Hi everyone,
What do you think about the long term consequences of feminized breeding in the cannabis plant?
It’s consequences on the species and possible reduction of biodiversity in gene pools. Banana is prime example of feminization of a crop; it is endangered many times due to diseases and pest. All responses are welcome.
So cannabis is very interesting, and the reason I’m going to pick now out of the multitude, is because it’s more like a vertebrate in some ways than a plant.
I could go on and on (and on), but what I’m talking about now is that it is not only dioecious, but also has sex chromosomes, and not only that, but it’s genes for male/female pheno are on the sex chromosomes, AND the heterozygous one is male. This may sound normal to a mammal like you, but it’s exceptional in a plant.
At this point, I don’t see a real problem with feminized seeds. Such intense line breeding has occurred with the plants we grow that they are not wild at all anymore, and the genes we want had been mostly fixed.
Now, that being said, I think the male is the most important choice in breeding. Gynaecious males - those that show female genes or have an extra X chromosome, are really cool, unlike intersex females. Furthermore the male plants that show any desirable recessive are often very good to gather pollen from.
I think that rather than feminized seeds doing some damage to the genome, it’s really just that it’s a sadder way to breed.
Selfing an F1 female makes pretty good seeds. They are random af, but if the grandparents were well chosen generally they are always sick.
However, that being said, it’s more a cheap way to make seeds, often by someone who has no idea how to pick a stallion.
You can reverse and self males if they are important to your process
Yes, but that doesn’t give them a y-chromosome…
My ideal sire would be a male plant that was covered in resin, had optimal form, and shot out a pistil on occasion. Any male plant that can show such traits for female flowers is the shit.
I am not opposed to inbreeding/selfing/reversing cannabis at all. If you are really good with female plants and hate male plants there isn’t a wrong choice to avoid them, however I feel that being able to select a male is quite an advantage.
Ok, so, while this isn’t proven, the males that are really male suck. They will declare their gender early and dump a ton of pollen, changing the group over generations back to hemp. The more recessive males will display their sex later, and push the next generation towords dank. This delay in showing gender is another female trait I enjoy finding in a male plant.
So, back in the days ago, when we found cannabis is was likely hemp. The best hemp plants are males that have barely begun to flower. These make shorter fibers and a finer cloth.
So imagine … cannabis is just a hemp plant… you pick all the early-declared males and make hemp. The next generation is seeded by males that declared their gender late and the group is pushed towards dank. As this cycle continues, eventually you have higher thc, just by selecting the later declared males by harvesting the easiest to identify males for their finer fiber.
At this point, our plants are so good, we have such a cherry-picked genome we work with, these issues are not pressing.
Also, with the right selection of the right male you can get a higher ration of females than 50%
Interesting@lewis_bronsted. My findings in breeding where a bit different. We found males under extreme stress early on took on female characteristics that could be transferred to prodigy if the same sire. This included trichrome production at a very young age.
Recent studies of the plant called “ The future” shows that there is some sort of linkage between terpes and high thc. The higher the thc the less terpes profile. The genes that create linkage in cannabis is unknown to me but This seems like a clear indication that linkage in genes of this plant might lead to better breeding programs.
Breed out feminized genes, deterioration, monodicous genes (hermes) and auto flowers through selecting and crossing the true breeding males and females . Recently in an island isolation there was a die out of many imported species. That were not stabilized, either through natural population or bk crossing . They reverted back to a hemp like plant but the stabilized ones remain by three farmers. This is one of The dangers of isolate breeding in populations causing symptoms like founder disease and reduce vigor.
After talking with one of founders of The European genetics. We are in agreement of The belief That introduction of feminized seeds has weakened The industry and Maybe set Back breeding. Breeding with males help create diversity and keeps vigor. The process of female seeds sometimes trigger The herm gene in plants.
Due to expression of plant genes :-
P = G + E
or
phenotype = genetics + environment
Simple triggers like Nutrition , light or water triggers This gene sometimes. Feminization with chemicals can be viewed a bit like chemo weakening The organism.
Some wild population of genetics like The ones. That were collected in Gambia tend to lean to monodioces plants or hermes. The general population uses iT to ensure future generations as other plants was harvested.
There is no doubt for commercial purposes feminized seeds have a place as well as various techniques like make to female (reversing, selfing) etc. This is ideal for production but even with mother plants; these femenize plants don’t stay well over long periods and with regulars most of these problems don’t occur as frequent.
Bananas is considered by most The first sucessful feminized
crop. The problem with banana varities is lack of diversity That Has lead to plants riddled with disease and sickness. Lets hope cannabis varities dont suffer This same fate.
Despite iT all. Femenizing can be good for productivity if the crop is Just needed for one season or to perserve a rare strain.
IT is a tool in The breeders Arsenal. Just like every tool; application is critical to sucess