Regular seed is the original type of cannabis seeds, before the feminized and autoflowering types came along. Growers and breeders prefer working with regular seeds because they have a natural proportion of male and female plants.
They are great for breeding and crossbreeding new strains. They also offer a more diverse selection of phenotypes.
Breeding
Before feminized seeds were invented, growers used regular cannabis plants to breed their own cultivars. They would identify the best female plants and then make clones from them. The clones would then grow into more mother plants and so on. This is a very time-consuming process and requires a lot of attention to detail. It can also be very expensive if you’re using premium strains.
Feminized seeds eliminate the need for this type of breeding because they only produce female plants. However, some people still choose to cultivate regular seed because it allows them to experiment with different terpene profiles and effects.
Growing regular seed can be more challenging than feminized, but it’s worth the effort if you want to create your own unique strains. It’s also easier to root cuttings from regular cannabis plants than feminized ones, and they tend to have stronger genetics. This makes them a better choice for large-scale cultivation operations than feminized seeds.
Cloning
The process of cloning is fairly straightforward. However, it can be time-consuming, especially when you have a large number of plants to care for. Clones require constant monitoring and a steady supply of nutrients. In addition, they can become infected with diseases like Fusarium and tobacco mosaic virus if you do not properly sterilize your growing medium.
In addition to the time-consuming nature of cloning, many growers prefer seeds because they offer a more natural form of procreation. Some people argue that cloning is morally wrong because it removes God or nature from the process of creation. Others believe that it is unethical because it violates the laws of science. However, these arguments are often based on false assumptions. Many mother plants are treated with high quantities of pesticides, which can contaminate any clones they produce. This can make a big difference in terms of taste and yield. However, these contaminants are easily avoided if you use the right technique.
Genetics
Seeds produced by regular plants are hardier than feminized seeds, but they tend to produce more male plants, which need to be removed from the crop. This can reduce final yield levels and requires a lot of knowledge to correctly identify and remove male plants from your grow. In addition, they often have a lower overall production capacity because they can only produce so many seeds per plant.
The QTL identified for seed weight and seed number per fruit did not overlap (except at one location on chromosome 3), suggesting that the trade-off is not caused by genetic pleiotropy. The allelic effects at these QTL were also distinct, indicating that the genes controlling the two traits are under separate selective pressures.
Storability of seed is influenced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. The former includes agronomic practices, seed-storage conditions, and fertilizer application. The latter includes the use of fungicides and pesticides, which can affect seed quality. Despite these challenges, scientific management can help to improve fertility and synchronization.
Price
Regular cannabis seeds have well-retained genetic traits that produce sturdy plants with high yields. They also have a 50/50 chance of being male or female, which is useful for breeding purposes. They are more potent than feminized varieties and often have higher CBD levels, which can help treat various symptoms and ailments, such as migraines, nausea, anxiety, and glaucoma.
Some growers prefer working with regular seeds because they are more natural and sustainable than feminized seeds. However, they can take more time to harvest because the grower needs to sex them each week. This process can be costly and wasteful, since it requires a lot of space, water, and nutrients.
If you’re looking for a cheap and efficient way to grow your cannabis, then choose regular seeds. They are suitable for beginners, and they’re ideal if you want to breed your own strains. Feminized seeds are better for experienced breeders, as they can guarantee a harvest of 100% female plants.
