Secondary Metabolite Translocation

Secondary metabolite translocation refers to the plant's biochemical process of moving terpenes, cannabinoids, and other secondary compounds from sites of synthesis to storage tissues—primarily trichomes on flowers and leaves. In cannabis, this translocation is essential for concentrating aromatic and bioactive molecules in resin glands rather than throughout vegetative tissue. The efficiency of this process influences final cannabinoid and terpene profiles, making it a key consideration in breeding programs focused on potency and aroma expression. Breeders observe significant variation in translocation rates across genotypes, suggesting underlying genetic control of these transport mechanisms. Understanding translocation helps explain why some cultivars develop intense terpene profiles late in flowering while others show earlier accumulation.

Breeders working toward high-terpene or high-cannabinoid cultivars assess translocation efficiency as part of phenotype selection. Strains exhibiting efficient secondary metabolite movement to trichomes often produce more aromatic and chemically dense flowers, making translocation rate a practical marker in line development.