Month: April 2023

A seed is the embryonic stage of a plant’s life cycle. It is surrounded by a protective coating called the seed coat.

Seeds are essential for plant survival, and they serve several important functions. These include nourishment, dispersal, and dormancy during unfavorable conditions.

Origin

The seed is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperms (flowering plants) and angiosperms. This small embryonic plant is surrounded by a protective coat called the seed coat and may contain an endosperm.

The development of the seed in higher plants depends on processes of sexual reproduction. In seed plants, fertilization requires a viable pollen grain and a receptive stigma to produce a zygote.

Once the zygote develops, it forms a seed coat around the ovule and grows within the mother plant to a certain size before growth is halted.

The seed program is one of the key evolutionary innovations that allowed the gymnosperms and angiosperms to dominate terrestrial environments. It enables dispersal of species over wide areas and provides a source of food for animals in a long-term storable form.

Function

Seeds serve several key functions for the plants that produce them. These include nourishment of the embryo, dispersal to a new location and dormancy during unfavorable conditions.

Most seeds are composed of three parts: the seed coat, endosperm and embryo. The seed coat is a protective covering that helps the seed to remain viable.

It also protects the embryo from physical, mechanical, temperature-related and water damage. It also serves as a channel to transmit environmental cues to the interior of the seed.

The outer seed coat varies from thin and papery to rock-hard. Inside the seed is the embryo plant and usually some sort of nutritive tissue called endosperm, which stores food. There are also accessory structures attached to the seed, including cotyledons, which are leaves that can hold a food supply for the growing sprouting seedling.

Structure

In botany, a seed is an undeveloped plant embryo and store of food enclosed in a protective outer covering. It is the product of a mature ovule in gymnosperm and angiosperm plants, following fertilization by pollen.

A seed has two layers, the outer layer known as the testa and the inner layer known as tegmen (see figure 18.3.118.3.1). The testa is thick and protects the ovule from moisture and sunlight.

The inner tegmen separates the embryo and endosperm tissue by a proteinous membrane called the aleurone layer. The embryo may be small (as in buttercups), or it may fill the entire seed as in roses and some mustards.

The developing seed consists of an embryo, which is linear with one or more seed leaves or cotyledons (one in flowering plants, several in Pinus and other gymnosperms), a radicle, and a hypocotyl. The radicle and plumule are covered with sheath-like structures called coleoptile and coleorhiza.

Variation

The seed size and number of a plant are among the most important life-history traits for both its fitness and yield. Thus, understanding the genetic architecture of these traits is critical to both conservation and agroforestry.

In this study, we mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that affect 12 life history traits related to seed size and fruit size. We identified eight QTL on chromosomes 1, 3, 4, and 5, with the largest located at the bottom of chromosome 1 (21.6 Mb) and explaining 15% of phenotypic variation in seed size.

The QTL affecting seed number colocated with QTLs for other traits, suggesting that it controls seed size via maternal components affecting ovule number or carpel development, or reproductive resource allocation in the mother plant. The remaining six putative QTL did not explain any of the phenotypic variation in seed number.

For those who have a discerning eye, regular seed offers an opportunity to explore the unaltered genetics of cannabis. These phenotypes will vary from plant to plant in terms of growth pattern, scent, terpene profile, yield and more.

They are a favourite with old-school growers, as well as those looking to experiment with phenotypes. A batch of regular seeds will usually produce approximately 50% male and female plants.

Stable Genetics

The ability to consistently produce predictable offspring with uniform traits, like height, yield, potency, and flavor, is the goal of many cultivators. This requires a long and rigorous breeding process.

Stable genetics are achieved through multiple generations of selective breeding, a time-consuming process that involves selecting the right parents and backcrossing them to create new strains. This can take up to twelve generations of plants before the desired traits are stable.

After successful breeding, a line of stable seeds is created, which is often considered intellectual property for seed companies. These seeds may be licensed to growers or sold directly by seed companies that want to further develop them by imparting desired traits.

While the breeding process is lengthy and time-consuming, it’s a necessary step in creating a stable strain. It can also lead to the development of novel cannabis traits that growers are interested in and that can be patented by plant trait companies.

Cheaper

Regular seed is the most affordable type of cannabis seeds. Compared to feminized or autoflower seeds, they are less expensive to produce. This is because they require fewer sexing efforts and don’t require the same amount of hand pollination.

These cheap weed seeds are ideal for breeders looking to create new strains from scratch. They also make excellent clones, as the female plants germinate easily and grow sturdy and robust.

Despite their low price tag, regular seed varieties still come with all the necessary features for good growth, including high potency, rich terpene profiles, and great yields. At Herbies, you can purchase quality regular seed varieties at a reasonable price with top germination rates guaranteed by the breeders.

