Analgesic• Anorectic• Anti-emetic• Anti-epilectic• Anti-inflammatory• Bone stimulant• Euphoriant*

Potential in treating:• Diabetes• Obesity• Parkinson’s disease• Inflammation• Schizophrenia

THCv in Literature

http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2015/01/16/bethenny-frankels-skinnygirl-marijuana-roll-your-own/

CBN - Cannabinol

Properties:• Analgesic• Anti-bacterial• Anti-emetic• Anti-epilectic• Anti-inflammatory• Anti-insomnia• Anti-proliferative• Appetite stimulant• Bone stimulant

Potential in treating:• Pain• Cancer• Anorexia

https://munchies.vice.com/articles/science-says-weed-makes-food-taste-and-smell-better

CBDa – Cannabidiolic acid

Properties:• Anti-bacterial• Anti-emetic• Anti-inflammatory• Anti-proliferative

Potential in treating:• Bacterial infections• Nausea• Cancer

CBD - Cannabidiol

Properties:• Analgesic• Antibacterial• Anti-diabetic• Anti-depressant• Anti-emetic• Anti-epilectic• Anti-inflammatory• Anti-insomnia• Anti-ischemic• Anti-psioratic• Anti-proliferative• Anti-psychotic• Anti-oxidant• Antispasmodic• Axiolitic• Bone stimulant• Neuroprotective• Vasorelaxant

Potential in treating:• Cancer• Epilepsy• Depression• Schizophrenia• Crohn’s disease• Alzheimer’s

CBD in Literature

http://www.medicaljane.com/2013/01/03/cbd-rich-strain-avidekel-sets-new-medicinal-standard/

CBC - Cannabichromene

Properties:• Analgesic• Anti-depressant• Anti-fungal• Axiolitic• Anti-inflammatory• Anti-proliferative• Bone stimulant• Neurogenic**

Potential in treating:• Pain• Depression• Inflammation• Alzheimer’s• Brain injury

CBC in Literature

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/03/medical-marijuana-veterans-bill_n_6607408.html

CBG - Cannabigerol

Properties:• Analgesic• Anti-bacterial• Anti-epilectic• Anti-inflammatory• Anti-insomnia• Anti-proliferative• Bone stimulant• Neurogenic**

Potential in treating:• Glaucoma• Inflammatory Bowel Disease• Pain• Inflammation• Seizures

CBG in Literature

Targets for Breeding

Hexanoyl CoA Synthetase Olivetolic acid Cyclase GO Transferase

THCa Synthase

CBDa Synthase

CBCa Synthase

Cellulose Synthases

Glucotransferases

Cytochrome P450 enzymes

Methyltransferases Acetyltransferases

Elongase ∆6-desaturase

Gene Products

www.calgarycmmc.com

Selection ProcessSequence DNA of progeny and look for:

Presence of genes for biosynthesis enzymesNumber of duplicates in the genome for eachType of Promoter Region (PR)Type of Upstream Activating Region (UAR)

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)

www.medicinalgenomics.com

Creating Profiles of Gene Expression

www.genomebiology.com

Testing the Potency of New Cultivars

Vs. Vs.

GCHPLC

UPLC

The Potential of New Cultivars“Charlotte’s Web”Named for

Charlotte Figi

0.5% THC17% CBD

Reduces child seizures dramatically

Alleviated epilepsy symptoms from Dravet syndrome Lived with 300 seizures per week before treatment

Had adverse effects from conventional treatment

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