Chinese cannabis genomes reveal five regional genetic clusters

Whole-genome resequencing of 271 geographically diverse Cannabis sativa accessions from China has produced the most comprehensive catalog of genetic variation reported to date for Chinese cannabis germplasm. The study covered 29 populations across 12 provinces and generated sequence data at an average depth of 7.08× per sample. Compared with the reference assembly, the researchers identified 2,699,120 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 42,201 insertion-deletion mutations, documenting extensive variation across the sampled plants.

Population analyses resolved five distinct genetic clusters. Phylogenetic reconstruction, principal component analysis and population-structure analysis showed strong concordance, indicating that genetic relatedness closely reflected geographic origin in this collection. Genome-wide selective-sweep scans detected different signatures of selection across regional contrasts.

The analysis returned 3,299 candidate genes associated with differentiation between northern and southern Xinjiang, 3,215 candidate genes at the divergence interface between Xinjiang and Xizang, and 3,404 candidate genes distinguishing southwestern from northeastern domestication trajectories. These genes are candidates identified through population-genomic analysis rather than experimentally validated determinants of specific traits, and the reported abstract does not establish their functional roles. A genome-wide association study identified CBDAS as a robust candidate gene associated with CBD content, with significant signals localized on chromosome 1.

This is an association between a genetic locus and a measured chemical phenotype; it does not by itself demonstrate that CBDAS controls CBD concentration or that changing the gene would alter cannabinoid production. The THC analysis produced several suggestive loci, but the researchers could not confidently assign a definitive candidate gene from the available functional annotations. They characterized this outcome as indicating a complex genetic architecture for THC biosynthesis.

The study establishes a population-level genomic reference for 271 Chinese cannabis accessions spanning 29 populations and 12 provinces. Its variant catalog, genetic clustering and regional selection signals provide a baseline for further research into diversity among Chinese germplasm, while the cannabinoid associations offer specific targets for future investigation. The authors describe the resource as foundational for molecular breeding and for understanding chemotypic variation, with potential implications for narcotics control and agricultural improvement.

However, the supplied findings concern genomic variation and statistical associations; they do not report breeding outcomes or interventions for controlling psychoactive-cannabinoid production. The research was published in BMC Plant Biology as an open-access article.

Subject of Research: Population genomics and cannabinoid-associated genetic variation in Chinese Cannabis sativa

Article Title: Genomic variation in 271 diverse accessions of Cannabis sativa L. in China

Article References: Wang, B., Gao, S., Wang, X., Yun, Q., Nie, H., Li, N., Li, Y., Feng, D., Li, L., Li, T., Lu, X., Liu, J., Wei, X., Mu, Y., Wu, Q., Hu, J., Liu, F., Feng, R., Yin, J., … Ren, F. (2026). Genomic variation in 271 diverse accessions of Cannabis sativa L. in China. BMC Plant Biology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-026-09909-5

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12870-026-09909-5

Keywords: Cannabis sativa, whole-genome resequencing, genetic diversity, Chinese germplasm, population structure, selective sweeps, genome-wide association study, CBD content, THC biosynthesis, genomic variation, Genomic, variation