Seedlings and early veg selection

[coxswain]

I was wondering if there are any indicators in seedling stage or early veg stage that would indicate a potentially strong potent plant when it finishes. I would use this for a quasi micro breeding projects. Mainly concentrating on good strong males. One could plant 200-300 seeds in 1m^2 and choose 5-10% of "the best" ones. So I'm asking you gurus if this kind of selection is viable at all.

Cheers!

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

Once I made a little device to chop an exactly sized piece out of a leaf. I'd put that piece under a microscope and count the number of trichomes. I grew out a few huge seedbatches and selected small seedlings with more trichomes per chopped piece. The idea was same as you mention, to select at a very small size. People can use genetic marker techniques in breeding now, too.

 

[love?]

Mr. Greengenes: What were your results? Would you say estimating seedling trichome density is useful in trying to figure out potency of mature plants?

 

[Momerath]

I too am interested in your results

 

[exploziv]

me 2!

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

Ok, This was years ago, so I'm going on memory. Also, it couldn't be called a real test because I didn't run a control group. I made the little chopper with a block of wood. I snapped a razor blade into four pieces and glued one to each side of the woodblock so that the corners touched. I tried to chop the pieces out of the same area of leaf on each seedling, and numbered each sample. I remember that (under a microscope) the trichomes looked different on different plants, some had more low laying ones, others with more tall ones. Real problem was, the seedbatches I tried it on were ones with a majority of plants with many trichomes, not a minority. So, I didn't really get to use the block to eliminate a majority of rogue types as I thought I would, but rather ended up only chucking about 25%. I would like to try it again on a much larger seedbatch with a small percentage of plants with lots of trichomes. Of course, it's good to remember that visible trichome numbers is only indirectly related to potency and that other things count too.

 

[Bass Akwards]

Attempting selection "as early as possible" from several hundred seeds?

There are at least two ways to go: timing and fitness.

In a timing test, use several layers of coffee filters dampened, but not soaking wet.

Place them in a mid-sized plate, with seeds spread around on top without touching each other. Put another layer of filters over them, and another plate inverted over the top.

Keep it at room temperature for a few days and check 2X a day for sprouts.

The first ten out of 200 seeds that sprout a root tip are then selected, segregated, and compared to their siblings.

The second method is the same as the first, but instead of watching for the first, most vigorous, sprouts, you allow most of the seeds to get a root ... 1/4 in. or so ... and then dose the paper filters with 1/2 strength chemical ferts. The overdose should kill most of the sprouts, but those that live through it are "survivors", with hard-core genes.

The same can be done by dosing the water used to inflate peat-pucks. Do a "control" batch with straight water in the "Jiffy's". When 90%+ die, the rest have proven their fitness.

There are certainly other methods ( smell is easy to track ) but stress testing small sure saves space.

 

[Biatchzxz]

Yeah I was kinda thinking the same early abusive
to see if they have strong enough genes to handle it. Sometimes vigourous sprouts could end up being not as good as others. But def in as quick as possible is many ways to test

 

[ibjamming]

I don't know... MY experience has shown that the shittiest looking seedlings are often the females...the healthiest...males. Small and shitty...equals almost all the girls...strong and stocky...the boys.

Don't be so quick to cull...

 

[DaShadow]

Hey ibjamming;

I think coxswain was looking for a way to reduce the total # of seedlings quickly, not pick/keep all the females. He wants the males too, but just the best of what the seed lot offers.

Hey Greenies;

Studies have shown that cannabis sex can be altered thru a vast number of ways. Up to the 4th set of leaves (seed plant) scientiests have found that the (inserted) Male marker fails to show, leading to the theory that the plants have not decided what they will be (male or female) untill the 4th set of leaves. Stressing the plants before they reach the 4th set of leaves will have an increese in males, imo the females that are left would be better breeding candidates.

Da'Shadow