While feminized seeds make cultivation easier by eliminating the need to identify and remove male plants, regular seed offers growers a number of advantages.
Firstly, the ratio of male to female plants in a batch of seeds is naturally balanced out. This is a major plus for breeders, who prefer to work with genuine phenotypes.
Genetic Diversity
Genetic diversity is important for plant species, as it allows them to adapt to changing climatic conditions and environmental stresses. However, ensuring genetic diversity in plant materials can be difficult. A lack of genetic diversity can lead to poor performance or even death in the field, and it can make plants susceptible to pathogens and herbivores.
Genetic diversity is the ability of a plant to produce both male and female seeds, which are necessary for breeding and creating new strains. Many growers choose to use regular seed, which produces both male and female plants, rather than feminized seed, which only produces female plants. The ability to breed with regular seed also makes it more cost-effective than feminized seed. In addition, some growers believe that regular seed has a greater potential for potency than feminized seed. This is due to the larger genetic pool and the ability to cross-breed.
Breeding
In addition to allowing growers to select and keep their favorite strains, regular seeds can also be crossed with feminized seeds. This can increase yields and create hybrids with a wide range of desirable traits, including resistance to pests, disease, and environmental conditions.
Because regular seeds can produce male and female plants, they are a better choice for growers who want to use them for breeding purposes. Feminized seeds, on the other hand, are designed to produce only female plants. This makes them ideal for commercial growers who need a certain ratio of female to male plants in their crop.
Feminized seed is also easier to manage, as there are no male plants to remove from the crop. This can save time and effort, as well as improve the quality of the finished buds. With a predominately female crop, growers can focus on the characteristics they want to emphasize, such as growth structure, leaf pattern, flowering time, aroma, effect, and resistance to pests and diseases.
Cloning
Clones offer a chance for the grower to make use of the advantages of genetic selection while also providing consistency. They are often healthier than plants grown from seed and may exhibit a higher yield.
When choosing a clone, the grower should look for an plant that has good disease resistance and vibrant foliage. It should also be at least two months into its vegetative cycle.
During the rooting process, it’s essential to keep the cuttings well-hydrated. A light misting of water on the bottom of the clipping can help speed up the process. Using a rooting gel or hormone can also aid the cloning process, though some growers opt to skip this step.
Once the clones have roots, they can be transplanted into their permanent homes. The most important thing to remember is that clones are very fragile and need to be handled with care. Clones that are exposed to bacteria or other contaminants during this process can die before they develop roots.
Organic
Organic growing/farming means that the seed is grown using sustainable methods from start to finish, excluding pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Seed that has been treated with chemicals is considered non-organic because the chemicals are carried down into the soil and into groundwater, contaminating the environment for the next crop.
Home gardeners can also purchase untreated, regular seeds that are organically grown by companies such as Burpee or Stokes Seeds. They can also collect their own seed, either from their harvested plants or from seeds they buy from local growers.
Many growers use both feminized and regular seeds to produce different strains of cannabis. They are able to select the best male and female specimens and cross them to create offspring with specific traits, such as extreme potency, a particular flavour profile or beautiful colours. The genetic diversity and stability that regular seed offers makes it a popular choice for many cultivators. It is also cheaper than feminized seed.
