Before OG Kush. Before White Widow. Before any strain you've ever grown or smoked — there were landrace cannabis strains, quietly evolving in remote mountain valleys and equatorial jungles for thousands of years without a single human breeding decision being made.
Every modern hybrid you love traces its DNA directly back to these ancient, place-born plants. Understanding landrace strains isn't just botanical history — it's understanding the genetic bedrock beneath every seed you plant today.
This guide covers everything: what defines a landrace, where the world's most important ones originated, how their unique characteristics differ from modern hybrids, and exactly how to grow them when you get your hands on genuine genetics.
What Are Landrace Cannabis Strains?
Landrace cannabis strains are naturally evolved cannabis populations that developed in geographic isolation over centuries or millennia, adapting to specific local climates, soils, and photoperiods without intentional human crossbreeding. They represent the purest, most geographically authentic cannabis genetics on earth.
The word "landrace" comes from animal husbandry — it describes a breed shaped by its local environment rather than by selective breeding programs. Apply that concept to cannabis, and you get plants that are the living fingerprint of their homeland.
A true landrace strain has four defining qualities:
- Geographic origin: It evolved in one specific region and is rarely found elsewhere in its pure form
- Natural selection pressure: Climate, pests, soil, and photoperiod shaped it — not human hybridization
- Genetic stability: Plants within the population share consistent traits across generations
- Open pollination: Landrace populations were traditionally wind-pollinated in the wild or in open fields
Landraces are not just "old strains." They are genetically distinct populations shaped by thousands of years of natural and low-intervention cultivation in specific geographic regions. That's what makes them irreplaceable as breeding stock.
It's worth noting the difference between a true landrace and an heirloom strain. Heirlooms are landrace-derived plants that have been carefully maintained by human cultivators — often farmers passing seeds down through generations. They may have drifted slightly from the pure wild landrace but still carry authentic regional genetics. Both are vastly different from modern hybrids.
What Makes a Landrace Strain Genetically Unique?
Landrace genetics carry something that most modern strains have lost: wide allelic diversity. Because these populations interbred naturally over many generations, they contain a broader range of genetic expressions than inbred modern hybrids. This diversity is precisely why breeders prize them.
Modern hybrids are often backcrossed and stabilized until they express one narrow trait profile consistently. Landrace populations, by contrast, contain the full spectrum of traits their environment selected for — including disease resistance, terpene profiles, and stress responses that haven't been catalogued yet.
Geneticists classify cannabis into three main groups based on geographic origin: narrow-leaf drug type (NLD, predominantly sativa-phenotype from equatorial regions), broad-leaf drug type (BLD, predominantly indica-phenotype from Central Asian highlands), and fiber/seed types. Landrace drug-type strains sit firmly in the first two categories.
The Major Landrace Regions of the World
The world's most significant landrace cannabis strains originated in six primary geographic corridors — each producing plants with radically different physical traits, terpene profiles, and cannabinoid ratios shaped by their local environment.
Afghan Landrace Cannabis: The Hindu Kush Indicas
The Hindu Kush mountain range — stretching across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India — gave the world its most influential indica genetics. Afghan landrace cannabis is the direct ancestor of virtually every indica-dominant strain in the modern market, including classics like Purple Kush and OG Kush.
These plants evolved at high altitudes (1,200–3,500 meters) where summers are short, winters are brutal, and UV radiation is intense. The result is a compact, resinous plant built for survival:
- Plant structure: Short, bushy, with wide dark-green leaflets
- Resin production: Exceptionally high — evolved as protection against UV and cold
- Flowering time: 45–55 days — fast to beat the early mountain winter
- Terpenes: Heavy hash-like aromas — myrcene, caryophyllene, humulene dominant
- Cannabinoids: High THC, often notable CBD, low THCV
- Effect profile: Heavy, sedating, full-body relaxation
Afghan landraces were the raw material that 1970s and 1980s Dutch and American breeders used to create the first stable indoor strains. When breeders needed fast-flowering, compact plants that could finish under artificial light, they reached for Afghan genetics. The results — Northern Lights, Skunk #1, and their many descendants — defined an era.
"Without the Hindu Kush, there would be no indoor cannabis industry. Afghan genetics gave breeders the tools to build plants that could finish fast, stay small, and drip resin in any environment."
Thai Landrace Strains: The Legendary Sativas
Thai landrace strains — often sold as "Thai sticks" in the 1970s — represent some of the most potent and psychoactively complex sativa genetics ever documented. Growing near the equator in northern Thailand's highlands and river valleys, these plants had no reason to rush. Long growing seasons and consistent 12-hour photoperiods year-round meant Thai plants could stretch for months.
Thai genetics flow directly into some of today's most celebrated sativa-leaning hybrids. Super Lemon Haze, Amnesia Haze, and Tangerine Haze all carry Thai heritage in their terpene profiles and cerebral effects.
- Plant structure: Tall, open branching, narrow leaflets, loose airy buds
- Flowering time: 14–20 weeks — a serious commitment for indoor growers
- Terpenes: Citrus, tropical fruit, fuel — limonene, terpinolene, ocimene
- Cannabinoids: Moderate to high THC, very low CBD
- Effect profile: Soaring, energetic, cerebral, highly psychedelic
Thai strains are notoriously difficult to grow outside their native photoperiod. Indoors, many growers switch to 11/13 (11 hours light, 13 hours dark) rather than 12/12 to trigger flowering more reliably in true Thai genetics.
Colombian Gold and South American Landraces
Colombian Gold — originating in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains of northern Colombia — was arguably the most famous import strain of the 1960s and 70s. Colombian landrace cannabis in general represents a branch of equatorial sativa genetics distinct from Thai lines, with its own terpene signature and growth pattern.
Colombian plants share the tall, stretchy sativa structure of Thai genetics but express differently in aroma and effect. Where Thai leans tropical-citrus and intensely psychedelic, Colombian Gold trends warmer — sandalwood, sweet earth, gentle spice — with a euphoric but more manageable high.
Colombian genetics contributed significantly to Skunk #1's original lineage, making them an indirect ancestor of a huge portion of the modern hybrid market, including Super Skunk and Skunk Special.
Jamaican Landrace Cannabis
Jamaican landrace cannabis — best known through varieties like Lamb's Bread (reportedly a favourite of Bob Marley) — occupies a unique position in cannabis culture and genetics. Jamaica's equatorial-adjacent climate, rich volcanic soils, and consistent tropical photoperiod produced sativa-dominant plants with distinctly uplifting, creative, spiritually-oriented effects.
Jamaican genetics are characterized by:
- Bright green, sometimes golden-tinted buds at maturity
- Sharp, grassy, earthy aroma with sweet tropical undertones
- Long internodal spacing and vigorous vegetative growth
- Moderate THC content by modern standards, but exceptionally clean effect quality
- High resistance to tropical humidity and mold
African Landraces: Malawi Gold, Swazi, and Durban Poison
Africa's cannabis landrace diversity is often underappreciated. The continent produced several genetically distinct populations — from the highlands of Malawi to the valleys of Swaziland to the coastal city of Durban, South Africa. Each developed under different conditions and expresses differently in the garden and the jar.
Durban Poison is arguably the most famous African landrace, celebrated for its fast finishing time (unusual for an equatorial sativa), its sweet anise-and-licorice terpene profile, and its energizing, clear-headed effect. Durban Poison contributed genetics to Sour Diesel and several other landmark strains.
Malawi Gold — from the lakeshore highlands of southeastern Africa — is one of the longest-flowering cannabis plants documented, with some phenotypes taking 18–26 weeks outdoors. Our Malawi Gold Autoflower brings this legendary lineage into a format that's genuinely manageable for home growers.
Swazi landraces from the Kingdom of Eswatini represent another distinct African lineage, celebrated for their resilience. Our Swazi Feminized Seeds carry that authentic sub-Saharan heritage with 18% THC and remarkable adaptability.
Mexican Landraces: Oaxacan and Acapulco Gold
Mexico produced two of the most storied landrace names in cannabis history. Acapulco Gold, from the Pacific coastal region, and Oaxacan Highland, from the mountainous southern interior, represent distinct Mexican landrace lineages that fueled much of North America's cannabis culture through the 1960s and 70s.
Mexican landraces were important bridges — their medium flowering times (12–14 weeks) made them more accessible to American growers than pure Thai or African genetics, and their genetics flowed into many early California hybrids that eventually became the foundation for today's West Coast scene.
Landrace vs Modern Hybrid Strains: Key Differences
Landrace and modern hybrid strains differ in four core ways: genetic diversity, phenotype consistency, environmental adaptability, and cultivation difficulty. Landraces offer broader genetics and regional hardiness; hybrids offer predictability, higher potency, and shorter cycles.
| Trait | Landrace Strains | Modern Hybrid Strains |
|---|---|---|
| Genetic diversity | High — wide allelic variation | Low to moderate — stabilized lines |
| Phenotype consistency | Variable — expect differences plant to plant | High — stable F1 or backcrossed lines |
| THC content | Moderate — typically 10–20% | High — often 20–30%+ |
| CBD content | Often present in measurable amounts | Usually near zero (drug-type hybrids) |
| Terpene complexity | Unique, place-specific, often subtle | Intensified, bred for market preference |
| Flowering time | 8–26 weeks depending on origin | 8–10 weeks (most indoors) |
| Environmental hardiness | Adapted to native conditions; variable elsewhere | Bred for indoor/controlled environments |
| Disease resistance | Often high in native climate, lower elsewhere | Variable — depends on lineage |
| Breeding value | Exceptional — unique traits not in modern pool | Limited — already widely used |
Modern hybrids like White Widow (25% THC) or Northern Lights x Amnesia Haze (24% THC) will consistently outperform landrace strains in raw potency. But landraces offer something no hybrid can replicate: genetic novelty and the foundational terpene profiles that breeders still reach for today.
The key practical takeaway for growers: if you want maximum yield and consistent, high-THC results, modern feminized hybrids are the smarter daily driver. If you want to explore the roots of cannabis, preserve rare genetics, or understand why your favourite strains taste and feel the way they do — landrace cultivation is a deeply rewarding journey.
For a deeper dive into how genetics shape growth patterns, our guide on Indica vs Sativa real differences covers the underlying science behind these categories.
Landrace Strain Characteristics: What to Expect in the Garden
Landrace cannabis strains display significant variation in growth patterns, flowering times, and physical traits depending on their geographic origin. Expect taller, stretchier plants from equatorial regions and shorter, faster-maturing plants from high-altitude Central Asian origins.
Phenotype Variation in Landrace Populations
One of the most striking differences between growing landrace seeds and modern feminized strains is phenotype variation. When you pop 10 seeds of a stabilized modern hybrid, you'll typically get plants that look and behave almost identically. Pop 10 seeds of an authentic landrace population, and you may get 10 visibly different plants.
This isn't a flaw — it's the nature of a genetically diverse population. Some plants will be taller, some shorter. Some will finish earlier. Terpene profiles will shift plant to plant. This variation reflects the landrace's original survival strategy: genetic diversity ensures that some individuals always survive whatever environmental challenge arrives.
- Sativa-origin landraces (Thai, Colombian, Jamaican): Expect 10–30% height variation between plants, 2–4 week flowering time variation, and significant differences in bud density
- Indica-origin landraces (Afghan, Kush): Much more consistent within the population — generations of harsh mountain selection pressured these plants toward uniformity faster
- African landraces (Malawi, Swazi): Extreme variation in flowering time is common — run multiple plants and watch for early-finishing phenotypes to select from
Never judge a landrace batch by a single plant. The natural phenotype variation in authentic landrace seeds means you need to grow at least 6–10 plants to understand what the population truly offers. Culling too early means losing the best genetics in the batch.
Terpene Profiles: Place Captured in Chemistry
Landrace terpene profiles are one of the most compelling reasons to grow them. Each regional population developed its unique chemical signature in response to local pollinators, herbivores, and climate. These are terpene profiles that haven't been selectively bred toward market trends — they're authentic chemical expressions of place.
- Afghan/Kush: Myrcene, caryophyllene, humulene — hash, spice, earth
- Thai: Terpinolene, limonene, ocimene — tropical fruit, citrus, fuel
- Colombian Gold: Caryophyllene, linalool, guaiol — sandalwood, sweet earth, floral
- Durban Poison: Terpinolene, myrcene, ocimene — anise, sweet, earthy
- Malawi Gold: Limonene, caryophyllene, pinene — citrus, pepper, pine
- Jamaican: Myrcene, caryophyllene, limonene — earthy, tropical, grassy
Our guide on humulene in cannabis explores the terpene most associated with Afghan landraces in depth, and pinene's role in cannabis connects directly to the fresh mountain character of Malawi and some Colombian genetics.
Landrace Genetics and Their Role in Modern Breeding
Landrace genetics are the irreplaceable raw material of cannabis breeding. Every modern hybrid strain — from OG Kush to Sour Diesel — was built by combining landrace genetics. Today, breeders return to pure landrace lines to introduce novel traits, disease resistance, and terpene complexity that decades of hybridization have diluted.
The 1970s "Cannabis Cup era" of breeding was essentially a massive experiment in combining landrace genetics. Breeders like Nevil Schoenmakers and Sam the Skunkman brought Afghan, Colombian, Mexican, and Thai genetics together under Dutch grow lights, producing the first generation of stable indoor hybrids. Nearly everything grown today is downstream of those experiments.
Why Breeders Still Use Landrace Lines
Modern hybridization has narrowed the cannabis gene pool considerably. Most commercial strains share a surprisingly small number of ancestor lines — Afghan, Skunk #1, Northern Lights, Haze. This bottleneck creates vulnerability: when a new pest or pathogen emerges that these limited genetics can't resist, the industry has nowhere to turn but back to the landrace well.
- Novel resistance genes: Landrace plants from humid tropics often carry mold and pest resistance not found in desert-origin hybrids
- Unique cannabinoid ratios: Some landraces express THCV, CBG, or unusual CBD:THC ratios rare in modern commercial lines
- Terpene novelty: Breeders use landrace terpene profiles to add complexity to hybrid offspring
- Hybrid vigor restoration: Crossing a modern inbred line with a diverse landrace population can rescue lost vigor and yield
For context on how these genetics express in modern hybrids, the Gorilla Glue GG4 encyclopedia traces the specific landrace contributions in one of the world's most popular modern strains.
Cannabis researchers have identified that some South Asian landrace populations contain unusually high levels of CBDA synthase gene variants — suggesting these ancient populations hold cannabinoid biosynthesis pathways that modern high-THC hybrids have largely lost through selective breeding.
How to Grow Landrace Cannabis Strains Successfully
Growing landrace cannabis strains successfully requires matching their environmental needs to their geographic origin — indica-type landraces from Central Asia prefer cooler, drier conditions, while equatorial sativa landraces from Thailand or Colombia need warmth, high humidity in veg, and exceptionally long flowering windows.
Step 1 — Choose Your Landrace Type Based on Your Environment
Match the Strain to Your Climate
Before selecting a landrace to grow, honestly assess your environment. Afghan and Kush landraces are the most forgiving for indoor and temperate outdoor growing. Thai, Colombian, and Malawi landraces are best attempted by experienced growers with climate control or in genuinely tropical outdoor conditions.
Set Up the Right Growing Medium
Landrace strains from high-altitude regions thrive in well-draining, lower-nutrient soils that mimic their rocky mountain origins. Equatorial landraces prefer richer, more moisture-retentive growing media. Living soil setups work exceptionally well for landraces — our living soil complete guide explains the full methodology.
Plan for Vegetative Stage Length
Equatorial sativa landraces need an extended vegetative period — 8–12 weeks minimum indoors before switching to flower — to develop the structure needed to support long flowering cycles. Afghan-type landraces can be switched after 4–6 weeks. See our cannabis vegetative stage guide for timing details.
Adjust Your Light Schedule
Most modern strains flip easily on 12/12. Pure Thai and some African landraces respond better to 11/13 or even 10/14 to trigger reliable flowering. Afghan landraces are the exception — they trigger readily on standard 12/12. Review our cannabis light schedules guide for photoperiod strategies.
Manage Height With Training
Sativa-type landraces can reach 3–4 meters indoors without training. Early topping and LST are essential for manageable canopy height. Our guides on topping cannabis plants and FIMming technique cover the best approaches for controlling vigorous sativa growth.
Monitor and Adjust Temperature
Afghan landraces prefer 18–24°C day temperatures with cooler nights — this actually mimics their highland origin and triggers anthocyanin expression (purple coloring) in many phenotypes. Equatorial landraces prefer consistently warm conditions: 24–28°C with stable humidity in veg. See our temperature control guide for stage-by-stage targets.
Feeding Landrace Cannabis: Less Is More
Landrace strains evolved in nutrient environments very different from the heavily amended soils most modern cultivators use. Afghan landraces grew in rocky, relatively poor mountain soils. Equatorial landraces grew in tropical soils that are often high in iron and magnesium but lower in nitrogen than cultivated grow media.
- Start at 50–60% of the nutrient dose you'd use for modern hybrids
- Watch for nutrient burn — landraces are often more sensitive to nitrogen excess than modern hybrids
- Calcium and magnesium are important for equatorial strains grown under high-intensity lights
- Afghan landraces respond well to phosphorus and potassium in late flower — this mirrors natural soil mineral composition at high altitude
When growing any equatorial landrace indoors, maintain 55–65% relative humidity throughout the vegetative stage to mimic tropical conditions. Once you flip to flower, gradually step humidity down to 45–50% to protect those naturally airy buds from mold. Our cannabis mold prevention guide has specific protocols for humidity-sensitive strains.
Harvesting Landrace Strains: Reading the Right Signs
Harvesting landrace strains correctly is one of the trickiest parts of growing them — particularly equatorial sativas, which mature unevenly across the plant. The lower branches of a Thai or Colombian landrace may be ready 2–3 weeks before the top cola finishes. Staggered harvesting is often the best approach.
- Use trichome inspection as primary indicator — 70–90% cloudy, 10–20% amber is the standard target
- Afghan landraces finish cleanly and uniformly — easier to harvest in a single cut
- Equatorial landraces: harvest lower branches first, allow top colas to continue maturing
- Review our detailed harvest timing guide for trichome inspection technique
After harvest, proper drying and curing matters even more with landrace strains, as their terpene profiles are often more delicate than heavily-selected modern hybrids. Our cannabis drying and curing guide covers the 2–8 week process that preserves these unique flavors.
Best Landrace Cannabis Strains to Grow: A Practical Breakdown
The best landrace cannabis strains to grow depend entirely on your experience level and environment. Afghan and Kush landraces suit beginners and indoor growers best. Thai and Colombian landraces reward experienced cultivators with patience and space. African landraces offer a middle ground with exceptional resilience.
Best for Beginners: Afghan/Kush Types
Afghan landrace genetics are the most forgiving landrace type for new growers. Their compact structure, fast 45–55 day flowering time, and tolerance for environmental variation make them genuinely beginner-friendly. If you want landrace genetics without the complexity of managing a 20-week sativa, start here.
Modern descendants like Northern Lights x Big Bud (20% THC) carry heavily Afghan-influenced genetics in a stable, high-yielding package — an excellent bridge between pure landrace and modern hybrid performance.
- Short flowering time (45–55 days)
- Compact, manageable plant height
- High resin production
- Tolerates temperature swings
- Good mold resistance in dry climates
- Dense, heavy buds at harvest
Best for Experienced Growers: Thai and Colombian
Thai and Colombian landrace genetics demand experience, space, and patience. But for growers who've mastered the basics, these strains offer something genuinely extraordinary: effect profiles and terpene signatures that simply don't exist in the modern hybrid market.
If you want a gateway to that effect profile without the 18-week flowering commitment, strains like Super Lemon Haze (23% THC) and Sour Diesel (24% THC) carry significant Thai/Colombian heritage in more manageable packages.
Best for Outdoor Growing: African Landraces
African landrace strains — particularly Swazi and Malawi types — show exceptional resilience to outdoor conditions across a range of climates. Their long adaptation to variable African highland conditions gives them broad environmental tolerance. Our Swazi Feminized brings authentic sub-Saharan genetics into a feminized format for reliable outdoor production.
For outdoor growers in Northern Europe or Canada who want landrace-influenced genetics but need an early finish, look for strains with strong Afghan or Colombian influence. Their shorter photoperiod requirements give outdoor plants enough time to finish before cold weather arrives. Check our fastest flowering strains guide for specific recommendations by climate zone.
Preserving Landrace Genetics: Why It Matters
Landrace cannabis genetics are disappearing at an accelerating rate as commercial cultivation, deforestation, and legal pressure replace traditional farming in origin regions. Preserving these genetics through responsible seed saving and open-pollinated cultivation is one of the most meaningful contributions a grower can make to cannabis's long-term future.
The situation is genuinely urgent. In regions like Afghanistan, traditional landrace cultivation has been disrupted by decades of conflict. In Thailand, the highland hill-tribe cannabis populations that produced legendary Thai Stick genetics have been largely replaced by imported hybrid seeds. In Colombia, the specific micro-climates that produced Colombian Gold have been affected by climate change and agricultural land use shifts.
How Growers Can Help Preserve Landrace Genetics
- Grow open-pollinated batches: Allow some landrace plants to produce seeds naturally rather than growing sinsemilla every time
- Run large numbers of plants: Growing 10+ plants from a landrace population captures more of the genetic diversity than growing 2–3
- Document phenotypes: Photograph and record the variation you observe — this data helps preservation efforts
- Store seeds properly: Cool, dark, dry conditions with silica gel desiccant; viable landrace seeds can remain genetically stable for 5–10 years
- Support seed preservation organizations: Groups focused on landrace and heirloom cannabis genetics do critical work that benefits the entire cannabis community
Be cautious when purchasing seeds marketed as "pure landrace." True landrace genetics are rare and difficult to source. Many commercially available "landrace" seeds are actually stabilized landrace-influenced hybrids. Reputable sources will provide detailed provenance information about seed collection location and method.
The Entourage Effect and Landrace Terpene Complexity
Landrace cannabis strains often produce more complex entourage effect experiences than modern single-note hybrids because their terpene and minor cannabinoid profiles reflect thousands of years of natural selection — not just a handful of intentional crosses optimized for THC.
The entourage effect — the synergistic interaction between cannabinoids and terpenes — is expressed most fully in plants carrying diverse chemical profiles. Landrace strains, with their naturally varied cannabinoid ratios (often including measurable CBD and minor cannabinoids) and complex terpene stacks, represent a fuller expression of this effect than ultra-high-THC hybrids bred specifically for one dominant cannabinoid.
Our detailed guide on the entourage effect explains exactly how these interactions work at the molecular level — essential reading for anyone interested in the full-spectrum experience that landrace genetics can provide.
Landrace strains don't win on THC numbers. They win on complexity. The layered terpene profiles, natural cannabinoid ratios, and genetic diversity of genuine landrace cannabis create experiences that high-THC single-note hybrids simply cannot replicate — and that's increasingly what serious connoisseurs are seeking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a landrace strain and an heirloom strain?
A landrace strain is a cannabis population that evolved naturally in geographic isolation with minimal human intervention. An heirloom strain is a landrace-derived variety that has been carefully maintained and passed down by human cultivators — often farmers over many generations. Heirlooms may have drifted slightly from the pure wild landrace but still carry authentic regional genetics and are distinct from modern hybridized strains.
Are landrace cannabis strains harder to grow than modern hybrids?
It depends on the type. Afghan and Kush landrace types are actually quite forgiving — their short flowering time, compact size, and resin production make them manageable for intermediate growers. Thai, Colombian, and Malawi landraces are genuinely challenging due to their 14–26 week flowering times, tall stature, and need for specific photoperiod conditions. Modern hybrids descended from landraces typically offer easier cultivation than pure landrace lines.
Do landrace strains have lower THC than modern hybrids?
Generally yes. Authentic landrace strains typically test at 10–20% THC, compared to 20–30%+ for many modern hybrids. However, landrace strains often contain measurable CBD and a broader array of minor cannabinoids and terpenes, which creates a more complex entourage effect. Many experienced users report qualitatively different — and in some cases more satisfying — experiences from landrace cannabis despite lower THC percentages.
What are the best landrace strains for beginners to grow?
Afghan and Hindu Kush landrace types are the most beginner-friendly landrace strains. Their compact structure finishes in 45–55 days, tolerates temperature variation, and produces high resin yields. For beginners who want landrace-influenced genetics in a more stable, manageable format, strains like Northern Lights x Big Bud or Purple Kush carry strong Afghan landrace heritage with modern cultivation ease.
Why are landrace genetics important for cannabis breeding?
Landrace genetics provide breeders with allelic diversity that decades of hybridization have narrowed in the modern cannabis gene pool. Landrace populations carry unique disease resistance genes, novel terpene biosynthesis pathways, unusual cannabinoid ratios, and hybrid vigor potential that commercial strains have largely lost. When breeders need to introduce new traits — resistance to a new pathogen, a novel terpene profile, or a different cannabinoid ratio — they return to landrace genetics as the source material.
