Cannabinoids and terpenoids yields of the ornamental Cannabis sativa L. cultivar 'Divina' characterized by a variegated foliage as morphological marker

The ornamental cultivar ‘Divina’, being characterized by a variegated foliage as morphological marker, is the first Cannabis cultivar that has obtained a provisional protection of plant breeder's rights at the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO). The variegated foliage allows the visual identification of the cultivar, and the distinction from the medicinal cultivar ‘Pilar’ where the spontaneous mutated type chimera was detected and isolated. Both cultivars are characterized for having the not psychotropic compound cannabidiol (CBD) as predominant cannabinoid. Plants of ‘Divina’ have a significant lower content of chlorophyll in their leaves than plants of ‘Pilar’. A slower growth rate and less total biomass production have been generally observed with ‘Divina’ when mother plants of both cultivars are grown at similar conditions under long day length, supposedly due to the inability to synthesize chlorophyll in portions of the photosynthetic organs. A comparative production trial between plants of the mutated ‘Divina’ and plants of the not mutated ‘Pilar’ was set in the same trial location for evaluating yield losses or gains in vegetal raw material components (stalks, leaves and inflorescences), as well as cannabinoids and terpenoids yields and possible changes on specific secondary metabolites due to genomic mutation. Results shown that in artificial growing conditions, ‘Pilar’ achieved significantly higher cannabinoids and terpenoids yields than ‘Divina’. Slight differences on terpenoids composition were detected. The exploitation of an ornamental variegated Cannabis cultivar as starting material could be eventually considered for obtaining essential oil and CBD-enriched extracts with deprived residues of chlorophyll, as well as pure forms of CBD, especially when production of vegetable raw material takes place in countries with restrictive rules on exploiting this plant species, and where a morphological marker could make a difference on permitting its cultivation.