Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Kenevir ve Biyoteknoloji Araştırmaları Dergisi, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.5-11, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a multipurpose crop prized for
its diverse applications, from textiles to pharmaceuticals. However,
traditional hemp breeding programs are often constrained by the
laborious and time-consuming nature of phenotypic screening for key
traits such as plant gender and cannabinoid profiles. Traditional
methods are generally inefficient and delay selection until later
developmental stages. This study investigated the application of a PCR
Plant Screening by SCAR markers (SCAR119 and MADC2) and commercial
youPCR assays (Gender Assay, CBDA Markers, and THCA Markers) for rapid
and accurate early-stage screening of ten industrial Turkish hemp
landraces. The research focused on achieving early and precise
identification of sex and cannabinoid chemotypes to accelerate breeding
cycles. By employing these molecular markers, we were able to confirm
the gender and predict the cannabinoid chemotypes of all accessions
within one week of germination. These molecular identifications showed
high agreement with later-stage visual observations, thus validating the
efficacy of the applied method. The ability to rapidly identify male
plants and cannabinoid chemotypes significantly reduces the time, labor,
and resources required for trait selection in traditional style
breeding. The study highlights the breeding potential of incorporating
genetic tools into hemp breeding strategies. These findings demonstrate
that the implementation of molecular markers can substantially improve
the efficiency and effectiveness of hemp breeding programs. The
demonstrated benefits are not limited to a faster selection process, but
also facilitate targeted hemp cultivation and advancements in both
agricultural and industrial applications. The current method supports
the faster development of improved cultivars tailored to specific
industrial and medicinal applications.