The big benefits of cannabis triploids

Added on 15 September 2023

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All good things come in threes, but cultivators are just beginning to understand how this famed Latin principle applies to cannabis genetics. The weed we know and love is typically constructed with a pair of chromosomes (diploid) and a limited number of phenotype possibilities. However, cultivators are becoming aware of a new plant variation that can occasionally occur as a natural phenomenon: predominantly-seedless cannabis plants known as triploids.

What are triploid genetics?

Triploid cannabis seeds are developed by crossing a diploid with a tetraploid—a female cannabis plant containing two pairs of chromosomes instead of the standard one. Breeders around the world are just starting to dig into the process, its best practices, and what it might mean for the future of cannabis production.

While the sound of extra chromosomes might cause the cannabis enthusiasts to raise their eyebrows, the concept isn’t new, nor is it a genetic modification. Take a look through your kitchen and you’ll find a wide variety of polyploids from bananas and grapes to wheat and strawberries. Polyploids (plant cells containing more than two pairs of chromosomes) have been the revolution within breeding of domesticated crops and are common among plants and certain groups of fish and amphibians.