// Definition
The significant discrepancy between the number of terpenes actually present in cannabis and the limited panel of terpenes that commercial testing laboratories can detect. Most California labs test for only 20-30 terpenes, while individual cultivars may contain 60 or more.
// From the Episode
Johnny Casali of Huckleberry Hill Farms discussed how a Columbia University chemist, Colin Knuckles, discovered that his Whitethorn Rose cultivar contained over 60 different terpenes and 444 different cannabinoids, while California lab testing only showed approximately 1.5% total terpenes. The actual figure was closer to 5%. Each terpene reference standard costs labs nearly $20,000, creating a financial barrier to comprehensive testing.