Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42387130›Full record

ArticleMetabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society2026

Characterizing the effect of short wavelengths on the floral flavonoid metabolome of medicinal cannabis using a comparative computational metabolomics workflow.

Willy Contreras-Avilés, Laura Rosina Torres-Ortega, Ep Heuvelink, Leo F M Marcelis, Justin J J van der Hooft, Iris F Kappers

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Willy Contreras-Avilés *Horticulture and Product Physiology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 16, Wageningen, 6700 AA, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2529-3738
Laura Rosina Torres-Ortega *Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, P.O. Box 16, Wageningen, 6700 AA, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4439-6740
Ep HeuvelinkHorticulture and Product Physiology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 16, Wageningen, 6700 AA, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8731-7195
Leo F M MarcelisHorticulture and Product Physiology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 16, Wageningen, 6700 AA, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8088-7232
Justin J J van der HooftBioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, P.O. Box 16, Wageningen, 6700 AA, The Netherlands. justin.vanderhooft@wur.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9340-5511
Iris F KappersPlant Physiology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 16, Wageningen, 6700 AA, The Netherlands. iris.kappers@wur.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3349-3473

Funding

European Union's Horizon Europe 101072485National Secretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Republic of Panama 270-2020-134
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundControlled-environment cultivation of medicinal cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) typically optimizes light conditions to enhance the biosynthesis of pharmaceutically important metabolites like cannabinoids. Such experimental strategies may also influence other specialized metabolites like terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, among others. Previous untargeted metabolomics studies testing short-wavelength conditions like UV and blue light have shown that terpenoids and prenylated flavonoids in cannabis leaves respond differentially. However, since metabolomic studies in cannabis have so far mostly focused on floral cannabinoids, a comprehensive untargeted study into cannabis' floral metabolome response to short wavelengths is currently lacking.

objectivesOur study investigates the impact of short-wavelength usage on cannabis specialized metabolism, and in particular the influence of UVB, UVA, and blue light on the cannabis floral flavonoid metabolome and associated glycosylation moieties.

methodsCannabis plants were grown under a white background light and exposed to supplemental UVB, UVA, or blue light during the generative phase of the cultivation cycle. Treatments were compared to a reference white background light without UV or blue light. Metabolites from floral tissue were extracted and analysed via ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A comparative metabolomics workflow was designed and used to characterize the floral flavonoid metabolome and associated glycosylation moieties.

resultsOur results demonstrate how short wavelengths differentially affect the metabolism of natural product compound classes including polyketides and phenylpropanoids/shikimates. Blue light induced flavonoids similarly to how UVB did, while both UVA and blue light specifically induced flavanones accumulation. UVB showed the strongest regulatory effect on flavonoids production and glycosylation patterns.

conclusionsUVB reshapes the cannabis floral flavonoid metabolome by selectively stimulating the accumulation and structural modification of flavonoids. Therefore, UVB represents a potential horticultural strategy to enhance flavonoid-related aspects of medicinal cannabis inflorescence phytochemical quality, without affecting cannabinoid levels.

Indexed as

CannabisFlavonoidsFlowersMetabolomeMetabolomicsBlue LightLightPlant LeavesTandem Mass SpectrometryUltraviolet RaysWorkflowFlavonoidsFlavonoidsGlycosylationInflorescenceMedicinal cannabisMetabolomicsUVB

Identifiers

PMID42387130
PMCPMC13323782

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.