The influences of cultivation setting on inflorescence lipid distributions, concentrations, and carbon isotope ratios of Cannabis sp
The influences of cultivation setting on inflorescence lipid distributions, concentrations, and carbon isotope ratios of Cannabis sp
While much is known about how the growth environment influences many aspects of floral morphology and physiology, little is known about how the growth settings influences floral lipid composition. We explored variations in paraffin wax composition in Cannabis sp., a cash crop grown both indoors and outdoors across the United States today. Given an increased focus on regulation of this crop, there are additional incentives to certify the setting of Cannabis cultivation. To understand the impacts of the growth environment, we studied distributions, concentrations, and carbon isotope ratios of n-alkanes isolated from Cannabis sp. inflorescences to assess if variations within these lipid parameters were related to known growth settings of specimens seized by federal agents. We found that Cannabis plants cultivated under open field settings had increased inflorescence paraffin wax abundances and greater production of lower molecular weight n-alkane relative to plants grown in enclosed environments. Further, the carbon isotope ratios of n-C29 from Cannabis plants grown in enclosed environments had relatively lower carbon isotope (δ13C) values compared to plants from open-field environments. While this set of observations on seized plant specimens cannot address the particular driver behind these observations, we posit that (a) variations in irradiance and/or photoperiod may influence the distribution and concentration of inflorescence lipids, and (b) the δ13C value of source CO2 and lipid concentration regulates the δ13C values of inflorescence n-C29 and bulk Cannabis plant materials. Nonetheless, by using a cultivation model based on δ13C values of n-C29, the model correctly identified the growth environment 90% of time. We suggest that these lipid markers may be used to trace cultivation methods of Cannabis sp. now and become a more powerful marker in the future, once the mechanism(s) behind these patterns is uncovered.
Marijuana, Eradicated specimens, Stable isotopes, Compound-specific isotope analysis, n-Alkanes, Growth setting
233-241
Tipple, Brett J.
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Hambach, Bastian
d144b919-bc71-4793-89ee-7fdfdb7762bb
Barnette, Janet E.
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Chesson, Lesley A.
406031ba-fc7b-4517-a252-f5b305778fcb
Ehleringer, James R.
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May 2016
Tipple, Brett J.
04f91c16-e530-4cf9-9515-a66b1113a610
Hambach, Bastian
d144b919-bc71-4793-89ee-7fdfdb7762bb
Barnette, Janet E.
2f776d43-8849-441f-8fb2-bcee96cc40ae
Chesson, Lesley A.
406031ba-fc7b-4517-a252-f5b305778fcb
Ehleringer, James R.
17f1234e-0510-4a58-b4a6-b496e0cd917d
Tipple, Brett J., Hambach, Bastian, Barnette, Janet E., Chesson, Lesley A. and Ehleringer, James R.
(2016)
The influences of cultivation setting on inflorescence lipid distributions, concentrations, and carbon isotope ratios of Cannabis sp.
Forensic Science International, 262, .
(doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.03.029).
Abstract
While much is known about how the growth environment influences many aspects of floral morphology and physiology, little is known about how the growth settings influences floral lipid composition. We explored variations in paraffin wax composition in Cannabis sp., a cash crop grown both indoors and outdoors across the United States today. Given an increased focus on regulation of this crop, there are additional incentives to certify the setting of Cannabis cultivation. To understand the impacts of the growth environment, we studied distributions, concentrations, and carbon isotope ratios of n-alkanes isolated from Cannabis sp. inflorescences to assess if variations within these lipid parameters were related to known growth settings of specimens seized by federal agents. We found that Cannabis plants cultivated under open field settings had increased inflorescence paraffin wax abundances and greater production of lower molecular weight n-alkane relative to plants grown in enclosed environments. Further, the carbon isotope ratios of n-C29 from Cannabis plants grown in enclosed environments had relatively lower carbon isotope (δ13C) values compared to plants from open-field environments. While this set of observations on seized plant specimens cannot address the particular driver behind these observations, we posit that (a) variations in irradiance and/or photoperiod may influence the distribution and concentration of inflorescence lipids, and (b) the δ13C value of source CO2 and lipid concentration regulates the δ13C values of inflorescence n-C29 and bulk Cannabis plant materials. Nonetheless, by using a cultivation model based on δ13C values of n-C29, the model correctly identified the growth environment 90% of time. We suggest that these lipid markers may be used to trace cultivation methods of Cannabis sp. now and become a more powerful marker in the future, once the mechanism(s) behind these patterns is uncovered.
Text
1-s2.0-S0379073816301153-main.pdf
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 8 March 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 22 March 2016
Published date: May 2016
Keywords:
Marijuana, Eradicated specimens, Stable isotopes, Compound-specific isotope analysis, n-Alkanes, Growth setting
Organisations:
Paleooceanography & Palaeoclimate
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 390473
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/390473
ISSN: 0379-0738
PURE UUID: a3d58c13-4d85-47b7-802a-8aa689c733f0
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 01 Apr 2016 12:29
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 05:27
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Contributors
Author:
Brett J. Tipple
Author:
Janet E. Barnette
Author:
Lesley A. Chesson
Author:
James R. Ehleringer
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