Month: September 2023

Since feminized seeds became available, regular seed has become something of a forgotten seed. However, it still has its uses for the gardener who enjoys making their own seed stock.

Regular seeds produce hermaphrodite plants with male and female flowers. This means they require sexing to remove the male plants and can produce a lower yield than feminized seeds.

Variety

Regular seeds offer a wider variety of genetics than feminized seed, which makes them ideal for growers who prefer a more natural experience. They are more unpredictable however, with a greater chance of producing male plants than females. This can be problematic for commercial growers who need a specific ratio of female to male plants in their crop.

Because of this, growers with regular seeds should always plant more than they need, and carefully monitor their crop throughout the growing stages to identify and remove any hermaphrodite plants. They also need to make sure the plants are protected from male pollen during the blooming stage.

Dutch Passion’s selection of regular seeds is comprised of classic cultivars dating back to the 1980s and earlier, offering potency, taste, and rare traits not found in modern feminized strains. Many of these varieties are also available as clones, which can be used to create exact genetic copies of the original specimen.

Genetic Stability

Genetic stability is the ability to preserve desirable strain traits through generations. This is an important consideration for breeders looking to create new strains, as it allows them to produce consistent phenotypes. It can also help prevent unwanted traits from becoming dominant in a strain genotype over time.

Genetic instability is a complex problem, and can be caused by many different factors. These include environmental conditions, and the health of the maintained parents. For this reason, it is critical to test for genetic stability of your seed lots.

Regulatory bodies often request that transgenes be tested for stability at two time points to demonstrate their fidelity and integration pattern. Our experts can work with you to develop a testing strategy that meets your requirements. This may involve protein expression testing or RNA transcripts, depending on your specific needs and regulatory requirements.

Ease of Pollination

A grower can produce a much greater variety of plants when using regular seed. These plants can be cross-bred and specialized growers will develop strains with precise characteristics that they have selected and refined. This will create a variety of phenotypes, which vary in appearance, aroma, taste, and effect.

Another advantage of growing with regular seeds is the ease with which it is possible to pollinate plants. Male plants will naturally flower about two weeks before females, so a good rule of thumb is to make sure that the plants are kept far enough apart so that the pollen cannot be carried between them.

A grower should also be aware that regular seeds have a slight chance of producing hermaphroditic plants, which have both male and female reproductive organs. This can lead to unwanted pollination and a decrease in overall flower quality. It is therefore important to ensure that the plants are sexed and that hermaphrodites are removed promptly. The environmental conditions in which the plants are grown should also be maintained to prevent this, ensuring that the temperature is adequate and the humidity is consistent.

Cost

Whether you’re an experienced breeder looking to create new strains or simply enjoy the taste and effects of traditional cultivars, regular seeds are a good choice. They preserve genetic stability for breeding purposes and offer the potential for phenotype variation, which can produce variations in appearance, flavor, aroma, and effect.

These seeds work the way nature intended, generating male and female plants that can be pollinated for new cultivars or superior clones. Growers and breeders who prefer the process of separating male plants from females find working with regular seed a more rewarding cultivation experience.

Because of their inherent risk of producing a male plant, regular cannabis seeds require sexing to ensure that all plantings are female. This can take time and energy that could be better spent ensuring the proper care of other plantings. It’s important to monitor sexing progress closely during the pre-flowering stage, so you can remove any male plants promptly. This will prevent hermaphroditism and protect the yield of your final product.

Before feminized seed became popular growers and breeders used regular seeds. Regular cannabis seeds produce 50% male and 50% female plants.

While growing these plants requires sexing to remove male flowers and prevent pollination, they preserve genetic stability for breeding and offer the potential for phenotype variation. However, they do require more work to cultivate than feminized seeds.

Breeding

In its natural state, the cannabis plant is dioecious – it produces male and female plants. Regular seeds will produce a mixture of male and female plants unless the grower intervenes to make them feminized. The grower will need to weed out the males, which can be time consuming and tedious. This will reduce the yield from their crop.

With feminized seed, there is no need to worry about weeding out male flowers. However, it is still important to sex your plants to ensure they are all female. Feminized seeds may also have a lower genetic variability than regular seeds.

Breeding regular seeds can be a great way to create your own strains. The process can be time consuming and frustrating, but it is worth it in the end. You can choose specimens with the terpenes and high that you want, and pass those traits on to future generations. Cloning is also a great option with regular seeds.

Cloning

Cloning is a natural form of reproduction used by plants, fungi, and bacteria. The process works by taking a cutting from the stem of a mature plant and using special hormones to encourage root growth. The clone then undergoes further hormone treatment, sterilization, and growing conditions to replicate the mother plant.

The resulting plant will have the exact same grow characteristics, flavor profile and overall phenotype as its mother. However, if the mother plant has any genetic flaws, these will carry over to the clone as well. For example, some parents know they have a disease or vulnerability to certain pests, but still choose to reproduce so their children don’t suffer the same fate (Glannon).

When it comes to clones, growers want them to root quickly and be ready for flowering as soon as possible. For this reason, they prefer to take a cutting from a female plant that is in its vegetative stage. While it is possible to clone a flowering plant, the process takes longer and tends to produce less sturdy clones.

