TY - JOUR T1 - Genomic and Chemical Diversity in <em>Cannabis</em> JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/034314 SP - 034314 AU - Ryan C. Lynch AU - Daniela Vergara AU - Silas Tittes AU - Kristin White AU - C.J. Schwartz AU - Matthew J. Gibbs AU - Travis C. Ruthenburg AU - Kymron deCesare AU - Donald P. Land AU - Nolan C. Kane Y1 - 2015/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2015/12/13/034314.abstract N2 - Plants of the Cannabis genus are the only producers of phytocannabinoids, terpenoid compounds that strongly interact with evolutionarily ancient endocannabinoid receptors shared by most bilaterian taxa. For millennia, the plant has been cultivated for these compounds, but also for food, rope, paper, and clothing. Today, specialized varieties yielding high-quality textile fibers, nutritional seed oil or high cannabinoid content are cultivated across the globe. However, the genetic identities and histories of these diverse populations remain largely obscured. We analyzed the nuclear genomic diversity among 339 Cannabis varieties, and demonstrate the existence of at least three major groups of diversity. As well as being genetically distinct, each group produces unique cannabinoid and terpenoid content profiles. This combined analysis of population genomic and trait variation informs our understanding of the potential uses of different genetic variants for medicine and agriculture, providing valuable insights and tools for a rapidly emerging, valuable legal industry. ER -