With DNA-based testing, it is possible to identify male cannabis plants weeks before they show any visual sex features. DNA is extracted from one of the plant’s leaflets, as early as the second set of true leaves. Males can then be removed from a grow in order to maintain female flowers rich in cannabinoids. This method is an improvement over traditional visual inspection because it allows growers to identify male plants earlier, more accurately, and with less labor. Early elimination of male cannabis or hemp plants allows cultivators to spend fewer resources on plants that won’t produce flower and could possibly pollinate an entire grow.