Trait Dominance

Trait dominance in cannabis refers to the inheritance patterns by which certain genetic characteristics express themselves across generations. In classical Mendelian genetics, dominant traits mask recessive alleles in heterozygous individuals, though cannabis breeding often reveals more complex inheritance patterns involving multiple genes. Breeders working in this category track which phenotypic markers—plant structure, flowering time, terpene profiles, or resin production—reliably appear in F1, F2, and subsequent generations. Understanding dominance hierarchies is essential for predictable breeding outcomes and stabilizing desired characteristics in new cultivars. Lineage records frequently report which traits breed true versus those requiring careful selection across generations.

Breeders use trait dominance mapping to accelerate cultivar development by identifying which characteristics will consistently express in offspring without extensive backcrossing. This knowledge allows more efficient selection strategies when creating stable F1 hybrids or inbred lines with specific phenotypic targets.