It is known that leaf width and length can be used to determine if a strain is dominating Sativa or Indica. That being said, general wisdom assumes that looks can be deceptive when trying to determine certain characteristics of cannabis strains. But are they?
A groundbreaking study by the American Society for Horticultural Science in February 2021 found that various morphological traits were highly correlated with high cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) strains. In the study, morphological traits in 21 unique varieties were monitored at three stages: vegetative, flowering, harvest and inflorescence.
The study found a positive correlation between high THC and leaf width / length ratio in the 21 strains, while high levels of CBD correlated positively with the number of tines on the central package insert, the number of package inserts, and the average length of the central package insert [1].
“The traits that were positively correlated with THC were all negatively correlated with CBD, with the absolute values of the correlations being similar and vice versa,” the study said [1]. What does it all mean?
The researchers have another tool to potentially identify the CBD / THC concentrations in strains prior to an in-depth laboratory analysis. However, it is unclear how this will help the average consumer.
References:
- Jin, Dan, Philippe Henry, Jacqueline Shan, and Jie Chen. “Identification of Phenotypic Traits in Three Chemotype Categories in the Cannabis Genus”. HortScience horts 56.4 (2021): 481-490.
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