Interveinal Chlorosis

Interveinal chlorosis is a visible condition where leaf tissue between the veins loses pigmentation, appearing yellowed or bleached while veins retain green coloration. In cannabis cultivation, this pattern can result from nutrient deficiencies (particularly iron, magnesium, or manganese), pH imbalances affecting nutrient availability, or genetic predisposition in certain lineages. Some cultivars bred from tropical or heirloom stock show interveinal chlorosis as a heritable trait unrelated to deficiency. Breeders and growers distinguish between pathological chlorosis (indicating a cultivation problem) and genetic expression (a stable phenotypic marker). Understanding this distinction helps differentiate between environmental stress and inheritable plant characteristics in breeding programs.

Breeders occasionally track interveinal chlorosis patterns as a phenotypic marker for lineage identification or as a secondary trait linked to desired genetics. In some heritage strains, chlorosis expression serves as a visual confirmation of purity or parentage, though it is not a primary selection criterion in modern breeding.