Abstract
In recent years high-THC (psychoactive) and low-THC (industrial hemp) type cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) have gained immense attention in medical, food, and a plethora of other consumer product markets. Among the planting materials used for cultivation, tissue culture clones provide various advantages such as economies of scale, production of disease-free and true-to-type plants for reducing the risk of GMP-EuGMP level medical cannabis production, as well as the development and application of various technologies for genetic improvement. Various tissue culture methods have the potential application with cannabis for research, breeding, and novel trait development, as well as commercial mass propagation. Although tissue culture techniques for plant regeneration and micropropagation have been reported for different cannabis genotypes and explant sources, there are significant variations in the response of cultures and the morphogenic pathway. Methods for many high-yielding elite strains are still rudimentary, and protocols are not established. With a recent focus on sequencing and genomics in cannabis, genetic transformation systems are applied to medical cannabis and hemp for functional gene annotation via traditional and transient transformation methods to create novel phenotypes by gene expression modulation and to validate gene function. This review presents the current status of research focusing on different aspects of tissue culture, including micropropagation, transformation, and the regeneration of medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp transformants. Potential future tissue culture research strategies helping elite cannabis breeding and propagation are also presented.
Highlights
Cannabis is a multipurpose crop with nutritional, medicinal, and industrial uses
Its leaves and flowers produce a spectrum of biologically active secondary metabolites, seeds are a source of nutritious oil and protein, and the stem contains two types of fiber serving as feedstock for the manufacturing of a variety of bio-based consumer goods (Small, 2004; Rodriguez-Leyva and Pierce, 2010; Wargent et al, 2013; Andre et al, 2016; Musio et al, 2018)
This review article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most updated available scientific research reported to date on tissue culture in cannabis, to contribute to our understanding of the cannabis tissue culture, and to assess potential applications of the optimized techniques in cannabis plant propagation, regeneration, and transformation
Summary
Cannabis is a multipurpose crop with nutritional, medicinal, and industrial uses. Its leaves and flowers produce a spectrum of biologically active secondary metabolites, seeds are a source of nutritious oil and protein, and the stem contains two types of fiber serving as feedstock for the manufacturing of a variety of bio-based consumer goods (Small, 2004; Rodriguez-Leyva and Pierce, 2010; Wargent et al, 2013; Andre et al, 2016; Musio et al, 2018). Since the discovery of two cannabinoids [cannabidiol (CBD) in 1963) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in 1964] in Dr Raphael Mechoulam’s laboratory, more than 100 additional phytocannabinoids, flavonoids, and over 150 terpenes have been identified in the plant (Andre et al, 2016; Booth and Bohlmann, 2019; Rea et al, 2019). This high-value crop has built a strong foundation for a multi-billion-dollar global industry. Research and development work has been slow and prevented researchers from investigating cannabis openly and making use of its full potential
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