By Luke Sumpter

Most cannabis varieties are made up of cells that contain two sets of chromosomes—two from each parent. However, pioneering breeders have created varieties that contain three or even four sets. Why does this matter? Because these plants produce bigger buds, more cannabinoids and terpenes, and larger overall yields. Discover everything you need to know about polyploid weed and how it could steer the future of the industry.


Diploids: The Standard Cannabis Genome

Much like us humans, most cannabis plants are diploid organisms—they contain two sets of chromosomes in each cell (“di” means “two”). In case you don’t remember much from biology class, chromosomes are small structures built from nucleic acids found in the nucleus of the cell. They store genetic information and enable the copying of DNA during cell division, also known as mitosis.

Each parent plant passes down 10 chromosomes to the offspring, meaning diploid cannabis plant cells possess a total of 20 chromosomes. Researchers believe that diploidy offers organisms somewhat of a survival advantage[1]. Not only does having two sets of chromosomes mean cells have a software backup if one chromosome gets damaged, but it allows healthy genes to override those with detrimental mutations.

Diploidy also offers other benefits. The presence of two sets of chromosomes allows plants to adapt better to their surroundings over time. Inherited sets of genes from both parents also equip plants with genetic variability, increasing the odds of inherited pest and disease resistance and other desirable traits.

The vast majority of cannabis cultivars are diploid in nature. Only a very small percentage of naturally occurring cannabis plants emerge with more than two sets of chromosomes. However, cannabis breeders have developed methods to create plants with three or even four sets of chromosomes. Known as polyploidy, this trait comes with some superb advantages, as well as some downsides.

Diploid Cannabis
Diploid Cannabis

Overview of Polyploidy in Cannabis Plants

Polyploidy occurs in almost all flowering plants[2] to varying degrees. Many of the agricultural crops that have become staples in the human diet are polyploids, including strawberries, coffee, potato, and oats. Cannabis breeders have figured out ways to increase the number of chromosome sets within cannabis cells, using both chemical intervention and crossbreeding between diploid and polyploid varieties.

Polyploid cannabis varieties differ from their diploid counterparts in several ways, including:

  • Cell wall composition: Research shows that polyploidy changes the composition[3] of the cell wall—the structure that surrounds the plasma membrane. These changes influence the levels of proteins and complex carbohydrates in the cell wall, which can have a big influence on drought tolerance and pathogen defence.
  • Biomass production: Polyploid hemp produces more biomass and heavier flowers[4]. This has important implications in commercial agriculture for both industrial hemp and medicinal and recreational cannabis.
  • Less fertile: Polyploids are often infertile[5]. This might sound like a disadvantage, but it actually comes in handy when growing seedless weed flowers.

Types of Polyploidy in Marijuana

In case you haven’t noticed, the cannabis market has exploded over the past decade. As legalization continues to blossom, research and development efforts are ramping up. Companies are pouring considerable time, effort, and money into creating cannabis plants/products that increase profits and better satisfy customer demands. So far, breeders have created cultivars with higher levels of THC, bigger buds, higher yields, and more flavour.

Now, researchers are honing in on the concept of polyploidy to improve cannabis as an agricultural crop. Through chemical treatments and crossbreeding, the following types of cannabis polyploids have arisen:

  • Triploid cannabis: As the name suggests, triploid cannabis contains three sets of chromosomes[6], which adds up to 30 in total. The offspring inherit a single set from one parent and two from the other.
  • Tetraploid cannabis: These cultivars possess four sets of chromosomes, two from each parent. Although tetraploid plants possess more copies of DNA, they’re a precursor to triploid plants during the breeding process (more on this below).
Polyploid Cannabis
Polyploid Cannabis

Can Cannabis Polyploidy Solve the Pollen Problem?

Polyploid cannabis plants offer a host of benefits, and they may help growers overcome the fertilisation issue when it comes to cultivating cannabis on a large scale. You see, as a dioecious plant, cannabis emerges from seed as either a distinct male or female specimen. The females produce resinous flowers high in cannabinoids and terpenes (if left unfertilised), whereas the male flowers produce pollen.

Overall, male plants are relatively worthless when it comes to crop production. Not only that, but they decrease the quality of female flowers upon fertilisation, turning them from sweet sinsemilla into seedy and less potent buds.

The current industry[7] standard for dealing with this issue involves genetic testing before transplanting. As you can imagine, this quickly becomes costly and time-consuming. However, both feminised seeds and cloning offer an alternative solution. Polyploid cannabis could become another option for commercial and small-scale growers looking to produce seedless weed.

Triploid cannabis varieties are practically infertile and rarely produce seeds, regardless of whether they are surrounded by pollen-producing males. Their odd sets of chromosomes impair the cellular processes that lead to seed development.

Triploid Cannabis Plants

Triploid plants are not exclusive to the world of cannabis breeding. Horticulturalists have developed triploid varieties across a host of different species to reap their benefits. For example, seedless fruit, such as watermelons and bananas, are triploid. Because they can’t produce seeds, they’re more convenient to consume and therefore more appealing to consumers.

