Allele Dominance

Allele dominance describes how different versions of a gene express themselves in cannabis plants, particularly relevant to trait inheritance across generations. In diploid organisms like cannabis, each plant carries two copies of most genes—one from each parent. When alleles (gene variants) are paired, a dominant allele typically masks the expression of a recessive one, determining visible phenotypic traits. Breeders working with stable lines track dominance patterns to predict offspring characteristics and maintain desired traits. Understanding allele dominance is foundational for developing consistent strain families and identifying which parent plants will reliably pass specific traits forward. This principle applies to appearance, growth structure, flowering time, and secondary metabolite production.

Professional breeders use allele dominance mapping to select parents that will consistently express target traits in filial generations. Recognizing whether a desirable characteristic is dominant or recessive determines breeding strategy—dominant traits appear immediately in F1 hybrids, while recessive traits require homozygous pairings or multiple generational backcrossing.