Whether you’re an experienced grower or just starting out, it’s important to choose a cannabis seed bank that stocks a variety of cheap seeds from reputable cultivators. Herbie’s Seeds, for example, offers plenty of buy-one-get-one-free deals to reduce the average seed packet cost.

Easy to Breed

For those that enjoy breeding their own strains, regular seeds provide a great source of clones to work with. If you’re looking for a particular morphology, colour, or even a certain flavour profile, regular seeds can give you what you need.

While feminized seeds are the most popular for newer growers, regular seed can be a good option for veteran cultivators who want to try their hand at cloning and breeding. Typically, regular seeds have a much higher sex ratio than feminized seeds, which can make the process of creating clones more predictable.

However, if you want to breed a sativa or indica, feminized seeds can be more practical for this purpose. They produce a predominately female crop, which makes it easier to manage a large harvest and prevents male plants from spoiling the final product. Feminized seeds are also more expensive, which can make them less desirable for some growers. But the advantages outweigh any disadvantages, so they’re a great choice for those looking to expand their horizons.

More Vigorous

Unlike feminized seed, regular seeds can be grown by a grower who prefers to keep the cannabis plants 100% unaltered. This is a great option for those who are environmentally conscious and want to grow their crops in as natural a way as possible.

Regular seed is also more vigorous than feminized seed and produces cuttings that can be used to cultivate and produce multiple harvests. This is important for the experienced grower who wants to increase their yields and maintain the potency of their original strains.

In addition, if you’re an experienced breeder, regular seed is a key component in creating new strains that you can use to experiment with genotypes and phenotypes. The ability to create a new genetic lineage that expresses your vision is an incredibly rewarding process and will be something that you will cherish forever!

Whether you’re a newbie grower, a seasoned vet, or simply looking for an affordable way to start growing cannabis, regular seeds are the perfect choice. They’re easy to grow, resistant to pests and diseases, and are incredibly easy to clone.

One of the main reasons why a lot of breeders choose to use regular seeds is that they allow them to create their own strains. This is an important skill to have and helps to keep marijuana breeding culture diverse.

They are cheaper

Regular seeds are much cheaper than feminized seeds, and if you’re on a budget, they’re an excellent option. They are often available at discount prices during late summer and early fall at garden centers, hardware stores and big national chain stores.

Besides being cheaper, regular seeds are also easier to grow and maintain. They don’t require changing the light cycle like feminized seeds do, making them an excellent choice for beginner growers.

These seeds are also easy to clone and produce high-quality buds. The main reason for this is that they are non-photoperiod dependent, meaning that you can have multiple plants of different ages within the same grow.

The other major advantage of regular seeds is their diversity and genetic stability. They’re perfect for breeders who want to create new crosses and strains to increase their yield, aromas, flavours or effects.

They are easy to grow

Regular seeds are easy to grow and produce a high-yield. They are also resistant to pests and diseases.

The seeds will germinate when exposed to light and warm temperatures. They are a good choice for first-time cannabis growers.

They are also very hardy and can withstand extreme weather conditions. They are suitable for indoor and outdoor cultivation.

In addition, they are extremely fast-growing and produce a large harvest. They are great for beginners and experienced growers alike.

They can also be cloned to reproduce new cultivars. These clones are better than the original plant because they are more vigorous and produce high-quality buds.

They are resistant to pests and diseases

Regular seeds can be resistant to pests and diseases – meaning they’re more likely to thrive in the environment and climate you grow them in. This can save you time and money, as well as increase your crop’s quality.

In order to be resistant, a plant needs to have genetic traits that can defend against pathogens or insects. These can be inherited or acquired by breeding with other plants.

The most common traits are disease resistance and insect resistance. Choosing resistant varieties can stop disease before it starts, so you don’t have to worry about your crops getting infected.

In addition, a number of genetically engineered traits are now available to save the world’s fruit industries, including papaya ringspot virus and Laurel Wilt disease. Developing these traits can help farmers and commercial growers alike.

They are easy to clone

The process of cloning is simple, and can be done in any growing medium. All you need is to cut off a piece of the mother plant and place it in a nutrient-rich rooting medium.

The roots should start to poke out of the bottom of the cutting within 3-14 days, after which the clone is ready to be moved into a larger container or planted in your garden. Keep your clones warm and humid to help them root faster and avoid rot.

Having said that, there are a few disadvantages to cloning, including genetic defects and vulnerability to pests and diseases. These can cause problems when you are introducing them to your garden, so make sure to vet clones before you take them home.