Fatty Acid Synthesis

Fatty acid synthesis refers to the metabolic pathways through which cannabis plants produce and accumulate lipids, including cannabinoid precursors and terpene-related compounds. This biochemical family encompasses enzymes and cofactors involved in de novo lipogenesis, β-oxidation, and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) chain elongation. Understanding fatty acid metabolism is central to cannabis breeding because cannabinoid production (CBDA, THCA) and certain terpene biosynthesis depend on acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA intermediates. Genetic variation in fatty acid synthase (FAS) expression and regulation can influence resin composition, plant vigor, and seed lipid profiles across cultivars. This trait family is primarily of interest to breeders studying cannabinoid accumulation patterns and plant biomass allocation rather than end-consumer phenotypes.

Breeders investigating high-cannabinoid or high-resin cultivars pay attention to fatty acid synthesis pathways because cannabinoid biosynthesis is anchored to lipid metabolism. Selecting for robust fatty acid production may support consistent terpene and cannabinoid expression across generations, though direct selection markers for this trait remain limited in most breeding programs.