The genetic diversity and chemical profiling of natural populations of Indian Cannabis

Cannabis L. (family Cannabaceae) has long been used in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and textile industries. Despite the view that Cannabis originated either in India or China, no studies have focussed on Indian Cannabis. The present study represents the most extensive morphometric and chemometric mapping of natural populations of Indian Cannabis. Here, we investigated sixty-six naturally occurring Cannabis populations from all the possible habitats, representing nine Indian states (Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Rajasthan) for genetic diversity, based on their qualitative and quantitative morphometric analysis and chemical profiling using HPLC. These analyses demonstrate that a strong correlation prevails between the genetic diversity of Indian Cannabis and their regional distribution. Based on THC:CBD ratios, 45 collections had a THC content >0.3 % and a CBD content <0.5 % and were classified as drug-type; a single collection had a THC content <0.3 % and the CBD content <0.5 % is identified as of fibertype; and five collections show THC content <0.3 % and the CBD content >0.5 % were classified as medicinal-type; 15 collections did not fit into the above classification. As assessed here, the diversity based on phenotypic and chemotypic variability set the stage for identification and selection of lines for key agronomic traits allowing maximizing the agronomic potential of this promising crop. The results of the present study declare immense scope for devising effective breeding strategies that will enable optimum utilization of Cannabis resources by the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and textile industries.