How to Select the Right Genetics for a Commercial Cannabis Facility

For commercial cannabis producers, choosing the right genetics for your facility can be incredibly challenging and confusing. "There are thousands of different varieties with different morphology, attributes, cannabinoid content, aroma profiles and effects," says Christopher Leavitt, owner and breeder at Voyager Genetics, a clone-only cannabis genetics company specializing in medical cannabis. So, how do you choose which one to grow commercially?

Start from the end: product market fit
To make the right decision on what to grow, a grower should start with the products they intend to make. "Depending on the location, facility type, expertise/experience and market conditions, it's essential to make a strategic decision on the best product fit," Chris points out. "There are a few things to take into consideration. For instance, what's the price point, and what quality segment are you going for? Does your product need GACP or GMP qualifications? What type of cultivation setting you have, outdoor and thus more extracts oriented, or indoor/greenhouse which is best for whole flowers?"

Finished Flower Products require different genetics than extracts

Using this information, you can make criteria for what is your optimal product, which will really help you decide which breeder or vendor you will need. This is also important since if you are growing high THC vs CBD/CBG, you will need to contact completely different breeders with different compliance certifications.

Product key attributes Once you have your target product, you may have certain attributes of that product that are non-negotiable. One of the most common examples of this is high THC, as this is what the market demands currently. Other examples could be aroma profiles, color, or other aspects of the end-product. "If you are making extracts, you should go for extraction efficiency and genetics that are specialized for that. Another example could be specialty cannabinoids like CBG, THCv, etc.

For a lot of cultivators, the checklist of high THC, strong aroma, color and experience are the main factors when high-value flowers are concerned. But it is also wise to prioritize that list in order, since there are very few cultivars available that can check all those boxes, and if you select those, you might end up with something very similar to your competitors."

It's then important to understand what your product needs to stand out in the market, as well as keeping an eye on what gives you the best price in your market. "It is also relevant to look back at past products that were successful, and understand what it was that made them such," he remarks.

Seeds vs Clones
The next major decision will be if you want to grow from seed or clone. High quality flower production almost always originates from clones, while high-volume field production almost always comes from seed. "Clones tend to be much more uniform and consistent, especially in terms of aroma and cannabinoid profile, which is why most commercial medical growers and high-quality growers use clones for their production.

Some indoor and greenhouse producers elect to work from seed, especially when they first get started, so that they can select their own clone that is optimized for their facility in a process called phenohunting. This can be a great decision, but it is costly and takes months or years to select the right clone and ramp it up to commercial production levels. This is also something that high-quality flower producers do if they want something more unique in their market to give them a competitive advantage."

Seeds are a great fit for very high volume cultivations that grow for extraction or biomass, since product uniformity is less important for these products, and the price and efficiency of using seeds is an enormous advantage at this scale. There is no need for clone mothers and seeds can be more easily moved and stored without maintenance or labor.

Tissue cultures are another form-factor for plants if insect/disease quarantine or compliance is a major deciding factor for your cultivation.

The selection of one of these starting materials should be based on a few considerations, according to Chris. "For instance, how important is consistency of aroma and quality for my market? How important is price and efficiency of production? Is it worth sacrificing quality? How much mother space do I have? Do you grow all year round or seasonally?"

Facility Constraints and Limiting Factors
The next step in selecting the best cultivars for your commercial grow depends on the limitations of your facility. Here are the most common facility limitations and what you should select for in your search for the perfect cultivar.

Once you elucidate which limiting factors apply to you, it will make your job choosing a genetics provider much easier. "This is because either the breeder or propagator will often be specialized for solving certain problems, and if you come to the meeting or make an inquiry with these factors already stated, it makes both sides' jobs much easier. When selecting and breeding cannabis, it is impossible to test varieties in every imaginable condition, therefore, it is wise to choose a breeder or propagator that has done most of their testing in facilities that are similar to yours."

"For instance, do you have a double stack LED grow? Go with a genetics provider that has worked with a lot of double stack LED growers. Greenhouse with mold problems? Go with a genetics provider that has done most of their selection in these conditions. Outdoor grower? Go with an outdoor specialist."

Compliance
Navigating the various hemp and high THC cannabis laws in your country can be extremely confusing. It is essential that the provider you work with has the necessary compliance certifications to legally provide you with seeds or clones according to your home country's laws.

"Seeds tend to be significantly easier to work with, since they are all considered non-THC hemp at the moment, which creates a grey area that many work in. Since there is no international cultivar registry, there is no determination between seed that will eventually turn into a high THC plant or not. There are also countries like Australia that have incredibly strict quarantines, so that seeds are really the only option here. Clones tend to be trickier to import and export, especially since they are not shelf-stable and can easily die in transit."

"Overall, it is important that one of the first things you establish with your clone provider is that they have the necessary licenses and certifications to legally export to your country, and that you have already done the necessary research to establish what is needed compliance-wise," Chris says.

Exclusivity and Brand
Now that you have your end product form factor, attributes of that product, and your facility limitations sorted, it is time to decide how important exclusivity and branding is for your product.

Cannabis can be a competitive space, and although you have a high quality product, if your competitors have something very similar, you are creating an oversupply, which will likely impact your price point. "Acquiring clones from a nursery can be a great option, especially when you first get started. But there are drawbacks to this, since the increased availability and quantities of clones usually mean that the nursery is also selling these same clones to your competitors. Buying large numbers of clones can be very costly, and risks bringing disease or

insects into your cultivation. It's a common trade-off in the market: the cultivars with the strongest track records and widest availability are often the ones with the most saturated and competitive landscape.. In this case, choosing a genetics provider who can provide market exclusivity can make a huge competitive advantage."

"The higher value and market exclusive varieties usually come at a cost though, and require a more complicated deal where a licensing fee or royalties are paid that is more like a partnership than a one-off sale. There may also be requirements of a shared brand or public announcement of the partnership. Many clone providers require a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) with limitations of how many mothers you can keep, how many clones can be taken, how much canopy can be grown, etc. Many growers elect to just buy clones with "no strings attached" since it is less of a headache for them in the long term, but growers who have made successful brand partnerships or work with exclusive genetics get consistently high prices and long term success."

Cost and Payment Structures
These differing products and corresponding genetics providers have significantly different payment structures for their customers.

"Seeds are usually sold per seed or per kg (at very high volumes) at between $0.13-3 per seed. On the other hand, small quantities are sold in packs of 5-25 at between $15-35 per seed. One of the pros of seed is that there's typically no licensing, royalties or complicated deal structures involved. On top of that, there's usually little to no lead time."

"Clones are a completely different story.. Although they are highly dependent on the market, they are typically sold at between $2-15 per clone. However, clones often require a deposit to secure order, and have significant lead times. On top of that, commercial sales come with an agreement that you can't resell the genetics, and they may come with licensing, royalty agreements, and MTAs."

"There's also another option which is tissue cultures. This type of clones is mostly sold with cultivar rights and MTAs, often representing the foundation of brand agreement and exclusive genetics. They may also have longer lead times then other starting material options," Chris concludes.

Navigating the cannabis genetics marketplace and choosing the right cannabis genetics for commercial cultivation is a multi-layered decision that requires careful consideration of your target product, facility constraints, market strategy, and compliance requirements. Whether you opt for seeds, clones, or tissue cultures, each pathway comes with its own trade-offs in cost, consistency, and market positioning. By starting with your end product in mind and working backward—while factoring in production goals, regulatory demands, and competitive differentiation—you can make more informed decisions that support both operational efficiency and long-term brand success. In a rapidly evolving market, aligning with the right genetics provider isn't just about finding the best plant—it's about finding the best fit for your business.