Mendelian Segregation

Mendelian segregation isn't a terpene, but rather a foundational genetic principle describing how traits—including terpene profiles—distribute across offspring generations. When cannabis plants with different terpene expressions are crossed, their offspring inherit alleles governing volatile compound production in predictable ratios, first formally described by Gregor Mendel in pea plants. Breeders working with cannabis use segregation patterns to understand which terpene traits breed true, which require multiple generations to stabilize, and how recessive aromatic profiles can reappear in F2 or F3 generations. Understanding segregation helps explain why sibling plants from the same parents can express vastly different terpene profiles, even when grown identically. This principle underpins all deliberate strain development targeting specific aromatic or volatile compound outcomes.

Breeders rely on Mendelian segregation to predict terpene inheritance, design multi-generational selection programs, and stabilize desired aromatic profiles in inbred lines. Tracking segregation ratios across generations reveals whether a terpene expression is dominant, recessive, or polygenic—critical data for producing uniform F1 hybrids or uniform-phenotype seed lines.