Carotenoids Yellow Orange Pigments

Carotenoids are a class of lipophilic pigments responsible for yellow, orange, and reddish hues in cannabis flowers, leaves, and trichomes. These compounds occur naturally in plant tissues and are chemically distinct from chlorophyll and anthocyanins. Common carotenoid variants in cannabis include β-carotene, lycopene, and lutein, though identification typically requires chromatographic analysis. Carotenoid expression is influenced by genetics, growing conditions, light exposure, and harvest timing. Yellow and orange pigmentation from carotenoids is often more visible in mature or senescing plant material, and breeders have selectively worked with carotenoid-dominant phenotypes to stabilize these traits in certain cultivar lines.

Breeders targeting aesthetic diversity and phenotype stability have incorporated carotenoid expression as a selectable trait in multi-generational crosses. Understanding carotenoid genetics helps inform cultivar development for visual consistency and phytochemical profiling in breeding programs.