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2025 Vol.43, Issue 2 Preview Page

Research Article

Influence of Temperature Stress on the Major Cannabinoid Contents and Biosynthesis Gene Expression Levels in Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)
Seungyong Hahm1†
,
Jeong Yeo Lee2†
,
Hae Min Im2
,
Hyun Joo Lee1
,
Jongseok Park1*
1Department of Horticultural Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
2Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
*Corresponding Author
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
30 April 2025. pp. 221-233
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Abstract

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has attracted global attention as a crop to grow in temperate and subtropical regions owing to its diverse primary and secondary metabolites. However, only limited information is available on how hemp responds to thermal stress and how this affects the cannabinoid content. In this study, we analyzed the major cannabinoid components [tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN)] in hemp using high-performance liquid chromatography. We evaluated cannabinoid contents in different organs, at different developmental stages, and under thermal stress conditions. Leaf discs collected from 75-day-old plants of three hemp cultivars were exposed to cold (4°C) and heat stress (45°C) conditions, with samples collected at various time points of 0, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours. The highest cannabinoid concentrations occurred in the terminal flowers and leaves, and CBDA was the predominant cannabinoid in the ‘Hot Blonde’, ‘Cherry Blossom’, and ‘Queen Dream’ cultivars. In contrast, roots showed the lowest concentrations of the four cannabinoid compounds. After subjecting hemp plants to a temperature of 4°C, no significant changes occurred in the levels of the four cannabinoid compounds; however, after a treatment at 45°C, the contents of CBD and CBN increased in the Hot Blonde, Cherry Blossom, and Queen Dream cultivars, indicating an increase in decarboxylation due to the high temperature. We also examined the expression patterns of nine genes involved in cannabinoid biosynthesis in C. sativa L. and assessed the relationship between metabolic pathways and gene transcription. Overall, a positive correlation between cannabinoid biosynthesis and the expression of biosynthetic genes was observed. The transcription levels of the tetrahydrocannabinolic acid synthase (THCAS) and cannabichromenic acid synthase (CBCAS) genes gradually increased after a treatment at 45°C, which aligned with the patterns observed for the CBD and CBN contents. These findings indicate that the high expression levels of THCAS and CBDAS under heat stress significantly influenced the accumulation of CBD and CBN at elevated temperatures. Our results provide a foundation for enhancing the content of functional components such as cannabinoids in hemp and for developing new medical hemp varieties.

Keywords
gene expression
industrial hemp
phytocannabinoids
secondary metabolites
temperature stress
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Information
  • Publisher :KOREAN SOCIETY FOR HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국원예학회
  • Journal Title :Horticultural Science and Technology
  • Journal Title(Ko) :원예과학기술지
  • Volume : 43
  • No :2
  • Pages :221-233
  • Received Date : 2024-08-29
  • Revised Date : 2024-10-04
  • Accepted Date : 2024-10-18
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7235/HORT.20250024
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