The Final Online CANNAtalk session of 2025, assembled three influential leaders in cannabis genetics, cultivation science, and global commercialization: Daniel Jolly (Genetics Consultant, Canada), Kevin Jodrey (Wonderland Nursery & Ganjier Program, California), and Matt Don-Carolis (VP, Segra, Global Tissue Culture). Together, they explored the evolution of cannabis genetics, consumer behaviour across markets, regulatory influences, and the future of commercial breeding and medical cannabis supply chains.
Across the discussion, one message was clear: genetics are the foundation of product identity, consistency, and long-term commercial success. As cannabis markets mature globally, the winners will be those who emphasize genetic integrity, terpene-forward development, and clean, verified, export-ready plant material.
Watch the stream below:
NOTABLE INSIGHTS
Genetics as the Foundation of Market Success
Panelists emphasized that genetics, not branding, are the true drivers of sustained product demand. While packaging and marketing may influence a consumer’s initial purchase, it is the genetics that ultimately determine the flavour and terpene expression, cannabinoid output, effect type and overall consumer experience, as well as the yield, structural quality, stability, and commercial scalability of a cultivar. These genetic factors collectively shape long-term loyalty, repeat purchasing, and a product’s ability to succeed in competitive markets.
In advanced markets such as California, consumer choice is broad enough that branding alone cannot sustain inferior products. In Canada, consumers are more THC-driven, but over time consistent genetic performance produces repeat purchasing, shaping brand loyalty organically.
Consumer Behavior & Market Segmentation
Medical Consumers are the most stable, discerning demographic. They value chemotype consistency, therapeutic reliability, and minor cannabinoids whereas recreational consumers are attracted to novelty, strong terpene profiles, and visual appeal (especially purple cultivars). Demand is influenced by budtender recommendations and “new drop” culture.
Focus with the recreational consumer continues to focus on THC scores and cost per gram which represents a large share of volume of sales.
Despite varying motivations, consumers across all segments are ultimately responding to the results of genetics, even when they cannot articulate lineage or breeding foundations.
Commercial Breeding & Cultivar Selection
Producers must select cultivars based on their facility environment (indoor, greenhouse, outdoor) and which market segment (flower, extract, infused products, medical) they are looking to work within. Other considerations are the genetics yield and potency expectations, terpene concentration and resin production, washability for hash production, visual characteristics and bud structure and, especially for export, stability and transportability.
Breeding remains a multi-year investment requiring patience, precision, and long-term strategy. A proper genetic program must include thoughtful parent selection, extensive phenotype discovery, rigorous stress testing, stabilization of desirable traits, and multi-cycle evaluation to ensure consistency and performance. The most successful breeders also preserve phenotypes that may not have immediate commercial value, recognizing that traits considered niche today may be highly sought-after as market trends shift in the future.
Tissue Culture & Global Compliance
Tissue culture (TC) is transforming global cannabis supply chains. According to Segra, TC eliminates pathogens (including viroids and latent infections). It preserves genetics indefinitely without drift while enabling DNA fingerprinting and genetic authentication.
It is now required in most emerging GACP/EU-GMP medical markets, as it ensures a standardized, documented chain-of-custody. Segra currently supplies 16 countries, each demanding traceable, pathogen-free, verifiable genetics. As cannabis shifts closer to pharmaceutical standards, TC will become the global baseline.
Regulatory Impacts Across Markets
In Canada, import restrictions slow access to U.S. genetics, forcing innovation domestically. Regulatory constraints continue to reinforce the THC-driven retail environment.
California has been impacted by heavy regulation, reducing cultivar diversity and increased operating costs, pushing many consumers to the illicit market (now >60% of consumption). Because of this, many legacy cultivars survive only outside the regulated market.
International Medical Markets such as Germany, Israel, Australia, and the U.K. demand chemotype stability, documented lineage, traceability, and a pathogen-free origin. These shifts push breeding toward pharmaceutical-grade rigor.
Global Genetic & Market Trends
Canada is gradually moving away from a THC obsession and toward terpene and effect-driven buying. California remains the global trend-setter, especially in candy-gas, exotic dessert profiles, and infused pre-rolls. If historical patterns hold, global product trends will mirror California over the next 1-3 years.
Alternatively, trends in the medical markets are increasingly interested in CBG-dominant, THCV-rich, and balanced THC/CBD genetics.
Seeds & The Future of Cultivation
Seeds, especially F1 hybrids and autoflowers, are gaining traction for large-scale production due to their ability to be grown at a lower cost, have higher uniformity and have greater disease resistance. They are also suitable for both outdoor and mixed-light production.
Seed-based systems resemble traditional agriculture and will expand as export markets grow. However, seeds must come from clean TC-verified mother stock to ensure stability and prevent pathogen drift.
Strategic Recommendations
For producers, LPs, and global exporters, genetics must be treated as core intellectual property rather than a commodity, forming the foundation of long-term competitiveness. Using tissue-culture-origin material is essential for regulatory compliance, pathogen-free propagation, and genetic stability. Operators should prioritize terpene-forward, flavor-rich cultivars instead of relying solely on THC-driven genetics, while simultaneously developing multi-year breeding pipelines that incorporate emerging medical cannabinoids such as CBG, THCV, and other minor compounds. Maintaining a deep and diverse genetic library allows organizations to stay ahead of market shifts, and proactively anticipating global trend cycles, rather than reacting to them after they emerge, positions companies to lead in both domestic and international markets.
This CANNAtalk discussion reinforced that the next decade of cannabis will be shaped by genetic integrity, terpene sophistication, verified clean material, and long-term breeding excellence. As global medical markets expand and adult-use markets mature, the operators who prioritize science-driven genetics and compliant, clean propagation systems will define the industry’s future.
