GENETIC CLUES TO MEDICINAL CANNABIS UNLOCKED IN VICTORIA. (Yes, Australia:)

The Minister for Agriculture, Mary-Anne Thomas has congratulated scientists at Agriculture Victoria who have paved the way for faster precision breeding of medical cannabis.

"Research  into  medicinal  cannabis  is  a  great  example  of  how  Victoria’s  science  and  health  sectors  are  working  hand-in-hand  for  the  benefit  of  our  community,  particularly those people who  are  suffering  from  chronic  health  conditions.”

Advanced DNA analysis has allowed Victorian scientists to unlock the genetic code of medicinal cannabis, creating the world’s most complete genomic reference.

Laboratories fitted with technology that can precisely measure and quantify cannabinoids, are being used by Victorian scientists to quickly and accurately identify the cannabis varieties with the best medicinal properties.

In 2016, Victoria became the first state to legalise the use of medicinal cannabis.

Scientists at Agriculture Victoria  used  their expertise in genomic DNA testing to create new tools which made extracting genetic information from strains of medicinal cannabis from across the world possible.

This information was then able to be put into a database of  DNA markers with  traits such as growth rate, bud  size and disease resistance, to quickly and cost-effectively test plants to meet compliance and regulatory requirements.

In  2018-19,  Agriculture Victoria scientists sequenced 50 trillion bases of DNA. Advances in technology mean the same amount can today be done in just three weeks, which is equivalent to 60,000 cannabis genomes or 66,000 chickpea genomes.