Regular seed is a critical part of the marijuana breeding process. Without it, you won’t be able to create strains with specific potency, taste, or appearance.
Breeders use regular seeds to make clones that are genetic copies of specific plants. The clones are often stronger and more resistant to stress, resulting in explosive growth and better yields.
Breeding
Seeds are bred to create cultivars that possess particular traits. For example, seeds can be bred to produce a plant with a larger flower, higher yield, stronger roots, more resistant to disease, or a more fragrant aroma.
A breeding program can also be designed to improve the germination rate of seeds. Generally, a seed germination rate of around 65 percent will give you satisfactory, vigorous, sturdy seedlings.
This process is called stratification: the seeds in temperate and tropical plants are placed in damp cold conditions for a short period of time during a growing season to help them germinate more easily. Some seeds require this treatment, but it is not necessary for most plants.
Many gardeners save seeds from their own gardens, but if they are not the result of random pollination they may not produce plants that are similar to the original parent. This is especially true of hybrids.
Cloning
Cloning is the process of making genetically identical copies of any biological entity including genes, cells, tissues and even entire organisms. It may make it possible to save endangered species from becoming extinct and to help scientists find better ways to study human diseases.
Clones are created by transferring the DNA from one organism (an egg) into another organism (a sperm). This process remixes the genetic code and makes an embryo that can grow into a new organism if it implants in the right uterus.
The first animal to be cloned was Dolly, a sheep born in 1996 in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the Roslin Institute under the guidance of Ian Wilmut. The cloning process is incredibly finicky, and there were 277 attempts before Dolly was successfully cloned!
To clone, select healthy, pest/disease free mother plants that are fully into vegetative growth. These moms should be 3-4 weeks old at the time of cloning. It is also a good idea to foliar feed the mothers with growth hormones, growth plus, before cloning them to encourage lush shoot growth and healthier clones.
Propagation
Regular seed can be used in a variety of ways to produce new plants. The success of any propagation method depends on the quality of the seed, its germination rate, and the conditions in which it is planted.
Some seeds require special treatments before they are planted to break dormancy. These include the addition of hormones or other chemicals to overcome inhibitors that might prevent germination or development of roots.
In addition, some types of seed have high oxygen requirements and may need to be sown in a moistened medium. These conditions are best met in a propagating house with proper humidity and temperature control.
The most inexpensive and satisfactory method of propagation is by growing from seed. For some species, this is the only way to achieve the desired traits.
Price
The price of regular seed depends on a variety of factors. One of the most important is quality. Reputable breeders or seed banks put a lot of time and money into breeding plants that deliver high yields, taste, and potency.
In addition, there are other seeds that you can buy at a lower cost. These include vegetable seeds and fruit tree seeds.
For example, pumpkin seeds can cost as little as $3 per 1/4 pound. These seeds are packed in small paper packets with detailed instructions on how to grow them.
If you are looking to save money on your seed purchases, look for deals online and in local nurseries and churches. You can also sign up for seed catalogs that offer special coupons and deals. These savings can add up over time and will help you build your collection of vegetable seeds without breaking the bank.
