The Science of Sungrown
A new study by researchers at Columbia University published in January 2023, looked at the terpene and cannabinoid diversity present in flower grown by sunlight vs artificial light. To run the study, the researchers partnered with three NorCal based farms — Huckleberry Hill Farms, Moon Made Farms, and Cosmic View (The Pairist proudly partners with Huckleberry Hills Farm & Moon Made Farms). The study used six plants of Red Velvet and Cheetah Piss from the same genetic makeup, with three of each grown inside and three of each grown outdoors.
The sungrown plants, which were grown in living soil and full sunlight were found to have a higher diversity and amounts of terpenes when compared to indoor cannabis from the same genetic stock, as well as higher amounts of sesquiterpenes.
The amounts of cannabinoids found between indoor and outdoor were more nuanced. CBGA and CBDA were present in similar amounts between indoor and outdoor samples. THCA was slightly higher in indoor cannabis, where CBCA and THCBA were slightly higher in the outdoor samples. THCBA is a derivative of THCA that also possesses psychoactive proper- ties and may elicit less anxiety.
Interestingly, the author of the study explains that terpenes act as an antioxidant shield for cannabinoids, keeping them more stable in the plant over time. The finding of greater terpene diversity and amounts in sungrown cannabis could explain why cannabinoids remain more stable in outdoor flower, while there is more degration of cannaibinoids over time in the indoor samples.
Source: Comparison of the Cannabinoid and Terpene Profiles in Commercial Cannabis from Natural and Artificial Cultivation
Fereshteh Zandkarimi, John Decatur, John Casali, Tina Gordon, Christine Skibola, and Colin Nuckolls