As we delve deeper into the 21st century, the cannabis industry is poised for a significant transformation. The future of cannabis curation and selection is about to change drastically, thanks to advancements in analytical techniques and a shift from vernacular cultivar names to a more reliable and informative system of science-based chemovar 1.

The Metabolomics Approach to Cannabis Classification

In a study titled “Cannabis: From Cultivar to Chemovar II — A Metabolomics Approach to Cannabis Classification” by Arno Hazekamp, Katerina Tejkalová, and Stelios Papadimitriou, a new approach to cannabis classification was proposed1. The researchers used principal component analysis (PCA) to identify outliers among the samples of cannabis they studied 1.

The study highlighted the importance of the chemical profile of cannabis. The researchers were able to identify a cannabis variety with the desired chemical profile, which is currently being prepared for standardized cultivation and is intended to be introduced as a new medicinal product 1.

The Chemovar Approach

The chemovar approach is a significant shift from the traditional method of identifying cannabis products using vernacular cultivar names. With modern analytical techniques, the rapid and comprehensive analysis of all cannabinoids and terpenes present in cannabis products has become a feasible option 1.

This approach opens up the way to move from a confusing system of using vernacular cultivar names for the identification of cannabis products toward a more reliable and informative system of science-based chemovar 1.

The Future of Cannabis Curation and Selection

The future of cannabis curation and selection lies in the ability to identify cannabis varieties with the proper chemical content of terpenes and cannabinoids. Such a variety would simultaneously need to display the desired botanical characteristics to be cultivated on a large scale 1.

The future of cannabis curation and selection is not just about the type of cannabis (Sativa, Indica, hybrid, hemp) but also about the chemical profile of the cannabis. This shift in focus will drastically change the way we curate and select cannabis in the future.

Footnotes

1. Hazekamp, A., Tejkalová, K., & Papadimitriou, S. (2016). Cannabis: From Cultivar to Chemovar II — A Metabolomics Approach to Cannabis Classification. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 1.1. Retrieved from http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/can.2016.0017