Citral Terpene Family

Citral is a C10 acyclic monoterpene comprising two isomers: geranial and neral. It is commonly associated with lemon, lime, and herbaceous aromatics in cannabis cultivars. Citral occurs naturally in citrus peels, lemongrass, and various cannabis strains, particularly those with Lemon or Haze lineages. Breeders and researchers track citral as a marker compound in strain development, though citral levels vary significantly across chemotypes and growing conditions. The terpene belongs to a larger family of acyclic monoterpenes that influence sensory profiles in cannabis.

Breeders working in citrus-forward and haze-type cultivars often select for citral-dominant chemotypes as a secondary aromatic marker. Citral presence is frequently documented in multi-generational crosses where lemon or lime phenotypes are desired, making it useful for chemotype stabilization and phenotype selection.