Using Chemical Ecology as a Guide for Development and Differentiation of Clinically Relevant Phytochemical Profiles in Cannabis Trichome

This article examines the effects of biotic and abiotic influences on trichome development in cannabis and how these influences may shape the ultimate cannabinoid and terpene profiles in cannabis cultivars. As cannabis agriculture focuses primarily on either high tetrahydrocannabinol or cannabidiol production, the result has been an attenuation of genetic and chemical diversity observed in contemporary cannabis cultivars. Techniques for modulating trichome development remain an active area of commercial importance. The clinically therapeutic role of varied cannabis metabolite profiles, which include the wider range of cannabinoids and terpenes, also ultimately tied to trichome development. This review will analyze how different stressors can modify phytochemical ratios and alter trichome development.