Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation refers to the use of plants—including cannabis—to absorb, accumulate, or break down contaminants from soil, water, or air. Cannabis plants have demonstrated capacity to uptake heavy metals (cadmium, lead, zinc) and some organic pollutants, making them subjects of environmental research. This trait is studied primarily in agronomic and soil-science contexts rather than for cannabinoid or terpene production. Breeders and cultivators working in contaminated or remediation zones may select for high-biomass cultivars that efficiently accumulate target compounds. Phytoremediation capability is not a heritable breeding trait in the traditional sense, but rather a physiological response dependent on soil chemistry, plant metabolism, and cultivar vigor.

Breeders do not typically select for phytoremediation traits in cannabis breeding programs focused on consumer or pharmaceutical products, as bioaccumulation of contaminants is undesirable in finished material. However, researchers and agricultural scientists investigating cannabis as a remediation crop may prioritize fast-growing, high-biomass genotypes that efficiently translocate heavy metals o