With the emergence of autoflowering and feminized seeds, some growers might assume that regular seeds are less exciting than their counterparts. While this may be true for some, regular seeds contain a wealth of possibilities that can be utilised to create new cultivars and improve your own seed bank.
Unlike feminized seeds, which produce only female plants, regular seeds can have a 50% chance of emerging as either male or female. This is a huge advantage for breeders who can use this sexing chance to improve their own strains and their clones.
Breeding
Regular seeds are a great choice for growers who want to clone their cannabis plants. They are more stable and possess stronger genetics than feminized seeds. They also have a lower likelihood of becoming hermaphrodites.
Breeding cannabis seeds is an old-school process that has been taking place for centuries. It is a good way to achieve desired results such as yield, potency, aroma, and color.
When selecting parents, breeders focus on their plant’s characteristics such as potency, resistance to pests, flavor, smell, and more. They also consider how they will perform in different environments.
They often have several growers test out their strains and crosses to gain valuable information about the phenotypes that appear. This helps them keep track of their breeding program and make informed decisions about future crosses.
Cloning
Cloning is a natural and artificial process that allows genetically identical offspring to be produced. Cloning is also a technique used by many species of plants, fungi, and bacteria to reproduce.
The cloning process is similar to germinating seeds, except that you’re working with a whole new plant instead of a single seed. It’s a little bit more complicated than simply sprouting a seed, but it can be rewarding if you’re able to successfully root out a clone.
Choosing healthy clones to work with is the first step in achieving success. Pay close attention to their stems: thin or narrow cuttings typically mean they came from weaker branches.
Cleanliness is crucial in the cloning process, as both the mother plant and the cuttings are at risk of contracting infections from bacteria in their environment. Hence, make sure to wash your hands and sterilise all of your tools.
Pollination
Pollination occurs when a male part of a flower (anther) rubs or drops on the surface of a female part of a plant (stigma). This transfer of pollen causes fertilization and produces seeds.
Most plants are unable to pollinate themselves and rely on bees, other insects and bats to transfer the pollen for them. Often the flowers are bright and colourful to attract these animals and they collect pollen as well as nectar from the flower for food.
Pollination is important because it allows plants to reproduce and produce new seeds that grow into new plants. Without pollination, there would be fewer plants to use for food and other things.
Harvesting
Harvesting is the process of cutting or gathering crops, usually for eating or selling. This can be done by hand, with hand tools or with machinery.
In modern agriculture, the harvesting of grains and pulses is mechanized and involves four stages: reaping, threshing, cleaning and hauling. It is usually done within 10 or 15 days after the grain reaches physiological maturity, depending on the type of crop and the region.
Traditionally, harvesting was done by hand using sickle, scythe or reaper, but today with the help of machines farmers can easily cut large fields in a short time. Some of these machines include combine harvester and mowers.
The most reliable way to determine when a seed is ready to harvest is to check its trichome color. Ripe seeds should be a dark brown and should display stripes.
