Regular seeds are a popular choice for a number of reasons. They are cheaper to produce than feminized seeds, for instance, and can also be more resistant to pests and disease.
However, they have some drawbacks as well. One is that they tend to produce more male plants than females, lowering the final yield per crop.
Breeding
Regular seeds are an essential part of any breeder’s toolkit, they can be used to produce both male and female strains. They can also be used to create new varieties or hybrids.
The popularity of feminized seed has seen many growers neglect their regular seed stock, but they remain a vital element in the cannabis breeding world. They allow growers to work with a wide range of plant phenotypes and are an excellent way to explore the different genotypes and phenotypes available.
Some experienced growers still prefer to work with regular seeds, especially when they are looking to develop a new strain. This is because they can provide more genetic variation than feminized seeds.
Cloning
Cloning is the process of taking a cutting from a plant and growing it as a new plant. This method can be used to clone plants from the ground, as well as plants in pots and other containers.
To clone regular seed, you’ll need a growing medium and a rooting hormone. A rooting hormone helps clones develop roots faster, which means they can be planted into your garden sooner.
A nutrient-rich growing medium is also essential for clones to develop roots and healthy foliage. Ideally, you’ll want to use a medium that contains perlite or vermiculite.
A good clone will have strong roots and healthy leaves that are not yellow or brown. This can be a sign of pests or diseases.
Genetic Stability
Aside from their ability to produce a large harvest, regular seed also provide much better genetic stability than feminized seeds. Feminized varieties will only produce female flowers (asexual reproduction), which can be problematic for growers trying to keep their plants for taking cuttings and clones.
However, with proper breeding techniques and cloning, it is possible to produce hybrids with stable parent genes. These hybrids are commonly crossed with their recurrent parents to fix the desired trait.
The resulting hybrids are known as filial-1 (f1) hybrids, and they will only produce predictable, homozygous offspring that express the dominant trait. This is an important tool for breeders, as it allows them to fix certain traits that would otherwise be unstable in their plants.
To evaluate the genetic and epigenetic stability of Secale cereale seeds through storage time, aliquots were adjusted in water content and hermetically sealed into aluminium foil bags at 35 degC under two different storage atmospheres (air or vacuum) for 13, 29 and 36 days. DNA was isolated from two replicates of 10 seeds per storage condition. Changes in methylation status, both de novo methylation and demethylation were detected after 13 days of storage.
Cost
The cost of regular seed is largely determined by the amount of work that goes into producing it. There are also several other factors that will affect the price of a pack, including supply and demand, THC levels, strain desirability, and trends.
Generally, you can expect to pay between $3 and $35 for a single pack of weed seeds. However, it is important to compare prices from different seed banks before making a purchase.
In addition, keep an eye out for special discounts and deals during holidays such as 420 or Christmas. This will help you save money in the long run.
The cost of feminized seed is higher than regular seed for two reasons: first, the process to get them is more complicated and second, they are more likely to produce female plants. They will produce much larger yields than regular seed and you can expect a higher return on your investment.
