Month: May 2023

Seed is a value that can help generate random numbers for programming, encryption, or data. Unlike true seeds, a random seed is generated by software and can vary from computer to computer.

Seeds are the primary means by which angiosperm plants propagate themselves. They are also an important source of food for animals and humans. Seeds are tiny, but they contain the entire life of a new plant.

They are the beginning of a new plant

Seeds are small packets of genetic information and have everything a new plant needs to start growing. They contain the embryonic roots and shoots of a new plant, as well as a concentrated food supply called endosperm. This stored food provides nutrients until the sprouting plant is able to make its own food by photosynthesis.

Most seeds are contained in a hard or fleshy structure that protects them until the conditions for germination are right. The germination process is triggered by contact with air, water and warmth. Seeds also have protective outer coatings that act as a barrier against heat or cold, bacteria and fungi, and stomach acidity (if ingested by animals).

Most flowering plants produce lots of seeds to improve the chances that some will find a suitable niche in nature. They also have strategies to increase the odds that some will be dispersed long distances, such as exploding fruits or seed structures that catch on animal fur or feathers.

They are an important source of food

Seeds are the primary source of food produced by most angiosperms and a few gymnosperms. They are the basis of agriculture and the world’s food security. FAO works in a variety of ways to strengthen seed systems through policy assistance, technical support and awareness raising.

Seeds contain all of the ingredients needed to develop into complex plants, including a wide range of nutrients. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, which is essential for digestive health. It helps to reduce the risk of digestive problems like hemorrhoids, diverticulitis and constipation. It also feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut, which can have a positive effect on immune function and mental health.

Moreover, seeds are rich in protein and provide most of the world’s cooking oils, margarine and beverages, as well as spices and food additives. They are also important sources of nonfood products such as cotton fiber, kapok and linseed oil used for painting and lubrication.

They are important for plant evolution and adaptation

Seeds play several important roles in plant evolution and adaptation. They nourish the embryo and disperse to a new location, while also providing a dormant state for a period of time until conditions are favorable for growth. They are a superior means of dispersal than single-celled spores, which are limited in the nutrients they can absorb from the environment.

The first seed plants, called gymnosperms, evolved in the Devonian period, c. 370 million years ago. They had specialized structures that encapsulated the ovule of the female gametophyte. This facilitated fertilization without the need for water.

The development of seeds helped gymnosperms adapt to dry environments and expand their habitats. This process involved the evolution of a diploid sporophyte generation, and the creation of pollen grains. In seed-bearing plants, sperm from male to female reproductive organs is carried by wind in a process known as pollination. This enables plants to reproduce in dry climates, unlike bryophytes and ferns, which require moisture for rapid gametophyte development.

They are important for plant reproduction

Seeds are a crucial part of plant reproduction. They are a means of propagation, protect and nourish embryos or young plants, and help the seedlings get off to a good start in a new environment. They also serve as a natural dispersal mechanism, and they are an important food source for birds, mammals, and insects. Seeds are also used to produce wood for building, paper and pulp, textile dyes, and medicines.

A seed consists of an embryo, endosperm, and a seed coat. The embryo is a tiny plant that has a root and stem, while the endosperm is a nutritious tissue composed of starch and oil. The seed coat is a protective covering that can help seeds survive for long periods of time.

Seeds are an essential feature of flowering plants, which have been classified into two major groups: gymnosperms, or naked-seeded plants such as conifers and cycads, and angiosperms, or flowering plants that have seeds enclosed in their ovaries. Other plants lack seeds, such as ferns and mosses.

Before feminized seeds became popular regular seeds were the only option for growers who wanted to create unique strains. Breeding with regular seeds is a labour of love as male plants must be separated from females and pollen collected.

Regular seeds undergo fewer genetic tampering than feminized ones and can produce robust descendants. This makes them ideal for breeding and cloning.

Breeding

If you’re interested in breeding your own strains of marijuana, you will need to work with regular seeds. They will not be automatically feminized and you will have to separate male plants from females before they flower. This can be impractical for beginners who have not yet mastered growing and it adds time to the overall breeding process.

However, working with regular seeds is essential for anyone who wants to discover new phenotypes and breeders need a good supply of both female and male cannabis plants to make the most out of their breeding. This is because male plants produce pollen that can be used to create hybrids.

Feminized cannabis seeds are a great choice for growers who want to avoid the male plant problem and concentrate on producing the best female plants possible. They are also more resilient and less prone to hermaphrodite growth during the growing process. This makes them a better choice for novice and beginner growers.

Cloning

Taking clones from regular seeds allows growers to enjoy a greater level of control in their garden. While feminized seeds are ideal for novice growers as they produce only female plants that are ready to be harvested, regular seeds give you the freedom to produce a mix of both male and female plants to create your own cultivars.

Clones should be taken from a healthy, strong mother plant that is approximately two months into the vegetative phase of growth. Avoid fertilizing the mother plant before cloning as large concentrations of nitrogen divert energy away from growing roots. Immediately after cutting the clone, sterilize your scissors or razor and remove any excess fan leaves (these will divert energy from root development).

