Does A Cut lose its mojo?

[InNvBoarder]

OK i'm in need of everyone's opinion. Ive been running a cut for the last several years. Its a kush cross we call decapatation. She is a amazing strain that produces great medicine. Size, taste,smell, resin production off the chart, all around a awesome strain. Heres my question, do you think a cut used over and over(2-3 years worth) can start to "break down" or stop putting out yield after time. Do the genetics degrade? Ive slowly noticed a little smaller tops and a little smaller yield over a long period of time. Ive tried all kinds of mixes with different nutes and mediums, temps and conditions. I feel like the "quality" hasn't missed a beat, but the size of my main colas is just not there anymore and im puzzled? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[greenmatter]

i have had genetics that stayed solid year after year and others that seemed to slide downhill no matter what i did. i have had this discussion with several different growers and never got an answer i would call definite.

i hope you can find the answer to this one. good luck!

 

[gloryoskie]

You said "I feel like the "quality" hasn't missed a beat". The cuttings don't get tired, but your yields will vary along with your methods.

There can be a simple item/enviorment change that goes unnoticed. Its easier to mistake those variables for faulty genetics or "weak", "diluted" cuttings.

There's a thread about this somewhere exploring the clone of a clone thing. Sam the Skunkman and others with more knowledge than me believe there is no degradation over time.

 

[Useful Idiot]

Ive tried all kinds of mixes with different nutes and mediums, temps and conditions.

I think this is the issue at hand. Go back to what proved to be workin in the beginning. I keep everything the same,and notice no degradation from cuts taken from cuts that have been taken from cuts from the original mom. I have however, a tad bit faster flower from the cuts.Good luck to ya .

 

[Z-ro]

This is something Ive been wanting to discuss for a while now, I was even gonna pm Chimera about it because I believe in his opinions when it comes to plants plus his experience with SPG and how it auto flowers when rootbound. Lately, all of my old clones(OGs especially) and with the exception of the UK Cheese(rock soild), are showing this sensitivity as soon as the roots hit the side of the pot, they show a couple strange autoflower/reveg nodes under 24/7 light and then contiune to grow normal until it happens again... Clones I have had for years and years and clones from seed plants I grew out years ago all doing this, and didnt in the past. I keep good healthy plants but I do take lots of clones from clones, moms older than 4 months are not common in my setup. I know some people that only take clones off mothers that are a minimum of that age. Also, I have gotten clones of the same strain from different people that performed a lot differently. So what the hell is up I never believed in genetic drift or whatever but my plants are showing me other wise. quality still there just seeming way more sensitive overall.

 

[SirSmokalot]

Well u know what I think.
Constant changes always mess with something. Diff times of year new bulb or not established or not. Maybe u took clones from a weak parent and passed on the slowness of the runt "mother"
I have same cut ran it even longer no tapering of results unless user error and u know I've had those. But when the pimp run happens I get all the size I'm used to. Maybe u need some fresh cuts of her

 

[Hydrosun]

Well u know what I think.
Constant changes always mess with something. Diff times of year new bulb or not established or not. Maybe u took clones from a weak parent and passed on the slowness of the runt "mother"
I have same cut ran it even longer no tapering of results unless user error and u know I've had those. But when the pimp run happens I get all the size I'm used to. Maybe u need some fresh cuts of her

This seems to be the truth. There are some science type threads that talk about environmental decay to the mom making weaker babies, but no genetic break down. If you get the cut / mom nursed back to health and have 100% environmental perfection, then you'll have the best results ever.

 

[funker]

All clones taken from an original mother will have identical DNA, so the variation is in your environment.

 

[stasis]

Some varieties get more sensitive to rootboundness.. Or seem to wear out as mothers while others keep going.. It is hard to know if genetics are very old or not, unless it is a new variety..

I can see the point made above about if a weak clone ends up being a ;mother' then there will or could also be problems. I have seen this happen..

Since Close-to-seed generations seem better in overall vigor...

It seems reasonable to me to consider that going with a strategic seed purchase yearly or bi-yearly to find new genetics is a good idea. One can then sometimes go back and buy again, if something great is lost..

A long process - 9 months usually start to finish, though, and some do not want to go through that, understandably. It takes space, and can be a pain to establish very tender seedlings..

 

[InNvBoarder]

Thanks for all the replys everyone! Im stoked to see that this is a topic of some interest. Id love to see more opinions coming in !

 

[Mia]

All clones taken from an original mother will have identical DNA, so the variation is in your environment.

True but there's things like genetic drift that I've often wondered how much of a role they may have, if any. An afternoon of ooogly googling might be fruitful.
The articles I've read or arguments in general usually seem to be short on science. It is usually anecdotal, like this thread. But at the same time, the fact that there are 100 year old plus zinfandel vines still pumping out wine...
I've been thinking about these things and of asking similar questions for awhile now.

Edit: After five minutes searching it seems genetic drift is confined to populations, meaning more than one individual, confusing. But there is still mutation I would think. Our genes are prone to it, why wouldn't a plant's be?

 

[wildgrow]

Been wondering about 'weak' clones myself. A grow buddy had pineapple chunk from seed, no training or topping. Only cut a few clones from bottom branches during veg. Beautiful plant yeilding a 1/4 lb indoors. The cuts suck! They have a sporadic veg growth and the buds are minimal. They seem to be very tempermental (these clones have been topped). They have had clones cut from them and I'm pretty sure none of the cloned clones rooted. He has very successful cloning rates otherwise. None of the other clones from clones of the other strains he is running have this issue. He has changed nothing and all clones from all strains are in the same cab. I am a gardener by trade and have seen this 'genetic degradation in a few of my perrenials (the baby doesn't live up to the mothers vigor). Of course plants are always better grown from seed, but we are of the opinion that either this strain doesn't like topping or has a genetic profile that isn't conducive to cloning.

 

[Rowdy420]

Does your genetic make-up change when your sick, don't think so. You get sick, it takes a while to get better, same with plants. Environment is the biggest factor with the change of the seasons. i've taken cuts from others that have said that it's losing its vigor and turned them around into lush green plants!

Good luck, Peace

 

[Mia]

Does your genetic make-up change when your sick, don't think so. You get sick, it takes a while to get better, same with plants. Environment is the biggest factor with the change of the seasons. i've taken cuts from others that have said that it's losing its vigor and turned them around into lush green plants!

Good luck, Peace

With all due respect, that's a rather worthless post.
People aren't plants.

 

[Anti]

For what its worth I've been cloning the same plant over and over for the last 3 years. All my moms are clones of clones of the original plant that was harvested and reverted to veg before taking cuts.
g.

 

[dreadkush]

Never had issues, been running iss off cuts for five years now