Israeli researchers use a modified plant virus to grow «improved» cannabis»

Israeli researchers used advanced technology to grow a cannabis variety an improved strain that contains higher levels of THC and CBG, the main active components of cannabis, thereby opening up new possibilities for the medical and recreational industries.

As part of research conducted at the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, researchers have succeeded in creating and cultivating a cannabis plant containing nearly 17 % of THC and 25 % of CBG.

The laboratory-developed strain also had a 20 to 30 % higher concentration of terpenes, which is responsible for the smell and taste of cannabis, but also for the modulation of the effects of cannabis.

According to a press release issued by the university, the goal of the study was to develop a mechanism that would allow researchers to intervene in the biochemical pathways of the cannabis plant and modify the levels of active compounds it produces.

Researchers have finally succeeded in increasing or decreasing the levels of specific substances by manipulating a plant virus and redirecting it. Instead of harming the plant, the researchers created a version of the virus capable of affecting the genes in the cannabis plant that influence the production of its active compounds.

«This represents an innovative use of these tools, which were developed using synthetic biology techniques,» said declared Professor Alexander Vainstein, who led the project.

"Manipulating a cannabis plant and altering the levels of its active compounds or their proportions has never been done before," the university noted, opening up new possibilities for the medical industry.

«The results of this study will be invaluable both to the industry, in order to increase the yield of active compounds, and to medical research, in order to cultivate and develop new strains for users of medical marijuana«, said Mr. Vainstein, adding that further experiments will be conducted with the modified plant and that the information will be made available to the cannabis industry in the coming months.