Glossary

Definition: A landrace is a cultivated plant population that has evolved over time in a specific geographic region, shaped by local environmental conditions and human cultural practices. Landraces are genetically diverse and locally adapted, often valued for unique traits such as flavor, resilience, or suitability for traditional uses. ¹ ² ³

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Historically, the term “landrace” was coined in the early 20th century (von Rümker, 1908) to distinguish traditional farmer varieties from modern, uniform cultivars. Early definitions focused on populations that had evolved without formal breeding programs and were selected primarily by farmers through traditional practices. ¹ ⁴

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Over time, however, scholars recognised that landraces are not static or relic-like. They are dynamic populations, constantly evolving due to natural selection in local environments, ongoing seed exchange among farmers and occasional introgression from other cultivars or hybrids.

 

Zeven (1998) emphasized that landraces continuously “contaminate” each other through gene flow, leading to gradual adaptation and genetic shifts rather than fixed, pure lines. ⁴

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Modern scholarship, notably that of Casañas et al. (2017), has further expanded the concept. They argue that landraces can legitimately incorporate modern breeding techniques as long as they remain tied to local adaptation, cultural practices and farmer participation. ¹ 

 

Casañas et al. propose:

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“Landraces consist of cultivated varieties that have evolved and may continue evolving, using conventional or modern breeding techniques, in traditional or new agricultural environments within a defined ecogeographical area and under the influence of local human culture.”  ¹

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This 'evolved' definition counters two common misconceptions:

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Myth 1 - Landraces are “pure” or genetically pristine.

In reality, landraces are genetically diverse populations shaped by both natural and human-mediated gene flow. ¹

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Myth 2 - Modern breeding disqualifies a landrace.

Modern breeding can be part of a landrace’s evolution if it preserves local adaptation, cultural value, and genetic diversity. ¹

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True cannabis landraces reflect generations of selection in specific environments, carrying unique chemotypes, morphological traits, and cultural significance. Yet even these populations have often been influenced by trade, migration and more recently, global breeding trends. ²

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While seeds collected from landrace growing regions can preserve genetic material, simply reproducing them in small numbers outside their native environments is not enough. A landrace arises through generations of cultivation, selection and adaptation within its traditional region, conditions that cannot be recreated in isolated grows far removed from the original cultural and ecological context.

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