Plant Testing

Plant testing refers to laboratory analysis of cannabis plant material to identify and quantify chemical compounds—including cannabinoids, terpenes, and potential contaminants. Testing protocols vary by jurisdiction but commonly include potency assays, terpene profiling via gas chromatography, and screening for pesticides, heavy metals, and microbial pathogens. Breeders and cultivators use plant testing data to document strain stability, verify lineage claims, and establish baseline chemical profiles across generations. Regulatory frameworks in licensed markets often mandate third-party testing at harvest or sale, creating standardized records for strain genetics. Testing results inform breeding selections by revealing which parent plants or crosses produce consistent terpenoid and cannabinoid expression.

Plant testing serves as objective documentation for breeders evaluating F1, F2, and stabilized lines. Consistent test results across multiple plants of the same strain indicate genetic stability and inform decisions about which genetics to advance or cross with other lines.