Elicitation as a tool to improve the accumulation of secondary metabolites in Cannabis sativa

Cannabis sativa L. is an annual dioecious species native from Central Asia, which has mainly been used for medical purposes by many ancient cultures and is currently used for the treatment of several diseases. The pharmacological properties of C. sativa are related to cannabinoids, a class of secondary metabolites entirely unique to this crop that are produced and stored at high levels in the inflorescences and leaves. In addition to cannabinoids, C. sativa plants also produce a large number of non-cannabinoid secondary metabolites including terpenes, phenolic compounds and others, which have also been associated with health-promoting activities. In recent decades, the interest in secondary metabolites from C. sativa has been increasing due to their potential applications not only as pharmaceuticals, but also as nutraceuticals, food additives, drugs, fragrances, and biopesticides. This has generated a significant increase in the development of effective strategies for improving the production of such bioactive compounds. In this context, elicitation has emerged as an effective tool based on the application of abiotic or biotic factors that induce physiological changes and stimulate defense or stress-related responses in plants, including the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. The current review gives a comprehensive overview of the available studies on the different elicitation approaches used to enhance the accumulation of the major bioactive compounds in C. sativa, and highlights challenges and opportunities related to the use of external elicitors for improving the added value of this crop.