Drug-free Cannabis Plant Comes Closer To Reality

[Jim Finnel]

Scientists have come closer to engineering drug-free cannabis plant after identifying genes that produce psychoactive substance in marijuana.

University of Minnesota researchers have identified genes producing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance in marijuana, which could lead to new and better drugs for pain, nausea and other conditions.

The study showed that the genes are active in tiny hairs covering the flowers of Cannabis plants.

In marijuana, the hairs accumulate high amounts of THC, whereas in hemp the hairs have little. Hemp and marijuana are difficult to distinguish apart from differences in THC.

With the genes identified, finding a way to silence them-and thus produce a drug-free plant - comes a step closer to reality, say researchers.

Another desirable step is to make drug-free plants visually recognizable.

Since the hairs can be seen with a magnifying glass, this could be accomplished by engineering a hairless Cannabis plant.

The researchers are currently using the methods of the latest study to identify genes that lead to hair growth in hopes of silencing them.

“We are beginning to understand which genes control hair growth in other plants, and the resources created in our study will allow us to look for similar genes in Cannabis sativa,” said David Marks, a professor of plant biology in the College of Biological Sciences.

“Cannabis genetics can contribute to better agriculture, medicine, and drug enforcement,” said George Weiblen, an associate professor of plant biology and a co-author of the study.

The finding is published in the Journal of Experimental Botany. (ANI)


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Website: Drug-free cannabis plant comes closer to reality

 

[Jim Finnel]

i think i might have bought some of this stuff before

 

[tronix]

I've heard in Tennessee that there is a region filled with THC-free hemp plants, covering roadsides, that by all rights look like beautiful, potent buds, but when you smoke them they taste like ass, and don't give you the slightest buzz..hence why the authorities, wont bother removing them, it's almost a sick joke to them..

This isn't good, because for those with physical ailments, this may still work out for them, but for those who need them for mental stability, the psyco-active part IS the medicine.
Just legalize it, and leave it alone, nature, knows what it's doing, and it did it for a reason.

 

[Jim Finnel]

that stuff on the roadside is wild hemp. the same stuff that could save the world

 

[FreakNature]

i think i might have bought some of this stuff before

Ha good one.

My first thought on their efforts "what an abomination". Second, WTF???? I love it when a bunch of stoner scientists get grant money to play with their favorite plant. I wish I was them. What are they thinking, though? What is the advantage to having a Cannabis plant that is basically just hemp? Why not just plant a hemp seed if that's what you want? If their goal is to release these into the public domain so they can cross with da kine, and dilute the gene pool with psychoactively useless plants, then they've just declared war on much that is sacred and must be stopped. Crazy days...

 

[Oddnonsmoker]

The flipside of this is that you could conceivably make super-marijuana with this knowledge.

Hemp and marijuana are difficult to distinguish apart from differences in THC.

This article lost a lot of credibility with me after it said that. Only an ignorant individual with no experience with cannabis plants could make the mistake of confusing hemp and marijuana. They have a very different growth style.

 

[michaelkaer]

What a waste of time,money and resources that could be much better spent. I think it is fine for research for the sake of research, but this could get ugly. Hemp=Tall Pot=Wide

how simple is that?

 

[michaelkaer]

I should say tall and spaced a couple inches apart and wide with a lot of space between plants.

 

[chillen7]

wow ??forewarned ***we better get our own seed saveing place ??I need my weed 4 asthma /hepc /and my friggen brain (in this order)so back the f1@#$%^&*()offf GOV.p.s they own all rights 2 the thc.content busness !!! yes pre warned as I see it!!

 

[Keith Lake]

Watch how quick the powers that be start falling all over themselves about the benefits of medicinal Cannabis as soon as it can be had without that pesky side effect of feeling good.

After all, we can't be having medicine that makes you feel good

 

[Tyrone Hamilton]

Wow - just think... if they know the genes that produce the effects... then why not put them in the Kudzu genome? Or any other plant... makes me want to take up botany!

 

[Jim Finnel]

^ ummm, cannapple pie