Regular seeds produce both male and female plants at a 50-50 rate, just like nature intended. This makes them a popular choice for growers interested in breeding new strains.
Breeding enables you to highlight certain traits from your favourite specimen. This can include morphology, flavour profiles and colours. You can also use cloning to preserve your favourite specimens.
Genetic Stability
Genetic stability is the ability of a cell substrate to retain a stable population of cells through the entire manufacturing process. Stable cell populations typically have lower variability and higher predictability when compared to unstable cell populations.
A key to maintaining genetic stability is the presence of efficient genome maintenance mechanisms. In plants, evolutionarily conserved MMR protein systems correct DNA replication errors, avert consequences of endogenous oxidative damage and promote meiosis (Leonard et al. 2003).
MMR deficient mutant Arabidopsis thaliana lines exhibit profusion of mutations within the gene of interest. The MMR defect seems to impair the plant’s capacity to maintain genome integrity and to respond to environmental mutagens. These MMR defects may be responsible for the high phenotype variation observed in these mutants. When selecting a viral seed, it is important to consider the genetic stability of the seed through the MCB, cellular passage and production stages. Viral seeds should be extensively characterized to assess growth characteristics on the CHO cell substrate, tissue tropism and genetic markers as well as viability through storage and attenuation, if applicable.
Flowering Time
A lot of old school cultivars that existed before the rise of feminized seeds are preserved in regular seed form, this means you can get your hands on some of the best terpenes and highs out there without having to create them from scratch. In order to produce a new strain with regular seed you’ll have to use male pollen and female buds, just like you would with any photoperiod plant.
During the flowering stage you’ll be able to recognize the difference between male and female plants, as males will develop long white pistils at their nodes (bud sites) while females will have large round trichomes. The flowering period usually takes between 6 and 12 weeks, depending on your chosen cultivar. During the flowering period growers shorten their growing light cycle (18/6h) to 12/12h and then they let the plants go into their bud-producing sleep. This allows the plants to concentrate their energies on producing the biggest yield possible.
Yield
The yield is the amount of a crop, such as cannabis or wool, that is produced per unit area of land. Regular seed is more resilient than feminized, so it can better cope with stress throughout the cultivation process, and there’s less chance of the seeds developing into hermaphrodite plants (producing male and female flowers) which can limit the harvest.
High-yielding regular strains like our Tropic Thunder have fruity notes and mellow, tropical vibes that will transport you to paradise. This sativa hybrid will leave you feeling relaxed and ready for a day on the beach or chilling in your living room with an epic film.
Growing regular weed can be more difficult, but it’s also rewarding for experienced growers. By removing male plants before they pollinate the females during flowering, you can achieve a higher overall yield. This can be done by simply observing the plants and eliminating the males early on or by using a seed treatment that eliminates hermaphrodite plants during the early stages of the flowering process.
Pollination
While wind is the primary pollinator of grasses, most conifers and cycads, and some flowering plants, bees are crucial for producing most fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fiber (such as cotton). These species are responsible for transferring pollen from the male parts of flowers to female parts, which results in fertilization of ovule-bearing organs and production of seed.
Once a pollen grain lands on a flower’s stigma, it grows a tiny tube all the way down the style to an ovule in the base of the flower (the ‘carpel’). There, it meets a female gamete and their chromosomes fuse to form a fertilised ovule.
The ovule develops into a seed, which in turn grows into a new plant. The seed then forms a fruit to protect the developing embryo, and the ovary grows into an elongated structure called an ovoid. Many flowers, such as avocados, only have one ovule in their ovary, and therefore produce only one seed. Other flowers, like kiwifruit, have multiple ovules in their ovary and produce many seeds per fruit.
