Shanyu  Chen¹ , Wenjun  Wang² , Sijie  Meng¹ , Guanhai  Ruan¹

1 Institute of Crops and Nuclear Technology Utilization, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021,China
2 Institute of Industrial Crops, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150000, China
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol. 15, No. 4   doi: 10.5376/ijh.2025.15.0018
Received: 01 Jun., 2025    Accepted: 15 Jul., 2025    Published: 02 Aug., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Chen S.Y., Wang W.J., Meng S.J., and Ruan G.H., 2025, Research progress on the botanical characteristics and diversity of Cannabis, International Journal of Horticulture, 15(4): 171-184 (doi: 10.5376/ijh.2025.15.0018)

Cannabis, as a highly variable plant, has garnered widespread attention from the scientific community due to its rich cannabinoids (such as THC and CBD) and extensive industrial and medicinal applications. This study systematically analyzes the botanical characteristics and diversity of Cannabis, particularly focusing on its taxonomy, genetic diversity, and the pharmacological significance of its chemical components. The research demonstrates that Cannabis exhibits significant diversity in its phenotype, genetics, and chemical composition, especially showing complex genetic mechanisms in the biosynthesis pathways of cannabinoids and terpenes. It emphasizes the need for a more precise understanding of the genetic diversity and chemical composition of Cannabis through genomics and molecular biology techniques to promote its broad applications in the fields of medicine and industry. This study provides important references for future Cannabis research and breeding, as well as theoretical support for its medicinal and industrial applications.

Cannabis; Botanical characteristics; Genetic diversity; Cannabinoids; Medicinal value; Phytochemistry