Polyphenol Oxidase

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is an enzyme family that catalyzes the oxidation of phenolic compounds in plant tissue, commonly observed when cannabis plant material is damaged, dried, or processed. This enzymatic activity is responsible for browning reactions in many plants and may influence color development, oxidative stability, and chemical profile changes during curing and storage. In cannabis breeding, PPO activity is often studied as a marker of post-harvest chemistry and oxidative resilience. Lineage records frequently report varying PPO expression across different cultivar families, suggesting genetic regulation of this trait. Understanding PPO behavior helps breeders and cultivators predict how plant material may degrade or transform over time. The enzyme's role in secondary metabolite conversion remains an active area of cannabis genetics research.

Breeders studying oxidative stability and color retention in dried flower often track PPO expression as an indicator of how quickly cannabinoids and terpenes may degrade post-harvest. Selecting for lower or higher PPO activity in specific genetic backgrounds allows cultivators to engineer more stable or more dynamically changing chemotypes during cure and aging cycles.