Nutrient Metabolism

Nutrient Metabolism is not a terpene but rather a plant physiological process that influences cannabis secondary metabolite production, including terpene and cannabinoid synthesis. During cultivation, how efficiently a plant processes nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients directly affects volatile compound profiles and resin composition. Breeders and cultivators observe that nutrient timing and ratios can shift terpene expression—for example, phosphorus-heavy feeding during flowering is often associated with enhanced aromatic intensity in many cultivars. Understanding nutrient metabolism helps explain phenotypic variation within identical genetic lines grown under different feeding regimens.

Breeders working to stabilize terpene profiles in new lines must account for nutrient metabolism variables, as the same genetics may express different aromatic characteristics depending on substrate composition and nutrient availability. Seed-stage and vegetative-stage nutrient stress or surplus can epigenetically influence which terpene synthase genes are upregulated during flowering.