Regular seeds are the best option for growers who want to breed their own strains. They offer excellent performance and are ideal for mother plants due to their hearty nature.
They also allow growers to access genetics that never made it into the feminized market. This article explains the main reasons why we at Sensi Seeds still produce and sell regular seeds.
Genetic Stability
Regular seeds offer genetic stability, preserving the traits of parent plants in offspring. This is particularly important for breeders who want to develop new strains and maintain consistency with existing varieties. Regular seed also offers the potential for phenotype variation, allowing breeders to create unique and diverse cannabis strains.
Seed longevity is a complex trait, strongly influenced by environmental conditions during seed formation and storage. It involves a number of different mechanisms, including the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, and nonenzymatic reactions that compromise molecular stability [1].
The genetic and phenotypic stability of events introduced into a plant genome by gene engineering approaches forms a major part of the risk assessment required for regulatory approvals enabling commercial product release. These evaluations usually require sequencing and Southern blot data at the DNA, mRNA, or protein level. In addition, some regulatory authorities demand a detailed examination of segregation patterns. These additional assessments can add cost and time to the overall risk assessment process.
Genetic Diversity
Regular seeds produce both male and female plants, meaning they require careful monitoring to identify hermaphroditic plants and remove them before they pollinate the rest of the crop. This is more time consuming than growing feminized seeds, but it can still be done successfully with patience and knowledge. Regular seeds are also more affordable than feminized seeds, making them a popular choice for many growers.
Genetic diversity is important for a plant species because it reduces the recurrence of undesirable inherited traits. In addition, a variety of alleles can improve a plant’s ability to survive specific environmental stresses.
The number of clones in parental generations seems to affect levels of genetic diversity in the offspring generation. For example, the effective allele number decreases from parent to offspring generation for seed orchards GREEN1 and GREEN2 but rises for SO GREY (Table 4). However, these results might be biased by sample size differences between the two generations.
Cost
For the gardener who likes to make their own seeds regular seed is a vital ingredient. Male plants are separated and pollinated with female plants to produce new seeds for cultivation. This process is also often employed by outdoor growers who wish to re-establish small pockets of wild cannabis growing in forest or mountain areas.
Regular seed is also prized by some growers as a mother plant for cloning. A cut taken from a mother plant can be used to grow a plant that is genetically identical to the parent, ensuring consistency of flavour and aroma over time.
The choice between regular, feminized, and autoflower seeds will ultimately come down to the individual grower’s preferences, genetic stability, and phenotype exploration. For growers with a limited plant count or legal limits, feminized seeds may be preferable as they reduce the risk of wasting space and resources by sexing out males. For growers who prioritize breeding, genetic stability, and guaranteed rigorous growth, however, regular seeds should be the preferred option.
Pollination
Pollination is a key ecological process that requires the mutualistic interaction of plants and animals. It is the basis of seed production and the development of new plants. It is also a key component of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
Growers with regular seeds must sex their crops to ensure that male plants are removed before they pollinate females. This is a time-consuming task that requires careful observation. Ideally, sexing begins when the plant shows its sex characteristics in the pre-flowering stage.
The majority of cannabis growers now use feminized seed because it offers a greater level of security. However, those that prefer to work with regular seed still have options. The best way to tell if you’re buying a batch of regular or feminized seeds is to look at the numbering system on the packet. It should have two letters stamped on each side and a three-digit number. If the numbers are 11 or 22, you’re buying a pack of regular seeds.
