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In 2018, Canada was the first high-income western country to legalize recreational cannabis. One of the goals of legalizing cannabis has been to eliminate the illegal market; however, illegally produced cannabis is still widely available and consumed due to the perceptions of better quality than commercial strains. A key component of consumer preference is the aroma profile of strains. This is especially important given that cultivar names are defined by the aroma it gives off, for example, Tangerine Dream and Lemon Kush. Producers hope that developing strains to meet consumer preferences will help decrease the market share of illegal cannabis. 

Since the legalization of cannabis for recreational use, Canada has become an international leader in cannabis research and its utility as a high-value crop. Using this opportunity, BC based company Aurora have established a unique research program looking into the genetics and breeding of cannabis. Their goal is to create new varieties with improved quality for consumers and growers. While significant efforts have been made to enhance cannabis as a productive, disease-resistant crop for growers, consumer needs and preferences must also be addressed, as these ultimately drive revenue and profitability.  

In this project, Drs. Joerg Bohlmann from UBC and José Celedon of Aurora will work together to uncover the genetic and biochemical foundations of desirable aromas in cannabis and develop molecular tools to predict these traits. Being able to predict desirable aroma traits across varieties of cannabis will increase the competitiveness of the legal market by shortening the time from development to commercialization, meeting the demand for consistently high-quality and safe products.