Genotype vs. Phenotype: What’s the Difference & Why It's Important To Solventless
Cannabis enthusiast and student of the art of solventless extraction
Plant genetics play a significant role in the success or failure of solventless extractions. The genetic makeup of a cannabis plant dictates its uniqueness as a specific cultivar, making some cultivars more desirable for solventless production than others. Genetics determine the quality and quantity of resin that a plant will produce, which are both top considerations for extractors.
What Is a Genotype?
The cannabis plant genotype refers to the genetic makeup or DNA sequence of an individual cannabis plant. The genotype determines the plant's characteristics, such as its physical appearance, potency, aroma, and flavor.
Each cannabis plant has a unique genotype that is inherited from its parent plants. Cannabis breeders use selective breeding techniques to create new strains with desired traits by crossing plants with different genotypes.
The genotype can be analyzed through genetic testing, which allows breeders to identify desirable traits and create new cultivars that are better suited for specific purposes (such as solventless production).
What Is a Phenotype?
The cannabis plant phenotype refers to its observable physical traits. Unlike the genotype, which is determined by the plant's DNA sequence, the phenotype is influenced by both genetics and environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and nutrient levels.
Cannabis plants with the same genotype can exhibit different phenotypes depending on the conditions in which they are grown. For example, a cannabis plant with a genetic predisposition for high THC content may produce lower levels of THC if grown in a suboptimal environment.
Phenotype is an important factor in cannabis breeding, as breeders select plants with desirable physical traits to produce new strains. By selecting for certain phenotypes within one specific cultivar or genotype, breeders can create plants that are better suited for specific uses, such as medicinal or recreational purposes.
Cannabis phenotypes are heavily reliant on the growing environment. How a certain genotype, or cultivar, will express its genetic makeup can be swayed by various factors in the garden such as light spectrum, ambient temperature, and nutrient intake.
Determining a Plant’s Genotype
Determining the genotype of a cannabis plant typically requires genetic testing, which involves analyzing the plant's DNA sequence. This can be done using various methods, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and whole genome sequencing.
PCR is a technique that amplifies specific DNA sequences, allowing researchers to identify genetic markers that are associated with specific traits, such as cannabinoid content or disease resistance. Whole genome sequencing, on the other hand, involves sequencing the entire genome of the plant to identify all of its genetic markers.
Genetic testing can provide valuable information about the genotype of a cannabis plant, which can be used by breeders to select plants with desirable traits and create new cultivars. However, genetic testing can be expensive and time-consuming, and is not always necessary for growing cannabis.
In most cases, the phenotype of a particular genetic stock can serve as the appropriate benchmark for selective breeding and solventless extraction.
Determining a Plant’s Phenotype
Unlike the genotype, a plant’s phenotype is observable through the senses like touch, sight, smell, and taste. Are the trichomes hardy enough to withstand the ice water extraction process, without rupturing and releasing the resin within? What is the terpene profile and how explosive is the flavor? What is the level of trichome proliferation on the flowers? How long does the plant need to flower before the resin is ripe enough to harvest?
We don’t need specialty equipment or genetic sequencing to answer these questions, we just need to know what we’re looking for.
The search for the perfect phenotype for solventless production is known as “pheno-hunting”. There’s no single specific phenotype that’s better than the rest. It all comes down to personal preference and market demands. That said, there are some common traits among winning phenotypes, including resilient trichome heads that won’t break open during ice water extraction, airy and spaced-out flower structures, abundant terpene production, and resiliency to pests and disease in the garden.
Read more in our article Why Is Pheno-Hunting Important for Rosin?
Conclusion
The best genotypes and phenotypes for growing cannabis plants specifically for flower production are not the same as growing for resin production. Solventless extractors are mostly concerned with resin as opposed to big, chunky flowers.
Start with the genotype, or cultivar, that’s known for its success in solventless extraction. Then move to a specific phenotype, which you can search out within a sample of plants from a given cultivar. While genotypes are determined purely by plant DNA, phenotypes can vary in large part depending on the environment in which the plants grow.
Read more in Cultivating Cannabis Specifically for Resin Production.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Is a Genotype?
The cannabis plant genotype refers to the genetic makeup or DNA sequence of an individual cannabis plant.
What Is a Phenotype?
The cannabis plant phenotype refers to its observable physical traits. Unlike the genotype, which is determined by the plant's DNA sequence, the phenotype is influenced by both genetics and environmental factors.
How do you determine a plant’s genotype?
Determining the genotype of a cannabis plant typically requires genetic testing, which involves analyzing the plant's DNA sequence. This can be done using various methods, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and whole genome sequencing.
How do you determine a plant’s phenotype?
Unlike the genotype, a plant’s phenotype is observable through the senses like touch, sight, smell, and taste. The phenotype is the way a plant physically expresses its genetic makeup.
What is the best phenotype for solventless production?
There are some common traits among winning phenotypes, including resilient trichome heads that won’t break open during ice water extraction, airy and spaced-out flower structures, abundant terpene production, and resiliency to pests and disease in the garden.
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