Disease Resistance Polygenic

Disease Resistance Polygenic (DRP) describes cannabis plants whose resistance to pathogens—mildew, bud rot, root diseases—is controlled by multiple genes rather than a single dominant trait. Unlike monogenic resistance (controlled by one gene), polygenic resistance involves cumulative contributions from several loci, each with smaller individual effect sizes. This distributed genetic architecture is commonly observed in wild or landrace populations and often produces more durable, environmentally stable resistance profiles. Breeding programs targeting polygenic disease resistance typically require multi-generational selection and phenotypic evaluation across varied growing conditions to identify and stabilize the trait combination.

Breeders pursuing polygenic disease resistance focus on crossing parents showing complementary resistance mechanisms and conducting field trials across multiple seasons and pathogen pressures. This approach generally requires longer timelines than monogenic selection but can produce more stable, broad-spectrum resistance less prone to pathogen adaptation.