Genetic Stability

Genetic stability is a critical attribute of cells that are used in the manufacture of vaccines and other biologics. Cells that are not stable over time can develop mutations that impact the function of synthetic material inserted into their DNA.

The DNA molecule that stores the genetic information of living organisms is subject to a constant stream of mutations caused by errors during cell division, accidental mutations and environmental factors such as chemical and physical stressors. Fortunately, enzymes can correct most of these anomalies to maintain genetic stability.

Research has shown that chromatin proteins work alongside DNA damage repair pathways to ensure genome stability. Scientists have identified specific genes that are involved in this process and found interconnections between these genes, suggesting the existence of a genomic stability network. Demonstration of genetic stability is part of a comprehensive safety assessment that hPSC-derived products undergo prior to receiving regulatory approvals allowing for commercialization. Regulatory authorities request stability data at the DNA, mRNA and protein level.

Phenotype Variation

Despite extensive variation for both seed size and number, genes affecting either trait have yet to be identified. The QTL mapping approach using MAGIC lines allows for fine-mapping of genetic factors responsible for the natural continuous variation in seed phenotype, unlike mutant screens that only identify single-effect alleles.

The MAGIC analysis indicated that a QTL on the bottom of chromosome 1 explains 15% of the variation for average seed weight, and another QTL explains 9% of the variation for average seed number per fruit. The QTL for seed weight resides near a gene encoding fabatin, which has been shown to be involved in starch metabolism and could explain the observed trade-off between seed size and seed number.

In the multiplex screen, 42 of the 59 marrowfat lines were scored as wrinkled seeds, and simplex PCR confirmed that these lines carried a mutation at r. Further characterization of these marrowfat lines may reveal additional genetic loci affecting seed phenotype in a pleiotropic manner.

While feminized seeds are now the standard, many experienced growers prefer regular seeds. They have a lower chance of producing hermaphrodite plants, and they are ideal for cultivating new strains.

Growers can select the best phenotypes for their growing space and needs, such as yield, aroma, pest resistance, and therapeutic effects. They can also breed them to create their own unique strains.

They are cheaper

One of the biggest reasons growers go with regular seeds is that they’re cheaper. Feminized seeds have a higher price tag, which can be costly for a small-scale cannabis garden. This is because feminized plants produce female seeds that are free of male (XY) chromosomes. This means that they can be harvested without having to spend time removing the males.

Regular seeds on the other hand, produce both male and female plants. The theoretic proportion of male plants varies, but can be as high as a third of the crop. This can be expensive for small-scale operations or if they’re legally capped to a certain number of plants.

Additionally, some growers prefer to grow regular seeds because they’re easier to breed. This can be a rewarding experience, as it allows them to create their own strains. With selective breeding, backcrossing, and other techniques, growers can create the cannabis strains of their dreams. It’s even possible to make new, unique terpene profiles and effects through this process.

They are more stable

Regular seeds are preferred by growers who want to produce their own seed stock. As opposed to feminized seeds, which only produce female plants, regular cannabis seeds produce both male and female plants. Sexing these plants can be a challenge, but it’s worth it for the grower who wants to produce more seeds and maintain genetic diversity in his or her harvest.

Regular cannabis seeds also give the gardener a more natural ratio of male to female plants. When these plants are paired together, the pollen from a male plant will fertilize the female colas and produce more seeds. This process is known as “crossing.”

Because of their genetic stability, regular seeds are more suited to taking cuttings and making clones. Cloning allows a grower to create an exact copy of a specific specimen, which can help him or her get exactly the result they’re looking for. For example, if a particular strain has a very unique morphology or color, the grower can reproduce it by cloning it.

They are more organic

Choosing the right seeds for your next crop is a vital step. The shopper is often faced with descriptors like Non-GMO, Organic, and Heirloom. These may seem like marketing jargon, but they are really important seed terms. These seed terms are a good indicator of the seed’s health and quality.

Regular seeds are more organic than feminized seeds. Feminized seeds only produce female plants, while regular seeds can produce both male and female plants. This is a problem for commercial growers, who need to ensure their crops are free from pollinated buds. However, experienced growers can overcome this problem by sexing their plants and separating them early into flowering.

Regular seeds also provide more genetic diversity than feminized seeds. They are ideal for gardeners who enjoy cross breeding and creating their own strains. For example, Super Sativa Seed Club grew their original strains before feminized seeds were introduced and their regular cannabis seeds are full of the finest original 1980’s specimens.

They are easier to breed

Regular seeds produce a natural proportion of male and female plants, which makes it easier to breed. This is a big advantage for growers who want to create their own strains and hybrids. The sexing process can take some time, but it’s worth it for the results. It’s also a good option for growers who want to try their hand at creating an autoflowering variety of their favorite strain.

When the pollen sacs on a male plant explode, they will fertilize female plants and produce seeds. This is a great way to make new cannabis cultivars and phenotypes. In addition, growing from regular seeds allows you to experience the full genetic lineage of a particular strain. This can help you gain a deeper understanding of the marijuana plant and how it works.