Recent advances in cannabis biotechnology

Cannabis sativa L. is a high-value crop with a multi-billion dollar international market, yet due to the long history of prohibition, there is a significant lack of research on the plant and biotechnological techniques are in their infancy. Developing and applying modern techniques to Cannabis will help overcome some species-specific challenges to increase productivity and improve our knowledge about this plant. With regulatory environments relaxing in many parts of the world, there has been a significant increase in biotechnological research with this species. The current manuscript reviews the advances in Cannabis biotechnology, including molecular markers, microRNA, omics-based methods, and functional genes related to the terpene and cannabinoid biosynthesis as well as fiber quality. The foremost aim of this study is to a comprehensive review of the available literature to guide future cannabis studies in the field of genetic engineering and biotechnology.