Month: August 2023

In the cannabis world, regular seeds offer a variety of benefits. They are a great choice for breeders and those who appreciate the ability to duplicate a plant’s morphology, colour or flavour profile through cloning.

Many old-school strains never made the cut to become feminized, so growing these genetically intact phenotypes can be a real treat for growers.

Breeding

In recent years regular seeds have taken a back seat to feminized and autoflowering strains, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still useful. Many growers use them in breeding to ensure that their offspring will have certain characteristics. Bruce Banner regular, for example, is a powerful sativa strain with THC levels reaching 29%. This is a strain best suited for veteran cultivators who can nurture it into its full potential with the help of a greenhouse and a Mediterranean climate.

Feminized seeds are more predictable and ideal for commercial growers who want a guaranteed ratio of female plants that produce smokable buds. However, some growers prefer the natural proportion of male and female plants that regular seeds offer. This means they don’t have to spend extra time culling male plants before they begin flowering. This allows them to focus their energy and resources on the female plants that are most likely to yield large harvests of quality buds.

Cloning

Clones can be a bit trickier than seeds, especially if you’re new to growing. They take a little longer to root, and they need to be kept in the proper conditions. However, they offer a number of advantages over seeds, including the fact that they’re exact genetic copies of their mother plants.

When you’re ready to clone, start by selecting a healthy mother plant with at least two to four nodes. Then, use a sharp razor to cut a branch from the top of the mother plant, leaving a node at the bottom of the cutting.

Place the cutting into a rooting medium. This can be soil or starter cubes, and it should contain a rooting hormone. It is also important to feed the cloned plants regularly with a balanced nutrient solution. This will help them to grow stronger and faster. It is also essential to quarantine your clones for a few days to a week before introducing them to the rest of your garden.

Genetic Diversity

Genetic diversity is a key aspect of plant conservation and restoration. Adequate genetic diversity promotes adaptive evolution and mitigates inbreeding depression. It can also increase reproductive success and promote the formation of stable genotypes. However, there are a number of barriers to increasing genetic diversity in seed collections.

Using new genetic diversity-mining tools synergized with NGS techniques, it is now possible to explore all of the variation present in a seed stand. This allows for the identification of novel phenotypic traits and a more accurate estimation of the potential relatedness between trees.

Within-site average pairwise genetic distances increased with the number of maternal lines sampled in each site. The genetic diversity captured by the COLONY analysis of seedlings was higher when two or four maternal lines were analysed, compared to eight. This indicates that a high level of genetic diversity is retained when a small number of clones are used in seed orchard setups.

Price

As with anything in the cannabis industry, the price of seeds fluctuates. Certain strains have a higher demand than others, and this can influence the prices of individual seeds. For instance, a high THC strain such as Bruce Banner will generally cost more than a lower THC-level strain.

The type of seed also influences the price. Regular seeds are cheaper than feminized or autoflowering seeds. However, they are still more expensive than clones. Choosing regular seeds over other varieties may make more financial sense for growers, especially if they are planning on culling the male plants that will grow.

Dutch Passion offers a collection of regular seeds that include classic genetics from the 1980’s and earlier. Their selection includes some of the finest old-school strains available. They are popular with growers who prefer to work with plants that show both male and female sex. This allows them to cross the sexed plants and create new genetics that can produce more smokable buds and seeds.

Seed is the characteristic reproductive body of flowering plants (angiosperms) and gymnosperms. It consists of a miniature undeveloped plant embryo and stored food reserves enclosed in a protective outer coating called the testa.

Using seeds to grow your own plants allows you to choose from many more varieties than are available at garden centers. However, seeds must first germinate to become seedlings.

Embryonic Development

In plants, embryonic development can mean anything from the forming egg-cell framed after fertilization in angiosperms or the buds that structure on stems in gymnosperms. It additionally alludes to the underdeveloped state of a plant, which is found in seeds of angiosperms and gymnosperms.

Embryonic development happens as an asymmetric transverse cell division in the zygote. This produces two cells – a small apical cell resting on top of a large basal cell. These two cells give rise to different structures, establishing polarity in the embryo.

During embryogenesis, the concentration of IAA, cytokinin, gibberellins, and abscisic acid (ABA) is high. These hormones encourage cell growth, pattern formation, and polarity establishment in the embryo. However, at the torpedo stage, they trigger embryo maturation, in which a reduction in cell division occurs and H3.1 is replaced by H3.3. H3.3 is critical in embryo maturation because it reprograms the embryo epigenome for the acquisition of post-embryonic developmental potentials.

Endosperm Development

The endosperm is the nutritive tissue surrounding the embryo. It provides nourishment during the dormant period of the seed and is the primary source of energy for seeds in Angiosperms and Gynosperms. It also controls embryo development and reserves.

Cellular endosperm development involves a series of syncytial cell divisions. The first divisions result in eight endosperm nuclei evenly distributed along a curved region of the micropylar-chalazal (MC) axis. Cellular division continues in this manner until the MC reaches its destination at the chalazal pole, where the syncytial endosperm becomes cellular (Fig. 1).

