[[{“value”:”Researchers at universities in Colorado and South Korea believe they’ve sequenced the most complete cannabis genome in the world so far.
It’s also one sexy strain.
According to an announcement from Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR), a collaborative study between CSU-Pueblo and Kangwon National University in Chuncheon, South Korea, has produced a new, CBD-heavy strain of cannabis. Dubbed Pink Pepper, the strain could help farmers and scientists better understand hemp and high-CBD cannabis cultivation, thanks to its detailed genetic sequencing.
“Pink Pepper, a new CBD-rich variety, features a fully sequenced genome, serving as an invaluable resource for cannabis breeding, CBD production, and understanding the genetic regulation of key agricultural traits, including cannabinoid and terpene production,” says the ICR’s lead plant molecular scientist, Dr. Sang Park. “This pioneering variety sets a new benchmark for cannabis genetics and genomics, offering a vital reference for studying cannabis evolution and driving advancements in genomic research.”
The genome of an initial draft of the cannabis strain Purple Kush was completed in 2011. However, the ICR study notes that it still had a “very high proportion” of unknown sequences, citing another study in 2020 that accused the cannabis genome assembly of being incomplete and “poorly aligned with low resolution.”
“Furthermore, such assemblies create confusion for data users in distinguishing between real genome differences and assembly errors,” notes the ICR study, published on December 28.
According to the ICR, CSU-Pueblo and Kangwon researchers believe they’ve reached a 99.6 percent rate of assembly accuracy with Pink Pepper. And the more complete a strain’s genome map, the more consistent its traits, such as potency, yield and cannabinoid makeup. This will also eventually help cannabis users better predict how Pink Pepper would affect their health and wellness, researchers point out.
As for Pink Pepper’s eye-catching color, which spans everything from hot pink to magenta to deep, deep purple, that was unintended, according to Park.
The primary focus of the study was to help achieve higher CBD production in cannabis, he says, adding that Pink Pepper’s striking hot-pink color was “unintended and emerged as a byproduct of the intricate breeding process involving 26 hemp varieties.” However, the ICR believes Pink Pepper will also be “foundational” for breeding efforts and research into biosynthesis between cannabinoids like THC and CBD and terpenes, or the aromatic compounds in cannabis responsible for its smells and flavors.
“This is truly groundbreaking work,” ICR executive director Chad Kinney says. “This new cannabis variety represents a significant advancement in cannabis genomics and sets a new standard for gaining insights and driving new advancements in cannabinoid research, primarily for medicinal uses.”
The National Center for Biotechnology Information has designated Pink Pepper as a reference genome, or a digital database that represents the genes of a species.
Pink Pepper will be available for sale for educational, research and commercial purposes in March, according to Park, but growers interested in buying it must first fill out an application. Kangwon is also launching a new hemp genetics and seed company, Pink Pepper Biotech, with plans for some of the company’s revenue to be donated for research at both institutions, Park adds.
Whatever strain comes next from Pink Pepper, Biotech will have a hard time topping the namesake’s bag appeal. We’ll try our best not to be salty about it.
“}]] University researchers knew how sexy this new cut was. Read More
