Cannabis, The Multibillion Dollar Plant That No Genebank Wanted

Although cannabis is legalized and accepted as an agricultural commodity in many places around the world, a significant lack of public germplasm repositories remains an unresolved problem in the cannabis industry. The acquisition, preservation and evaluation of germplasm including landraces and ancestral populations is key to unleash the full potential of cannabis in the global marketplace. We argue here that accessible germplasm resources are crucial for long-term economic viability, preserving genetic diversity, breeding, innovation, and the long-term sustainability of the crop. We believe that cannabis restrictions require a second look to allow genebanks to play a fuller and more effective role in conservation, sustainable use, and exchange of cannabis genetic resources.