Much like other triploid crops, cannabis strains that possess three sets of chromosomes also offer key benefits. They create more biomass in terms of leaves and stems, which makes them more valuable in some commercial settings. Larger flowers also make them extremely appealing to growers, as well as customers seeking big buds in dispensaries and other retail outlets.

How Do Triploid Cannabis Plants Occur?

Triploid plants do occur naturally, but they are extremely rare. In order to create them, breeders need to first create tetraploid weed cultivars (we’ll discuss this process below). Once they secure tetraploid genetics, breeders then need to select suitable diploid specimens with desirable traits. Crossing a carefully selected tetraploid parent with a diploid parent will create triploid offspring.

Diploid vs Tetraploid Plants
Diploid vs Tetraploid Plants

Traits of Triploid Weed Genetics

Now you’re aware of how triploid and diploid plants differ genetically, but how exactly are these differences expressed? The key differences exhibited by triploid plants include:

  • Larger and more luscious: Research shows that triploid cannabis plants tend to grow larger[8] than their diploid counterparts. An overall increase in biomass makes for bigger fan leaves, longer stems, and a more extensive root network in the soil.
  • Slower to grow: The size and productivity of triploid plants come with a trade-off—they take longer to grow. While not a problem for hobbyists, the length of the growing cycle poses an issue for commercial ventures that value a quick turnaround.
  • More cannabinoids: Studies analysing the chemical qualities of diploid and polyploid weed strains have found higher levels of cannabinoids[9] in triploid varieties.
  • Bigger buds: Triploid cannabis varieties also produce bigger flowers. The buds are longer, wider, and denser. Larger buds and more cannabinoids make for dramatically larger yields per plant.

What Are the Benefits of Triploid Cannabis Plants for Breeders?

Triploid cannabis opens up a whole new field of play for breeders. Just like the advent of autoflowering and feminised genetics, a rise in triploid plants could change the cannabis industry in many ways. Contemporary research has found that these varieties certainly show promise. However, this innovation is still in the early stages, and triploid weed plants also have some downsides that could affect their adoption among breeders and growers, both commercial and amateur.

Can You Cross Triploid and Diploid Cannabis Plants?

Technically, yes. A breeder could cross diploid and triploid parent strains. However, the results probably wouldn’t be worth the effort, as their unequal amount of chromosome sets can disrupt the normal reproductive process. On top of that, triploids are almost always sterile, meaning there’s only a very tiny chance that they’ll go to seed to produce offspring.

What Are the Downsides of Triploid Genetics for Growers

Triploid cannabis plants certainly boast some impressive benefits. They offer a seedless crop, bigger yields, large buds, and more cannabinoids. However, these cultivars largely remain confined to research laboratories for the time being. Plus, they also have some downsides. Their incredibly low fertility means that growers will have to indefinitely maintain a line of clones in order to maintain a progeny that they like. Inevitably, this demands resources such as space, lighting, and nutrients.

On top of this, triploid varieties are hard to create. They require knowledge of plant genetics and the ability to create tetraploid strains as parent stock. Realistically, the vast majority of small-scale growers lack the resources and knowledge to make their own triploid genetics.

Tetraploid Cannabis Plants

Tetraploid cannabis plants are similar to triploids in the sense that they are also polyploids. However, instead of three sets of chromosomes, each cell possesses four—two sets from each parent. These varieties are somewhat easier to create than triploid ones; you can view them as a botanical precursor.

How Are Tetraploid Weed Plants Formed?

Plant scientists create tetraploid plants through chemical intervention. There are several molecules that, when applied to a weed plant, cause cells to multiply their chromosomes. These compounds include colchicine[10], a naturally occurring chemical found in autumn crocus that interferes with cell division. Researchers also use oryzalin, a less toxic alternative, to achieve the same result.

Polyploid Cannabis
Polyploid Cannabis

Traits of Tetraploid Genetics

Tetraploid cannabis varieties also possess unique traits that make them attractive to breeders and growers. These qualities include:

  • Unique leaf morphology: Tetraploid varieties have different leaves compared to their diploid cousins. Their fan leaves are larger[11] with longer and thicker leaflets. The guard cells that open and close the stomata are also thicker and longer.
  • Greater trichome density: Trichomes are the small glands found on bud and leaf surfaces. These crystal-like structures are responsible for creating cannabinoids and terpenes—the chemicals responsible for the effects of each strain. Studies show that tetraploid sugar leaves produce around 40% more trichomes[12] than diploid ones.
  • Bigger yields: Tetraploid plants produce bigger yields[13] overall. This includes a slightly higher amount of dry bud and a significantly larger amount of leaf trim that can be used to make hash and other extracts.
  • More terpenes: Aromatic terpenes are responsible for the unique scents and flavour of each strain. They also play an important role in the subjective effects of different cultivars. Early studies show that tetraploid varieties produce far more terpenes[14] in their leaves and flowers.