At the beginning of syncytial cell division, a DNA methylation pattern is established that is largely maintained through subsequent mitosis. A genome-wide profiling study of H3K27me3 in wild-type endosperm revealed that the FIS PcG complex represses a specific set of genes around the site of cellularization, which is consistent with the idea that the FIS complex prevents somatic traits from being acquired during syncytial endosperm development (Weinhofer et al., 2010).

Seed Coat

Seed coats are complex structures that control a number of processes including germination, development and nutrient flow. The structure and composition of the seed coat are determined by specialized tissues that differentiate to serve various functions. Nutrients passing from the embryo and endosperm through the seed coat determine the rate of imbibition which in turn controls germination. The seed coat also provides an effective barrier against pathogen penetration.

The heritable trait of seed coat hardness, a major factor determining water permeability, is linked to the lignin content and morphological characteristics of the testa (Agrawal & Menon 1974). Nonetheless, the impermeability of the seed coat does not depend solely on its thickness since seeds that can withstand mechanical damage tend to have thinner testas.

In diploid seeds such as legumes, the seed coat is further protected by a pericarp and the plumule and radicle. Monocots have additional structures known as the coleoptile and coleorhiza which act as sheaths that enclose the plumule, radicle and hypocotyl.

Germination

Seeds require the right conditions to germinate and grow into seedlings. These include water, temperature and oxygen. Germination also requires the right triggers. These may be physical (the action of light falling on the seed) or biological (the activity of a plant DNA ligase).

The first step is called imbibition, which is the uptake of water by the seed. This makes the seed swell and split its seed coat, and also breaks down some of its food reserve, which gives it energy.

The swollen embryo then starts growing, and the radicle emerges from the plumule, creating an anchoring root and completing germination. The cotyledons then develop leaves. Oxygen is required for respiration, which will be the seedling’s main source of energy until it grows its own leaves. If the cotyledons can’t access oxygen, they will die. The ability to access oxygen is controlled by the permeability of the seed coating and soil pore space. Seeds that have been buried too deeply in the soil are starved for oxygen.

Cannabis seeds are high in healthy fats, protein, Vitamin A and iron. Try adding them to your favorite smoothie recipes for a nutritional boost.

When given the right conditions, seeds will sprout (emerge from their shell) and grow. They develop roots down and cotyledons upward to help them absorb nutrients from the surrounding soil.

How to Germinate Seeds

Germinating seeds is a crucial step in the cultivation process. It ensures that your seeds are healthy and ready to begin growing into seedlings. It also ensures that you have enough plant material for your garden.

There are a few different methods for germinating cannabis seeds. One popular method is to place the seeds on a wet paper towel. This is a common practice among horticulturists, and it is an easy way to sprout seeds. However, be careful when removing the seeds from the paper towel, as they are fragile at this stage. Use tweezers to avoid damage.

Another option is to simply water the seeds. Make sure that you only water the seeds until they are fully saturated. Do not oversaturate the seeds or the germination medium, as this can cause them to rot. When planting the seeds, be sure to point the white root downwards into the germination medium. This will prevent the seed from having to reorient itself after it is planted.

How to Store Seeds

It’s best to store seeds in a dry and dark location for as long as possible. Seeds are very light sensitive and the slightest exposure to sunlight or temperature changes can cause them to start germinating. This will use up their stored nutrients and can ultimately lead to them wilting and dying.

A good place to store seeds is in a refrigerator. These fridges typically are pretty dark and dry but it’s important that you keep the door closed and don’t open it often. Opening the door and shutting it again can cause dramatic temperature shifts which could potentially harm the seeds.

If you don’t have a special no-frost fridge, a dark and dry drawer of a kitchen cupboard or even a plastic Ziplock bag will work. Just be sure to include a desiccant, like those little packets of silica gel that come in many products or uncooked rice kernels, to help maintain moisture levels and absorb ethylene.

How to Test Seeds

Despite their differences in size and shape, healthy cannabis seeds display a general body type—round at one end and tapered at the other. Seeds that do not adhere to this recognizable shape may have undergone genetic flaws that could affect their germination and cultivating success. Thankfully, a simple water float test can help you distinguish good seeds from bad.

To perform the float test, simply place your seeds in a glass of lukewarm water. Those that sink will have taken in the water and are therefore healthier and more likely to sprout. On the other hand, if a seed floats above the surface of the water, it has not taken in any nutrients and is therefore of poorer quality. To confirm this, squeeze a few of the seeds between your index finger and thumb; if they feel soft or crack under pressure, they are not of high quality and should be discarded. They are also less likely to germinate and will have a lower chance of surviving.

Where to Buy Seeds

There are hundreds of seed banks online, but you need to be sure you’re dealing with a reputable one. Look for a high germination rate and guaranteed shipping. Also, look for a company that offers grow guides and troubleshooting tips.

If you’re looking for a seed bank that sells only high-quality seeds, try ILGM. They have great reviews and a large variety of strains. They even offer free US-based shipping and a germination guarantee.

Another great option is MSNL. They have a large selection of popular strains, and their website features an entertaining quiz that helps you find the best seeds for your needs. They also offer free shipping and 10% off on Bitcoin orders. This is a great choice for beginners who want to get started growing cannabis. They offer many different strains, including ones that thrive in warm and cold climates. You can also buy them in bulk for a discount.