It is important to place your clones in a dome or propagator to maintain high levels of humidity. Additionally, you should feed clones a balanced nutrient solution to promote health and accelerate their growing process.

Mother Plants

Whether you’re an inexperienced grower or a seasoned pro, the presence of a mother plant allows you to streamline the cultivation process. You’ll need a special space designated for the mother, a strict veg lighting schedule and appropriate nutrients but once you establish a good formula, keeping a healthy mother plant in place allows for clone production that can be turned to harvest over and over again.

A properly maintained mother plant will live for years, constantly producing new clippings to be grown as clones. Compared to plants that progress through their natural life cycles, well-kept mothers save growers a significant amount of time and money.

Maintaining a mother plant begins with identifying the ideal strain to serve as a mother and subsequently growing multiple phenotypes of that cultivar from seed until you find a perfect match. Once the chosen mother is in place, she should be maintained in a dedicated area of your grow room or tent to avoid cross-contamination and ideally fed a vegetative growth solution with half-strength or quarter-strength nutrients to encourage vigorous growth and prolific branching.

Genetic Diversity

Seeds are a common good that provides the basis of all life on earth and should be protected for the benefit of all. Globally, various initiatives are devoted to this goal. Gene banks save millions of seeds from all over the world, botanical gardens showcase dazzling plant collections and pastoralists raise traditional livestock breeds to preserve biological information for future generations.

For each generation of a clone population, the genetic diversity is determined by analysing parents and offspring together. The calculation of allelic richness is adjusted by rarefaction to account for the different sample sizes of parent and offspring generations. In all analysed seed orchards, genetic diversity is lower for the parental generation than for the offspring generation. This is likely to be due to the high degree of relatedness between individual clones in the parental generation. This can lead to selfing and inbreeding depression effects like a higher proportion of empty seeds in the offspring.

Cannabis seeds are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, and immune-stimulating secondary plant compounds. They also contain the amino acid arginine, which can promote healthy blood pressure and enlarge blood vessels for increased flow of oxygen to the brain and other organs.

A viable seed will look brown with some stripes and feel hard to the touch. It may take 12 – 72 hours for it to germinate in ideal conditions.

Male and Female Plants

Cannabis plants are dioecious, meaning they produce male and female parts. Female flowers contain the resin that creates weed, and male flowers produce pollen. Cultivators separate the two to avoid cross-pollination and to harvest only the female buds.

During the vegetative growth phase, growers can tell whether a plant is male or female by looking at its nodes. The nodes are where branches or twigs develop, and the plant produces pre-flowers on those nodes toward the end of the vegetative stage. Male pre-flowers, called staminate primordia, look like little sacs that house pollen. Female pre-flowers look similar, but they have white or pink hairs protruding from the top, known as pistils.

If you grow regular seeds, it’s important to know how to differentiate a male from a female plant so you can separate them and only cultivate the buds that provide psychoactive effects. However, feminized seeds eliminate the need to separate male and female plants and are a good option for rookie growers.

Bagseeds

Bag seeds are those you find in weed or dagga that you or someone else has already consumed. They can also be from cannabis plants that have been grown for the purpose of seed production.

The type of plant from which a bag seed comes will determine the strain’s characteristics. Bag seeds are most often a mix of Indica and Sativa genetics as most cannabis plants are hybrids. Indica plants tend to be more relaxing and Sativa plants are more energizing.

When growing bag seeds it is important to store them correctly. Ideally, they should be vacuum sealed in an opaque container that blocks out all light. This will ensure they can last for a long time. It is possible for cannabis seeds to last up to 5 years when stored correctly. However, if the seeds are exposed to excessive temperature and humidity changes they can become unviable. This means they will have used up their nutrient reserves and may not germinate or grow properly.

Immature Seeds

If you have a hermaphrodite plant, you should diligently remove any male flowers as they form and re-inspect the plant top to bottom every few days to make sure pollination does not occur. Hermaphroditism can be caused by negative stressors and small interruptions in the light cycle.

Hermaphroditism is not ideal for cannabis growers, as it decreases flower quality and leads to the creation of unwanted seeds. Ideally, only female plants are grown in commercial production.

To prevent hermaphroditism, only clones of healthy mature plants should be used. This ensures that the resulting plants will be monoecious (have only one set of genes). For this reason, long-time growers will tell you to re-veg your plants periodically – this is another way to keep the plant healthy and free from hermies. This will help to maintain the sex and potency of the final crop. Re-vegging also helps if the hermies have developed seeds at an earlier stage.

Germination

Germination is the first stage in a cannabis plant’s life. During this period, the young seedling will need very little interference from the grower. A few minor tweaks to nutrient levels and the use of lower-intensity lighting can help it along, but it is important not to disturb the seedling at this stage.

A simple and popular way to germinate seeds is on a wet paper towel. Horticulturists and even Creed from The Office have long used this method to successfully sprout seeds. Ensure the paper towel has a suitable temperature and humidity. Use a small hygrometer to keep track of these details.

When you are ready to plant, place the seed in its container – soil, coco, peat, etc. – with a jiffy or plug. Then place the container in a humidity dome to trap heat and moisture. Keep an eye on it until the seed opens and begins to express roots. This is the signal that it is ready to be planted.