The Importance of Tetraploid Cannabis Plants in Breeding

Considering the impressive traits mentioned above, tetraploid cannabis clearly has a lot of potential. But again, you’ll be hard-pressed to get your hands on any tetraploid varieties for now. However, we could see them arrive on the market in the near future. Breeders are likely to use this technology to create strains that are more productive, resinous, flavourful, and potent. Chances are, we’ll also see tetraploid versions of some of the most well-known cannabis strains emerge at some point.

Can You Cross a Tetraploid With a Diploid Cannabis Plant?

Yes! In fact, this is exactly how breeders create triploid plants. Crossing a diploid with a tetraploid results in a progeny with three sets of chromosomes. Although tetraploid plants exhibit decreased female fertility compared to diploids, they are still able to reproduce (they just create fewer seeds).

The Disadvantages of Tetraploid Genetics

Much like triploid genetics, tetraploid plants display some seriously impressive traits, and they’re relatively easy to create using chemical manipulation. However, they also have a few disadvantages. First, their low fertility makes successful crosses hard to accomplish. They also appear to have a slower rate of growth compared to diploid varieties, making them less appealing to growers that value speed. Finally, for now, they remain confined to a niche area of breeding, and a lack of understanding surrounding tetraploids will make them tough to work with for most amateurs.

Cannabis Polyploid: A Fascinating and Useful Phenomenon

Although just a single species of plant, a gigantic industry revolves around cannabis. What started as a wild plant has, with the help of human innovation, become a diverse domesticated plant that takes on many different forms. Breeding breakthroughs have ushered in the likes of autoflowering and feminised strains, as well as the first true F1 hybrids.

Now, it looks like polyploids are next in line to shake up the industry. That’s right—cannabis breeding has reached the point of multiplying the amount of chromosomes in plant cells! Both triploid and tetraploid cannabis present some promising advantages, including bigger buds, more THC, and more terpenes. Research remains in the early stages, but you can expect to hear much more about polyploid cannabis in the coming years!

External Resources:
  1. The evolutionary advantage of haploid versus diploid microbes in nutrient-poor environments https://www.sciencedirect.com
  2. Frontiers | Current Strategies of Polyploid Plant Genome Sequence Assembly https://www.frontiersin.org
  3. Polyploidy Affects Plant Growth and Alters Cell Wall Composition - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. Characteristics of the Diploid, Triploid, and Tetraploid Versions of a Cannabigerol-Dominant F1 Hybrid Industrial Hemp Cultivar, Cannabis sativa ‘Stem Cell CBG’ - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. Polyploidy https://www.ucl.ac.uk
  6. Breeding Triploid Plants: A Review https://www.agriculturejournals.cz
  7. Characteristics of the Diploid, Triploid, and Tetraploid Versions of a Cannabigerol-Dominant F1 Hybrid Industrial Hemp Cultivar, Cannabis sativa ‘Stem Cell CBG’ - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  8. Characteristics of the Diploid, Triploid, and Tetraploid Versions of a Cannabigerol-Dominant F1 Hybrid Industrial Hemp Cultivar, Cannabis sativa ‘Stem Cell CBG’ - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  9. Characteristics of the Diploid, Triploid, and Tetraploid Versions of a Cannabigerol-Dominant F1 Hybrid Industrial Hemp Cultivar, Cannabis sativa ‘Stem Cell CBG’ - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  10. Frontiers | Polyploidization for the Genetic Improvement of Cannabis sativa https://www.frontiersin.org
  11. Frontiers | Polyploidization for the Genetic Improvement of Cannabis sativa https://www.frontiersin.org
  12. Frontiers | Polyploidization for the Genetic Improvement of Cannabis sativa https://www.frontiersin.org
  13. Frontiers | Polyploidization for the Genetic Improvement of Cannabis sativa https://www.frontiersin.org
  14. Frontiers | Polyploidization for the Genetic Improvement of Cannabis sativa https://www.frontiersin.org
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

Cookies settings

We are requesting your permission to use your data for the reasons stated below:

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small pieces of data from a particular website that get stored on a user’s computer while they’re surfing the internet. Cookies have several different functions. Some of them track browser activity that enables businesses to deliver targeted advertisements. Other cookies serve to remember user login details to different websites to make jumping on social media, or other sites, a more fluid process. Because each cookie has its own unique ID, these pieces of data allow website owners to measure the unique traffic coming into their site.

Why do we use cookies?

Cookies come in handy when you visit our website. They ensure you stay logged in, that you can shop safely, and that the items you add to your cart stay there before you make a purchase. But cookies also help us. The data they provide allow us to improve our website and enable us to present you with targeted advertisements that are compatible with your interests.

What kind of cookies do we use?

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

How can I disable or delete cookies?

Not a fan of cookies? No worries. You can disable them (with the exception of necessary cookies) in your browser settings. However, blocking cookies may impact your browsing experience and prevent you from enjoying all of the technical features of our site.

Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: