USPP31535P3 - Cannabis plant named ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a new and distinct cannabis cultivar designated as ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’. The main terpenes found in ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ are limoene, beta-caryophyllene, alpha-humulene, linalool, trans-ocimene, beta-pinene, fenchol, alpha-terpineol, alpha-pinene and myrcene. The estimated concentration of the total THC_max, CBD_max, and CBG_max is about 18.77-23.19%, about 0%, and about 0.98-1.78%, respectively, at the time of assaying metabolites from flower samples of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’. Harvest interval, i.e. at 56-70 days under short day conditions.

Description

Latin name of genus and species: Cannabis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cannabis cultivar designated as ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’.

This new cultivar is the result of controlled-crosses between proprietary cultivars made by the inventors. The new cultivar of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ was asexually reproduced via a stem ‘cutting’ and ‘cloning’ method by the inventors at Salinas, Calif. Asexual clones from the original source have been tested in greenhouses, nurseries, and/or fields. The properties of each cultivar were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction. The cultivar is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

TAXONOMY AND NOMENCLATURE

Cannabis, more commonly known as marijuana, is a genus of flowering plants that includes at least three species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis as determined by plant phenotypes and secondary metabolite profiles. In practice however, cannabis nomenclature is often used incorrectly or interchangeably. Cannabis literature can be found referring to all cannabis varieties as “sativas” or all cannabinoid producing plants as “indicas”. Indeed the promiscuous crosses of indoor cannabis breeding programs have made it difficult to distinguish varieties, with most cannabis being sold in the United States having features of both sativa and indica species.

Human cultivation history of Cannabis dates back 8000 years (Schultes, R E. 1970, Random thoughts and queries on the botany of Cannabis. Pages 11-38 in: CRB Joyce, and S H Curry eds., THE BOTANY AND CHEMISTRY OF CANNABIS. J. & A. Churchill. London, England). Hemp cloth recovered in Europe dates back 6000 years. (Small, E, Beckstead, H D, and Chan, A, 1975, The evolution of cannabinoid phenotypes in Cannabis, ECONOMIC BOTANY 29(3): 219-232. The written record of the pharmacologic properties of Cannabis goes back more than 4000 years (Ti, H. 2737 BC. NEI JING SU WEN HUANG TI, Yellow Emperor's Classic on Internal Medicine; referred to without citation in Small et al. 1975 Supra).

The taxonomy and nomenclature of the highly variable genus Cannabis (Emboden, W A, 1974, ECONOMIC BOTANY 28(3), 304-310; Small, E and Cronquist, A, 1976, TAXON 25(4), 405-435; Small E and Cronquist, A, 1977, TAXON 26(1), 110; Hillig, K W and Mahlberg, P G, 2004, American Journal of Botany 91(6), 966-975, remains in question. This is in spite of the fact that its formal scientific name, ‘Cannabis sativa L.’, assigned by Carolus Linneaus (Linnaeus, C, 1753, SPECIES PLANTARUM 2:1027, Salvius, Stockholm, Facsimile edition, 1957-1959, Ray Society, London, U.K.), is one of the oldest established names in botanical history and is still accepted to this day. Another species in the genus, ‘Cannabis indica Lam.’ was formally named somewhat later (de Lamarck, J B, 1785, ENCYCLOPEDIE METHODIQUE DE BOTANIQUE, 1(2):694-695), but is still very old in botanical history. In 1785, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck published a description of a second species of Cannabis, which he named Cannabis indica. Lamarck based his description of the newly named species on plant specimens collected in India. C. indica was described as relatively short, conical, and densely branched, whereas C. saliva was described as tall and laxly branched (Schultes R. E. et al, 1974, Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets, 23: 337-367). C. indica plants were also described as having short, broad leaflets whereas those of C. saliva were characterized as relatively long and narrow (Anderson L. C., 1980, Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets, 28: 61-69). C. indica plants conforming to Schultes' and Anderson's descriptions may have originated from the Hindu Kush mountain range. Because of the often harsh and variable (extremely cold winters, and warm summers) climate of those parts, C. indica is well-suited for cultivation in temperate climates.

Three other species names were proposed in the 1800s to distinguish plants with presumably different characteristics (C. macrosperma Stokes, C. chinensis Delile, C. gigantean Vilmorin), none of which are accepted today, although the epithet “indica” lives on as a subspecies of C. sativa (‘C. sativa ssp. indica Lam.’. Small and Cronquist 1976 Supra).

In the 20th century, two new names were added to the liturgy of proposed ‘Cannabis species: C. ruderalis’ Janischevsky and a hybrid, x ‘C. intersita’ Sojak. (Small, E, Jui, P Y, and Lefkovitch, L P, 1976, SYSTEMATIC BOTANY 1(1): 67-84; Small and Cronquist 1976, Supra). Further, numerous names have been proposed for horticultural variants of ‘Cannabis’ but as of 1976, “very few of these have been validly published as formal taxa under the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature” (Small and Cronquist 1976 Supra). Moreover, other recent work continues to focus on higher-order evolutionary relationships of the genus. Cannabis has been variously ascribed as belonging to mulberry family (Moraceae) (Engler, H G A, Ulmaceae, Moraceae and Urticaceae, pages 59-118 in: A. Engler and K. Prantl eds., 1889, DIE NATURLICHEN PFLANZENFAMILIEN 3(1). W. Engelmann, Leipzig, Germany; Judd, W S, Sanders, R W, and Donoghue, M J, 1994, HARVARD PAPERS IN BOTANY 5: 1-51; Humphries, C J and Blackmore, S, A review of the classification of the Moraceae, pages 267-277 In: Crane and Blackmore 1989 id.); nettle family (Urticaceae) (Berg, C C, Systematics and phylogeny of the Urticales, pages 193-220, in: P. R. Crane and S. Blackmore eds., 1989, EVOLUTION, SYSTEMATIC, AND FOSSIL HISTORY OF THE HAMAMELIDAE, VOL. 2, HIGHER HAMAMELIDAE, Clarendon Press, Oxford, U.K.); and most recently in its own family with hops (Humulus), Cannabaceae, or hemp family (Sytsma, K J, et al, 2002, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 89(9):1531-1546). While the work of Small and Cronquist 1976 Supra, seemed to effectively confine the genus to a single species with 2 subspecies (C. saliva s., C. s. indica), each with two varieties (C. s. s. var. saliva, C. s. s. var. spontanea; C. s. i. var. indica, C. s. i. var. Kafiristanica) largely on the basis of chemotaxonomy and interfertility of all forms, more recent work (Sytsma et al. 2002 Supra), proposes a two-species concept, resurrecting the binomial C. indica Lam. Since Sytsma et al. (2002) provides no key for discriminating between the species, the dichotomous key of Small and Cronquist (1976), which accounts for all forms in nature, whether wild or domesticated, is preferred to classify the characteristics of the plants.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive cannabis cultivar designated as ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’.

The objective of the breeding program which produced novel plants disclosed herein was primarily to develop a cannabis cultivar with its unique blend of various cannabinoids and/or terpenes for (a) medicinal effects such as improving appetite and reducing nausea, vomiting and/or chronic pain, as well as neurological and cardiovascular effects, (b) psychoactive effects such as increased motivation and energetic behavior rather than indifference, passiveness and lethargy, and (c) recreational effects with enhanced enjoyment such as food and aroma.

As used herein, the term “cultivar” is used interchangeably with “variety”, “strain”, and/or “clone”.

Cannabis plants produce a unique family of terpeno-phenolic compounds. Cannabinoids, terpenoids, and other compounds are secreted by glandular trichomes that occur most abundantly on the floral calyxes and bracts of female plants. As a drug it usually comes in the form of dried flower buds (marijuana), resin (hashish), or various extracts collectively known as hashish oil. The cannabis plant has at least 545 distinct compounds that span 20 chemical classes including cannabinoids, terpenes, terpenoids, amino acids, nitrogenous compounds, simple alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, lactones, acids, fatty acids, steroids, non-cannabinoid phenols, pigments, flavonoids, vitamins, proteins, enzymes, glycoproteins, and hydrocarbons. Terpenes and/or cannabinoids, in particular, have shown great potential in terms of medicinal value.

Terpenes and/or cannabinoids have been shown to be largely responsible for beneficial effects of a cannabis plant. In fact, each cannabis plant has the varying concentrations of medically viable compounds depending on different strains (genotypes) and their resulting chemotypes. Even a small variation in terpene and/or cannabinoid concentration can cause noticeable differences in the entourage and/or synergistic effects of a cannabis plant, which distinguishes one variety from another. Research shows that it relies heavily on the physiological effects produced by terpenes and/or cannabinoids.

Over 100 different kinds of terpenes have been identified in cannabis plants although not being as well-studied as cannabinoids they are instrumental in giving rise to the physiological and psychoactive effects in cannabis.

Terpenes are a large and diverse class of organic compounds, produced by a variety of plants. They are often strong smelling and thus may have had a protective function. Terpenes are an important component, not only influencing taste and smell of each cannabis strain but also influencing its effects on the mind and body of a subject such as humans and animals. Terpenes are a classification of organic molecules that are found in a wide variety of plants and animals. These molecules are known for their characteristic scents and flavors. The varying terpene concentrations found in cannabis plants directly influence the resulting taste and smell, as well as the observed effects. Non-limiting examples of terpenes include Hemiterpenes, Monoterpenes, Sesquiterpenes, Diterpenes, Sesterterpenes, Triterpenes, Sesquarterpenes, Tetraterpenes, Polyterpenes, and Norisoprenoids. The main terpenes found in cannabis plants include, but are not limited to, myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, pinene, terpinene, terpinolene, camphene, terpineol, phellandrene, carene, humulene, pulegone, sabinene, geraniol, linalool, fenchol, borneol, eucalyptol, and nerolidol.

Cannabinoids are the most studied group of the main physiologically active secondary metabolites in cannabis. The classical cannabinoids are concentrated in a viscous resin produced in structures known as glandular trichomes. At least 113 different cannabinoids have been isolated from cannabis plants. The main classes of cannabinoids from cannabis include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabinol (CBN). Cannabinoid can be at least one of a group comprising tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabinol (CBN) cannabichromene (CBC), cannabinodiol (CBDL), cinnabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), cannabielsoin (CBE), cannabicitran (CBT), cannabinol propyl variant (CBNV), cannabitriol (CBO), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid (THCVA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) and cannabinerolic acid.

Most cannabinoids exist in two forms, as acids and in neutral (decarboxylated) forms. The acidic form of cannabinoids is designated by an “A” at the end of its acronym (i.e. THCA). The cannabinoids in their acidic forms (those ending in “-A”) can be converted to their non-acidic forms through a process called decarboxylation when the sample is heated. The phytocannabinoids are synthesized in the plant as acidic forms. While some decarboxylation does occur in the plant, it increases significantly post-harvest and the kinetics increase at high temperatures (Flores-Sanchez and Verpoorte, 2008, Plant Cell Physiol. 49(12): 1767-1782). The biologically active forms for human consumption are the neutral forms. Decarboxylation is usually achieved by thorough drying of the plant material followed by heating it, often by combustion, vaporization, heating, or baking in an oven. Unless otherwise noted, references to cannabinoids in a plant include both the acidic and decarboxylated versions (e.g., CBD and CBDA).

The molecules lose mass through the process of decarboxylation. In order to find the total theoretical active cannabinoids, the acid forms should be multiplied by 87.7%. For example, THCA can be converted to active THC using the formula: THCA×0.877=THC. The maximum THC for the sample is: THC_max=(THCA×0.877)+THC. This method has been validated according to the principles of the International Conference on Harmonization. Similarly, CBDA can be converted to active CBD and the yield is determined using the yield formula: CBDA×0.877=CBD. Also the maximum amount of CBD yielded, i.e. max CBD for the sample is: CBD_max=(CBDA×0.877)+CBD. Additionally, CBGA can be converted to active CBG by multiplying 87.8% to CBGA. Thus, the maximum amount of CBG is: CBG_max=(CBGA×0.878)+CBG.

The biologically active chemicals found in plants, phytochemicals, may affect the normal structure or function of the human body and in some cases treat disease. The mechanisms for the medicinal and psychoactive properties of a cannabis plant, like any medicinal herb, produce the pharmacologic effects of its phytochemicals, and the key phytochemicals for a medical cannabis plant are cannabinoids and terpenes.

While Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is also implicated in the treatment of disease, the psychotropic activity of THC makes it undesirable for some patients and/or indications.

Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, is the primary psychoactive and medicinal cannabinoid and is the result of the decarboxylation of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), its acidic precursor. THCA, (6ar,10ar)-1-hydroxy-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6a,7,8,10a-tetrahydro-6h-benzochromene-2-carboxylic acid, is found in the trichomes of the plant and converted into THC, which actually exists in only minute quantities in the living plant, after harvest and drying.

While Cannabigerol (CBG), is not considered psychoactive, it is known to block the psychoactive effects of THC and is considered medically active in a variety of conditions. Its precursor, cannabigerolic acid, CBG-A, (E)-3-(3,7-Dimethyl-2,6-octadienyl)-2,4-dihydroxy-6-pentylbenzoic acid, is being studied medically.

Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol or (THC) is a psychoactive cannabinoid responsible for many of the effects such as mild to moderate pain relief, relaxation, insomnia and appetite stimulation. THC has been demonstrated to have anti-depressant effects. The majority of strains range from 12-21% THC with very potent and carefully prepared strains reaching even higher.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the principal cannabinoids found in a cannabis plant and is largely considered to the most medically significant. CBD occurs in many strains, at low levels, <1%. In some cases, CBD can be the dominant cannabinoid, as high as 15% by weight. CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning that unlike THC, CBD does not cause a noticeable “high”. CBD has shown potential for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases and symptoms, including cancer, nausea, chronic pain, spasms, seizures/epilepsy, anxiety, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcoholism, strokes, Multiple Sclerosis, and cardiovascular disease. CBD also has been reported to act as a muscle relaxant, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and bone stimulant, as well as to improve blood circulation, cause drowsiness, and protect the nervous system. It can provide relief for chronic pain due to muscle spasticity, convulsions and inflammation, as well as effective relief from anxiety-related disorders. It can offer relief for patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Fibromyalgia and Epilepsy. CBD has also been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth when injected into breast and brain tumors in combination with THC.

A cannabis cultivar can be used to achieve the desire of patients to be treated with CBD without the adverse side-effects (e.g., psychoactivity) of THC.

Cannabichromene (CBC) is a rare, non-psychoactive cannabinoid, usually found at low levels (<1%) when present. It has been shown to have anti-depressant effects and to improve the pain-relieving effects of THC. Studies have demonstrated that CBC has sedative effects such as promoting relaxation.

Cannabigerol (CBG) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. CBG-acid is the precursor to both THC-acid and CBD-acid in the plant usually found at low levels (<1%) when present. It has been demonstrated to have both pain relieving and inflammation reducing effects. CBG reduces intraocular pressure, associated with glaucoma. CBG has been shown to have antibiotic properties and to inhibit platelet aggregation, which slows the rate of blood clotting.

Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabichromene (CBC) are both non-psychoactive and end products of CBG metabolism, like THC, that are used medically.

Cannabinol or (CBN) is an oxidative degradation product of THC. It may result from improper storage or curing and extensive processing, such as when making concentrates. It is usually formed when THC is exposed to UV light and oxygen over time. CBN has some psychoactive properties, less strength than THC. CBN is thought to enhance the dizziness and disorientation that users of cannabis may experience. It may cause feelings of grogginess, and has been shown to reduce heart rate.

High potency cannabis plants contain large quantities of specific terpenes as well as various assortments of other terpenes. For instance, a cannabis plant may have a profile with either a high level of, a moderate amount of or a small amount of various terpenes depending on its cultivar and environmental conditions.

Various cultivars of ‘Cannabis’ species have been cultivated in an effort to create a cultivar best suited to meet the interest of inventors according to their own need. The particular plant disclosed herein was discovered in the area where the inventors were intentionally cross-pollinating and cultivating plants described below using standard Mendelian breeding procedures well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. This resulted in the progenies of the inventors' crosses.

The progenies resulting from any selection stage of either the crossing, selfing or backcrossing versions of the breeding regimes of the present invention were asexually reproduced to fix and maintain the desirable THC content, CBs content, terpenes content, the aroma and flavor(s) typical of the desired class, and the other desirable phenotypic and/or genotypic characteristics. The resultant selected cannabis cultivar is designated as ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ disclosed herein.

The inventors reproduced progenies asexually by stem cutting and cloning. This is the origin of this remarkable new cultivar. The plant has been and continues to be asexually reproduced by stem cutting and cloning at the inventors' greenhouses, nurseries and/or fields in Salinas, Calif., Oakland, Calif., and/or Washington, D.C.

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing chemical characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal conditions in Salinas, Calif. Chemical analyses of the new cannabis variety and the check variety (or the parental varieties) disclosed herein were performed using standard chemical separation techniques well known to those skilled in the art. Samples for assaying were obtained from flower tissues of the cannabis plant disclosed herein. Cannabinoid composition of this cultivar can be determined by assaying the concentration of at least one cannabinoid in a subset (e.g., sample) of the harvested product.

Table 1 includes detailed information of the cannabis plant named ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ including the concentration ranges of terpenes and cannabinoids as tested on flowers sampled on at least four different dates. The cannabis plant has been tested in a laboratory setting and/or facility to determine cannabinoids and terpenes concentrations in the cannabis plant named ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ according to the procedures provided in Giese et al. (Journal of AOAC International (2015) 98(6):1503-1522).

• • 1) The main terpenes found in ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ are limonene, beta-caryophyllene, alpha-humulene, linalool, trans-ocimene, beta-pinene, fenchol, alpha-terpineol, alpha-pinene and myrcene;
  • 2) The estimated concentration of the total THC_max, CBD_max, and CBG_max is about 18.77-23.19%, about 0%, and about 0.98-1.78%, respectively, at the time of assaying metabolites from flower samples of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’; and
  • 3) Harvest interval, i.e. at 56-70 days under short day conditions.

Terpene and cannabinoid profiles of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ demonstrate that ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has a phenotypically unique profile, particularly insofar as to the level of terpenes and cannabinoids. This data is presented in tabular form in Table 1.

TABLE 1
Ranges of Active Cannabinoids and Terpenes
Ranges of Active Cannabinoids (% by weight)

Max THC

18.77-23.19%

Max CBD

0.00%

Terpenes (% by weight)

thujene	0.00%	trans-ocimene	0.15-0.33%
alpha-pinene	0.09-0.17%	gamma-terpinene	0.00%
camphene	0.02-0.03%	linalool oxide	0.00-0.01%
sabinene	0.00%	terpinolene	0.01-0.02%
beta-pinene	0.14-0.20%	linalool	0.20-0.44%
myrcene	0.07-0.13%	fenchol	0.09-0.16%
alpha-phellandrene	0.00%	MT_1124	0.06-0.11%
carene	0.00%	isoborneol	0.00-0.02%
alpha-terpinene	0.00%	(−) borneol	0.02-0.04%
limonene	0.81-1.26%	hexyl butyrate	0.00%
beta-phellandrene	0.00%	alpha-terpineol	0.08-0.15%
cineole	0.00-0.01%	hexyl hexanoate	N/A
cis-ocimene	0.00-0.01%	citronellol	0.00-0.01%

Ranges of Active Cannabinoids (% by weight)

Max THC

Max CBG

0.98-1.78%

Terpenes (% by weight)

	thujene	hexyl hexanoate	0.04-0.08%
	alpha-pinene	octyl butyrate	0.00%
	camphene	beta-caryophyllene	0.52-0.89%
	sabinene	alpha-humulene	0.31-0.50%
	beta-pinene	cis-nerolidol	0.00-0.02%
	myrcene	trans-nerolidol	0.00-0.04%
	alpha-phellandrene	caryophyllene oxide	0.01-0.02%
	carene	alpha-bisabolol	0.00-0.01%
	alpha-terpinene	nerol	0.00%
	limonene	geraniol	0.00%
	beta-phellandrene	geranyl-acetate	0.00-0.02%
	cineole	methyl-eugenol	0.00-0.02%
	cis-ocimene	Total Terpenes	3.23-4.07%

The cannabis plant named ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has a complement of terpenes, including but not limited to, relatively high levels of limonene, beta-caryophyllene, alpha-humulene, linalool, trans-ocimene, beta-pinene, fenchol, alpha-terpineol, alpha-pinene and myrcene compared to other terpene compounds. This unique combination of differently concentrated terpenes further distinguishes ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ from other varieties in its odor, its medical qualities, and its effects on mood and mentation.

Asexual Reproduction

Asexual reproduction, also known as “cloning”, is a process well known to those of ordinary skill in the art of cannabis production and breeding and includes the following steps.

The cannabis cultivar disclosed herein is asexually propagated via taking cuttings of shoots and putting them in rock wool cubes. These cubes are presoaked with pH adjusted water and kept warm (˜80° F.). Full trays are covered, left under 18 hours of light and allowed to root (7-14 days). Upon root onset, the plantlets are transplanted into rigid 1 gallon containers filled with a proprietary soil mix A and remain in 18 hours of daylight for another 14-21 days. Once root-bound, plants are transplanted into rigid 3 gallon containers filled with proprietary soil mix B. Immediately, the light cycle is altered to 12/12 and flower initiating begins. The plants remain in 12/12 lighting until harvesting. They undergo a propriety nutrient regimen and grow as undisturbed as possible for 60-70 days depending on chemotype analysis.

All sun leaves are removed and the plant is dismantled to result in approximately 12″ branches covered in inflorescences and trichomes. The goal in harvesting is to actually harvest trichome heads but not ‘buds’. Thus, great care is taken not to disturb the trichome heads and as much of the plant remains intact as possible to promote even and slow drying. Slow drying is followed by a one to two months curing process.

Observation of the all female progenies of the original plant has demonstrated that this new and distinct cultivar has fulfilled the objectives and that its distinctive characteristics are firmly fixed and hold true from generation to generation vegetatively propagated from the original plant.

Under careful observation, the unique characteristics of the new cultivar have been uniform, stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs depict characteristics of the new ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plants as nearly true as possible to make color reproductions. The overall appearance of the ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plants in the photographs is shown in the colors that may differ slightly from the color values described in the detailed botanical description.

FIG. 1 shows an overall view of the ‘LEMON CRUSH OG ’ plant from the side.

FIG. 2A shows an overall view of the female parental cultivar BLK03 (pollen acceptor; B3) from above.

FIG. 2B shows an overall view of the male parental cultivar SLV09 (pollen donor; S9) from above.

FIG. 2C shows an overall view of the ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plant from above.

FIG. 3A shows top parts (including inflorescence) of the female parental cultivar BLK03 (pollen acceptor; B3) from the side.

FIG. 3B shows top parts (including inflorescence) of the male parental cultivar SLV09 (pollen donor; S9) from the side.

FIG. 3C shows top parts (including inflorescence) of the ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plant from the side.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a close view of flowers of the ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plant at premature and/or early floral stage.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show a close view of flowers of the ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plant at the early and/or peak floral stage.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a close view of flowers of the ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plant at the late floral and/or senescence stage.

FIG. 7 shows another close view of flowers of the ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plant at the late floral and/or senescence stage.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions, and the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe this plant as grown at Salinas, Calif., when grown in the greenhouse, nursery or field, unless otherwise noted.

Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application are annual plants. In the following description, the color determination is in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

The cannabis plant disclosed herein was derived from female and male parents that are said to have been internally designated as below.

A GNBR internal Code of the cannabis plant named ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is B3.S9.09. The variety name of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is BLK03.SLV09.09. ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is a fertile hybrid derived from a controlled-cross between two proprietary cultivars BLK03 (pollen accepter; female parent; also known as B3) and SLV09 (pollen donor; male parent; also known as S9). A GNBR Breeding Code is (B03)x(S09).09. The initial cross between two parental cultivars was made in May 2015. The phenotypic criteria to select a new and distinct cannabis cultivar disclosed herein is as follows: structure score, nose/organoleptic, mold susceptibility/resistance, and insect susceptibility/resistance. Also, the first asexual propagation of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ occurred on Sep. 26, 2016 in Salinas, Calif.

The following traits in combination further distinguish the cannabis cultivar ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ from check varieties, which are the female and male parents of the cannabis cultivar disclosed and claimed herein. Tables 2 to 6 present phenotypic traits and/or characteristics of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ compared to those of the parental check varieties, ‘BLK03’ (B3) and ‘SLV09’ (S9), as follows. ‘BLK03’ and ‘B3’ indicate the same female parental variety, while ‘SLV09’ and ‘S9’ indicate the same male parental variety. All plants were raised together and evaluated when 93-100 days old (i.e., the day range for propagation, vegetative, and flowering times).

TABLE 2
General Characteristics

		Parental	Parental
Charac-		variety (B3)	variety (S9)
teristics	New Variety	(Female plant)	(Male plant)
Plant life	An herbaceous	An herbaceous	An herbaceous
forms	plant (herb)	plant (herb)	plant (herb)
Plant growth	An upright,	An upright,	An upright,
habit	tap-rooted	tap-rooted	tap-rooted
	annual plant	annual plant	annual plant
Plant origin	BLK03 (B3) ×	GLD13 × BSIA	(NL#5 ×
	SLV09 (S9)		SB Purps) ×
			(GlD13)
Plant	Asexually	Asexually	Asexually
propagation	propagated by	propagated by	propagated by
	stem cuttings	stem cuttings	stem cuttings
	and cloning	and cloning	and cloning
Propagation	Easy	Moderate	Moderate
ease
Height	l.5-4 m	0.5-2.5 m	2.0-3.5 m
Width	89 cm	119.5 cm	56 cm
Plant vigor	High	Medium	Medium
Time to	11 weeks	8 weeks	11 weeks
Harvest
Resistance	Resistant to pest	Resistant	Resistant
to pests or	as follows;	Non-Resistant	Non-Resistant
diseases	(1) Two-spotted spider	to two spotted	to Aphid
	mite such as	spider	species,
	Tetranychus urticae	mite or aphids,	Lepidoptera,
	(Koch); (2) Aphids	whitefly,	whitefly,
	species such as	but resistant	but resistant
	Cannabis Aphid	to Lepidoptera	to two spotted
	(Phorodon cannabis),	species	spider mite
	Green Peach Aphid
	(Myzus persicae
	(Sulzer)), Foxglove
	Aphid (Aulacorthum
	solani), Peach Aphid
	(Macrosiphum
	euphorbiae), and Black
	Bean Aphid (Aphis
	fabae); (3) Whitefly
	(Trialeurodes
	vaporariorum); (4)
	Lepidoptera species
	such as Armyworm
	(Spodoptera
	frugiperda); Cabbage
	Whites (Pieris rapae);
	Painted Lady (Vanessa
	cardui); and
	Lepidoptera sp.
	Resistant to Diseases:
	Botrytis/Flower Rot
	(Botrytis cinerea);
	Powdery Mildew
	(Podosphaera xanthii)
Genetically-	NO	NO	NO
modified
organism

TABLE 3
Leaf/Foliage

		Parental	Parental
		variety (B3)	variety (S9)
Characteristics	New Variety	(Female plant)	(Male plant)
Leaf	Alternate	Alternate	Alternate
arrangement
Leaf shape	Palmately	Palmately	Palmately
	compound	compound	compound
Leaf structure	Linear-	Linear-	Linear-
	lanceolate leaflet	lanceolate leaflet	lanceolate leaflet
	blades with	blades with	blades with
	glandular hairs	glandular hairs	glandular hairs
Leaf margins	Dentate,	Dentate,	Dentate,
	coarsely serrated,	coarsely serrated,	coarsely serrated,
	and the teeth	and the teeth	and the teeth
	point towards	point towards	point towards
	the tip	the tip	the tip
Leaf hairs	Present	Present	Present
Leaf length	19.1 cm	16.6 cm	9.5 cm
with petiole at
maturity
Leaf width at	13.5 cm	10.7 cm	9.3 cm
maturity
Petiole length	5.5 cm	6.5 cm	2.0 cm
at maturity
Petiole color	149B	140C	149C
(RHS No.)
Intensity of	Absent	Present-	Absent
petiole	(vegetative	Moderately	throughout
anthocyanin	stage);	(vegetative stage);	entire life
	very strong	very strong	cycle
	(late flowering	(late flowering
	stage)	stage)
Stipule length	0.5 cm	0.7 cm	0.4 cm
at maturity
Stipule shape	Acute-bulbous	Elliptical	Scale-like-linear
Stipule color	149C	149B	149A
(RHS No.)
No. of leaflets	3-9	5-7	3-5
Middle largest	13.4 cm	9.8 cm	7.6 cm
(longest) leaflet
length
Middle largest	2.6-7.4 cm	2.3 cm	1.8 cm
(longest) leaflet
width
Middle largest	13.4:2.6-	9.8:2.3	7.6:1.8
(longest) leaflet	13.4:7.4
length/width
ratio
No. teeth of	29	25	23
middle leaflet
(average)
Leaf (upper	139A	132A	135B
side) color
(RHS No.)
Leaf (lower	139C	134D	135B
side) color
(RHS No.)
Leaf glossiness	Weak	Strong	Weak
Vein/midrib	Obliquely	Obliquely	Obliquely
shape	continuous	continuous	continuous
	throughout	throughout	throughout
	leaflet	leaflet	leaflet
Vein/midrib	150D	144C	154D
color
Aroma	Citrus zest with	Spicy	Earthy, but
	chocolate and		bitter
	ginger
	undertones
n/a: not available

TABLE 4
Stem

		Parental	Parental
Charac-		variety (B3)	variety (S9)
teristics	New Variety	(Female plant)	(Male plant)
Stem shape	Hollow, ribbed,	Hollow, ribbed,	Hollow, glandular,
	large	textured	ribbed
Stem	2.5 cm	2.8 cm	1.9 cm
diameter
at base
Stem color	139D	N144D	195C
(RHS No.)
Depth of main	Shallow	Absent	Medium
stem
ribs/grooves
Internode length	5.5-11.4 cm	2.4-4.9 cm	7.2-14.7 cm
n/a: not available

TABLE 5
Inflorescence (Female/Pistillate Flowers)

		Parental	Parental
Charac-		variety (B3)	variety (S9)
teristics	New Variety	(Female plant)	(Male plant)
Flowering	Elongated	Cymes,	Cymes,
(blooming)	compound	from 0.3-1.0 m	from 0.8-2.8 m
habit	spikes, from	in length	in length
	0.5-2.2 m
	in length
Proportion	100%	100%	100%
of female
plants
Inflores-	Above	Even	Above
cence
position
Flower	Cymose (terminal	Cymose (terminal	Cymose (terminal
arrangement	bud matures,	bud matures,	bud matures,
	while	while	while
	lateral flowers	lateral flowers	lateral flowers
	mature thereafter)	mature thereafter)	mature thereafter)
Number of	50-150 per cyme	80-120 per cyme	100-200 per cyme
flowers per	(i.e. female flower)
plant
Flower	More or less	Calaratre-	Calaratre-
shape	sessile and are	urceolate	urceolate
	borne in racemes;	a small green	a small green
	calcaratre-	bract enclosing	bract enclosing
	urceolate; a	the ovary with	the ovary with
	small green bract	two long,	two long,
	enclosing the	slender stigmas	slender stigmas
	ovary with	projecting well	projecting well
	two long,	above the bract	above the bract
	slender stigmas
	projecting well
	above the bract
Flower	0.5 cm	0.7 cm	1.0 cm
(individual
pistillate)
length
Flower	4.5 cm	3.8 cm	3.2 cm
(compound
cyme)
diameter
Bract shape	Urceolate	Urceolate	Urceolate
Bract size	0.4-1.0 cm	0.2-0.8 cm	0.4-1.3 cm
Bract color	142C	N134C	143C
(RHS No.)
Calyx shape	No defined calyx	No defined calyx	No defined calyx
Calyx color	142A	135C	143C
(RHS No.)
Stigma	Linear-lanceolate	Acute	Linear
shape
Stigma	3.1 mm	2.2 mm	5.1 mm
length
Stigma color	157C	159D	157D
(RHS No.)
Trichome	Capitate-stalked	Capitate-stalked	Capitate-stalked
shape	glandular	glandular	glandular
Trichome	157A at day 40	157A at day 40 in	157A at day 40 in
color	in flowering	flowering	flowering
(RHS No.)	(capitate-stalked
	glandular
	trichomes)
Other types	Capitate sessile	Capitate sessile	Capitate sessile
of	trichomes	trichomes	trichomes
trichomes	are present	are present	are present
	on the leaves of	on the leaves of	on the leaves of
	plants, as well as	plants, as well as	plants, as well as
	being noticed	being noticed	being noticed
	in the flowers	in the flowers	in the flowers
	(color: 157A	(color: 157A	(color: 157A
	at day 40 in	at day 40 in	at day 40 in
	flowering).	flowering).	flowering).
	During later	During later	During later
	flowering,	flowering,	flowering,
	i.e. day	i.e. day	i.e. day
	55 to day 70 in	48 to day 60 in	55 to day 70 in
	flowering, capitate	flowering, capitate	flowering, capitate
	stalked trichomes	stalked trichomes	stalked trichomes
	are present	are present	are present
	(color: N30B).	(color: N30B).	(color: N30B).
	Bulbous and	Bulbous and	Bulbous and
	non-glandular	non-glandular	non-glandular
	trichomes are also	trichomes are also	trichomes are also
	present and most	present and most	present and most
	noticeable on the	noticeable on the	noticeable on the
	petioles, stems,	petioles, stems,	petioles, stems,
	and leaves	and leaves	and leaves
	(color: 157A).	(color: 157A).	(color: 157A).
Terminal	Elliptical	Oblong	Elliptical
bud
shape
Terminal	136B	203C	136D
bud
color (RMS
No.)
Pedicel	Absent	Absent	Absent
Staminate	n/a	n/a	n/a
shape
Pollen	Absent	Absent	Absent
description
Seed Shape	Textured and	Smooth and	Globular
	globular	globular
Seed size/	2.1-2.8 mm	1.8-2.3 mm,	2.8-3.3 mm
length
Marbling	Absent (non-	Absent (non-	Absent (non-
of seed	existent)	existent)	existent)
Petal	Apetalous (This	Apetalous	Apetalous
description	part is fused
	and appressed
	to the base
	of the ovary with
	the calyx and the
	perianth in the
	cannabis flowers)
Petal	Free	n/a	n/a
arrangement
Max THC	About 18.77-	About 18.88-	About 16.11-
content	23.19%	19.37%	18.21%
Max CBD	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
content
Max CBG	About 0.98-1.78%	About 0.84-0.91%	About 0.67-0.95%
content
n/a: not available

TABLE 6
Other Characteristics

		Parental	Parental
Charac-		variety (B3)	variety (S9)
teristics	New Variety	(Female plant)	(Male plant)
Time	9-11 weeks	7-9 weeks	9-11 weeks
period and
condition of
flowering/
blooming
Hardiness	Hardy to	Hardy to	Hardy to
of plant	25° F.-ambient	25° F.-ambient	25° F.-ambient
	temperature	temperature	temperature
Breaking	Flexible, resistant	Strong, non-	Flexible, resistant
action	to breakage	flexible	to breakage
Rooting rate	99%-vigorous	70%-moderate	70%-moderate
after
cutting/
cloning
Types of	Stem	Stem	Stem
Cutting for
Cloning
(stem, leaf,
root etc.)
Shipping	High	Moderate	Moderate
quality
if available
Storage life if	Long (3-8	Medium (3-6	Short (1-4
available	months with	months with	months with
	minor changes	minor changes	minor changes
	in physical	in physical	in physical
	appearance and/	appearance and/	appearance and/
	or smell taste)	or smell taste)	or smell taste)
Productivity	Aprroximately	Aprroximately	Aprroximately
of flower if	0.23-0.9	0.14-0.45	0.09-0.59
available	kg can be	kg can be	kg can be
	produced	produced	produced
	per plant,	per plant,	per plant,
	dependent on	dependent on	dependent on
	finished	finished	finished
	plant size (1.0-	plant size (0.6-	plant size (1.2-
	4.0 m); Growing	1.2 m); Growing	4.0 m); Growing
	conditions/	conditions/	conditions/
	environment	environment	environment
	will dictate final	will dictate final	will dictate final
	yield/output	yield/output	yield/output
n/a: not available

LEMON CRUSH OG is larger in width and height than both parents (B3 and S9). LEMON CRUSH OG is more robust in terms of growing performance, time to rooted clones, greater resistance to pest and disease, stronger branches, higher yielding, and overall better performing as it clearly demonstrates hybrid vigor, and therefore outperforms both parents (B3 and S9).

Specifically, when ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is compared to the proprietary female parent (‘BLK03’), ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is taller in plant height, but narrower in plant width than ‘BLK03’. Generally, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ shows higher plant vigor than ‘BLK03’. ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has longer and wider leaflets than ‘BLK03’ when compared their middle largest leaflet length and width as well as whole leaf length and width. Also, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has more teeth numbers in middle leaflet than ‘BLK03’. Regarding petiole and stipule length at maturity, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is shorter than ‘BLK03’. Regarding stem diameter at base, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is in general shorter than ‘BLK03’. When comparing individual flower length and compound cyme diameter, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is shorter than ‘BLK03’ in individual pistillate length, but longer in compound cyme diameter. With respect to aroma, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has a citrus zest smell with chocolate and ginger undertone, while ‘BLK03’ has a generally spicy smell.

When ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is compared to the proprietary male parent (‘SLV09’), ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is wider than ‘SLV09’ in plant width. ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ shows higher plant vigor than ‘SLV09’ showing a medium vigor like ‘BLK03’. ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has longer and wider leaflets than ‘SLV09’ when compared their middle largest leaflet length and width. Also, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has more teeth numbers in middle leaflet than ‘BLK03’. Regarding petiole and stipule length at maturity, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is longer than ‘SLV09’, opposite to those features of ‘BLK03’. Regarding stem diameter at base, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is something either longer than ‘SLV09’. When comparing individual flower length and compound cyme diameter, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is shorter than ‘SLV09’ in individual pistillate length, but longer in compound cyme diameter. In terms of aroma, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has a citrus zest smell with chocolate and ginger undertone, while ‘SLV09’ has an earthy but bitter smell.

When ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is compared to the known cannabis plant named ‘ECUADORIAN SATIVA’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,475), there are several distinctive characteristics. For example, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plant is taller and wider than the ‘ECUADORIAN SATIVA’ plant. ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ plant has a shorter petiole at maturity than the ‘ECUADORIAN SATIVA’ plant. While the aroma of ‘ECUADORIAN SATIVA’ is strongly mephitic with hints of limonene, ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ has a citrus zest smell with chocolate and ginger undertone. Individual pistillate flowers of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ are slightly longer than those of ‘ECUADORIAN SATIVA’. When comparing total THC content between ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ and ‘ECUADORIAN SATIVA’, the total THC content of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ is between 18.77-23.19%, while ‘ECUADORIAN SATIVA’ accumulates 12.45% total THC.

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar of ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’. The following description is for plants that are 93-100 days old as of the time of the measurements.

• General description:
  • • Plant life form and habit.—An herbaceous, upright, tap-rooted annual plant.
• Classification:
  • • Denomination.—‘LEMON CRUSH OG’.
    • Species.—Cannabis hybrid.
• Origin, form, and growth characteristics:
  • • Origin.—Progeny of the cross between BLK03 (B3) and SLV09 (S9).
    • Propagation.—The strain is asexually propagated by stem cutting and cloning.
    • Propagation ease.—Easy.
• Plant:
  • • Height.—1.5-4 m.
    • Width.—89 cm.
    • Vigor.—High (very vigorous).
    • Pest susceptibility.—Resistant to pest as follows; (1) Two-spotted spider mite such as Tetranychus urticae (Koch); (2) Aphids species such as Cannabis Aphid (Phorodon cannabis), Green Peach Aphid (Myzus persicae (Sulzer)), Foxglove Aphid (Aulacorthum solani), Peach Aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae), and Black Bean Aphid (Aphis fabae); (3) Whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum); (4) Lepidoptera species such as Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda); Cabbage Whites (Pieris rapae); Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui); and Lepidoptera sp.
    • Disease susceptibility.—Resistant to diseases such as Botrytis/Flower Rot (Botrytis cinerea); Powdery Mildew (Podosphaera xanthii).
    • Time to harvest.—11 weeks.
    • Genetically modified organism.—No.
• Leaf/foliage:
  • • Structure.—Linear-lanceolate leaflet blades with glandular hairs.
    • Shape.—Palmately compound.
    • Arrangement.—Alternate.
    • Margin.—Dentate, coarsely serrated, and the teeth point towards the tip.
    • Hair.—Present.
    • Leaf (with petiole) length at maturity.—19.1 cm.
    • Leaf width at maturity.—13.5 cm.
    • Number of leaflets.—3-9.
    • Middle largest leaflet length.—13.4 cm.
    • Middle largest leaflet width.—2.6-7.4 cm.
    • Middle largest leaflet length/width ration.—13.4:2.6-13.4:7.4.
    • Number of teeth of middle leaflet (average).—29.
    • Color.—Upper side — 139A.
    • Color.—Lower side — 139C.
    • Leaf glossiness.—Weak.
    • Veins/midrib shape.—Obliquely continuous throughout leaflet.
    • Vein/midrib color.—150D.
• Petiole:
  • • Petiole length.—5.5 cm.
    • Petiole color.—149B.
    • Intensity of petiole anthocyanin.—Absent (vegetative stage); very strong (late flowering stage).
    • Stipule shape.—Acute-bulbous.
    • Stipule length.—0.5 cm.
    • Stipule color.—149C.
• Stem:
  • • Shape.—Hollow, ribbed, and large.
    • Diameter.—2.5 cm at base.
    • Color.—139D.
    • Depth of main stem ribs/grooves.—Shallow.
    • Internode length.—5.5-11.4 cm.
• Inflorescence:
  • • Blooming/flowering habit.—Cymes from 0.5-2.2 m in length.
    • Inflorescence position relative to foliage.—Above.
    • Flower arrangement.—Cymose.
    • Number of flowers per plant.—50-150 per Cymes.
• Flowers:
  • • Shape.—Calcaratre-urceolate calcaratre-urceolate; a small green bract enclosing the ovary with two long, slender stigmas projecting well above the bract.
    • Flower (individual pistillate) length.—0.5 mm.
    • Flower (compound cyme) diameter.—4.5 cm.
    • Corolla shape.—The inner envelope of floral leaves of a flower, of delicate texture and of some color other than green.
    • Corolla size.—0.1-0.3 cm.
    • Corolla color.—N/A.
    • Bract shape.—Urceolate.
    • Bract size.—0.4-1.0 cm.
    • Bract color.—142C.
    • Stigma shape.—Linear-lanceolate.
    • Stigma length.—3.1 mm.
    • Stigma color.—157C.
    • Trichome shape.—Capitate-stalked glandular.
    • Trichome color.—157A at day 40 in flowering.
    • Other types of trichome.—Capitate sessile trichomes (color: 157A at day 40 in flowering)are present on the leaves of plants, as well as being noticed in the flowers; During later flowering (day 55 to day 70 in flowering), capitate stalked trichomes (color: N30B) are present; Bulbous and non-glandular trichomes (color: 157A) are also present and most noticeable on the petioles, sterns, and leaves.
    • Cola (terminal bud).—Elliptical.
    • Cola (terminal bud) color.—136B.
    • Pedicel.—Absent.
    • Pedicel color.—N/A.
    • Staminate flower.—N/A.
    • Pollen.—Absent.
    • Seed shape.—Textured and globular.
    • Seed size/length.—2.1 to 2.8 mm.
    • Marbling of seed.—Absent (non-existent).
    • Petal.—Apetalous; This part is fused and appressed to the base of the ovary with the calyx and the perianth in the cannabis flowers.
    • Petal arrangement.—Free.
• Other characteristics:
  • • Aroma.—Citrus zest with chocolate and ginger undertones.
    • Flowering/blooming period.—9-11 weeks.
    • Hardiness.—Hardy to 25° F-ambient temperature.
    • Breaking action.—Flexible, resistant to breakage.
    • Rooting rate after cutting/cloning.—99% vigorous.
    • Types of cutting for cloning.—Stem.
    • Shipping quality.—High.
    • Storage life.—Long (3-8 months with minor changes in physical appearance and/or smell/taste).
    • Productivity of flower.—Approximately 0.23-0.9 kg can be produced per plant, dependent on finished plant size (1.0-4.0 m).
    • Market use.—Medicinal.

Claims (1)

The invention claimed is:

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Cannabis plant named ‘LEMON CRUSH OG’ substantially as shown and described herein.

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