Cannabis Cultivator Phenotype and Attribute Preferences in Legal Recreational and Medical Cannabis Cultivation Operations in Oregon and Colorado

Background: As recreational and medicinal Cannabis sativa production increases across the United States, concerns have arisen regarding declines in cannabis biodiversity. Studies have suggested genetic bottlenecking has occurred primarily because of breeder and cultivator preferences and practices which over-emphasize the selection of strains with high contents of the psychoactive cannabinoid, Δ- 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). No study to-date, however, has sought to systematically assess grower and breeder knowledge, preferences, and practices within legal operations within the United States. MethodsTwenty-one licensed recreational and medical cannabis growers in the states of Colorado and Oregon were provided with free lists to ascertain cultural domains of knowledge regarding cannabis phenotypes and attributes within commercial cannabis production operations. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with participants to provide more nuanced explanations of free-list responses, and to clarify responses where necessary. Free-list results were initially ungrouped excepting those variables whose meanings had been triangulated utilizing interview data. Free list data was assessed utilizing Smith’s S formula to ascertain cultural salience for listed attributes and phenotypes. A second analysis was then conducted for grouped terpene-related data. Results Results from the ungrouped free list identified Yield as the most culturally salient category (.29) followed by High THC Content (.26) and Smell (.25). Overall, horticultural characteristics such as yield, plant structure, and morphology garnered were the most frequently listed, followed by chemometrics, economics, and phenology, with some overlap between these categorizations. Though THC content was described as important within commercial operations by most growers both within free-list responses and interviews, growers also expressed that this preference was due to state testing regulations and a misinformed consumer base, rather than grower partialities. Respondents also noted that they believed consumer preferences were changing as consumer demographics were beginning to trend towards “older” consumers. When terpene-related attributes within free-listed results were combined utilizing triangulation from semi-structured interviews to verify the free list data, terpenes became the most cultural-salient attribute listed by growers (.42). Conclusions The results from this study suggest that cannabis biodiversity may indeed be declining due to breeder practices that emphasize THC content, but that these practices are informed by state policies and consumer purchasing metrics rather than grower preferences.