Research record21 January 2025Journal article
Population genomics of a natural Cannabis sativa L. collection from Iran identifies novel genetic loci for flowering time, morphology, sex and chemotyping
Mahboubeh Mostafaei Dehnavi, Annabelle Damerum, Sadegh Taheri, Ali Ebadi, Shadab Panahi, George Hodgin, Brian Brandley, Seyed Alireza Salami, Gail Taylor
BMC Plant Biology · 2025
Abstract
Future breeding and selection of Cannabis sativa L. for both drug production and industrial purposes require a source of germplasm with wide genetic variation, such as that found in wild relatives and progenitors of highly cultivated plants. Limited directional selection and breeding have occurred in this crop, especially informed by molecular markers. This study investigated the population genomics of a natural cannabis collection comprising male and female individuals from various climatic zones in Iran. Using Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS), we sequenced 228 individuals from 35 populations. The data obtained enabled an association analysis, linking genotypes with key phenotypes such as inflorescence characteristics, flowering time, plant morphology, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content, and sex. We detected approximately 23,266 significant high-quality Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), establishing associations between markers and traits. The population structure analysis revealed that Iranian cannabis plants fall into five distinct groups. Additionally, a comparison with global data suggested that the Iranian populations is distinctive and generally closer to marijuana than to hemp, with some populations showing a closer affinity to hemp. The GWAS identified novel genetic loci associated with sex, yield, and chemotype traits in cannabis, which had not been previously reported. The study's findings highlight the distinct genetic structure of Iranian Cannabis populations. The identification of novel genetic loci associated with important traits suggests potential targets for future breeding programs. This research underscores the value of the Iranian cannabis germplasm as a resource for breeding and selection efforts aimed at improving Cannabis for various uses.
The paper's abstract, reproduced as published.
Record created 4 May 2026 · maintained by landrace.wiki editors ·
page history
Published21 Jan 2025
TypeJournal article
VenueBMC Plant Biology
Year2025
2025-01-21
2026-05-04
Population genomics of a natural Cannabis sativa L. collection from Iran identifies novel genetic loci for flowering time, morphology, sex and chemotyping
Journal article
Genetics
Mahboubeh Mostafaei Dehnavi, Annabelle Damerum, Sadegh Taheri, Ali Ebadi, Shadab Panahi, George Hodgin, Brian Brandley, Seyed Alireza Salami, Gail Taylor
BMC Plant Biology
2025
10.1186/s12870-025-06045-4
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12870-025-06045-4
https://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/
Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) study of 228 male and female individuals drawn from 35 natural Iranian Cannabis sativa populations spanning multiple climatic zones, grown in a randomised complete block design field experiment at the University of Tehran. Recovers approximately 23,266 high-quality SNPs and links them via association analysis to inflorescence characteristics, flowering time, plant morphology, THC and CBD content, and sex. Resolves the Iranian collection into five fineSTRUCTURE groups against a higher-level two-cluster PCA structure, and finds that Iranian populations are globally distinctive when compared to international reference data. Identifies novel candidate genetic loci for flowering time, morphology, sex determination and chemotype, providing markers that can underpin future cannabis breeding from Iranian germplasm. Frames Iranian natural populations as wild relatives and progenitor-adjacent material that retain genetic variation lost from highly bred modern cultivars. Critical regional reference for the Iran/Persian gene pool on the wiki, complementing the broader Balant et al. 2025 phylogeography (which places the Iranian Plateau as a distinct Paleotropis subgroup) with population-scale resolution and a marker-trait association layer.
Future breeding and selection of Cannabis sativa L. for both drug production and industrial purposes require a source of germplasm with wide genetic variation, such as that found in wild relatives and progenitors of highly cultivated plants. Limited directional selection and breeding have occurred in this crop, especially informed by molecular markers. This study investigated the population genomics of a natural cannabis collection comprising male and female individuals from various climatic zones in Iran. Using Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS), we sequenced 228 individuals from 35 populations. The data obtained enabled an association analysis, linking genotypes with key phenotypes such as inflorescence characteristics, flowering time, plant morphology, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content, and sex. We detected approximately 23,266 significant high-quality Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), establishing associations between markers and traits. The population structure analysis revealed that Iranian cannabis plants fall into five distinct groups. Additionally, a comparison with global data suggested that the Iranian populations is distinctive and generally closer to marijuana than to hemp, with some populations showing a closer affinity to hemp. The GWAS identified novel genetic loci associated with sex, yield, and chemotype traits in cannabis, which had not been previously reported. The study's findings highlight the distinct genetic structure of Iranian Cannabis populations. The identification of novel genetic loci associated with important traits suggests potential targets for future breeding programs. This research underscores the value of the Iranian cannabis germplasm as a resource for breeding and selection efforts aimed at improving Cannabis for various uses.
