African genetics in legendary strains :why not?

[Only Ornamental]

I may be terribly wrong and this subject could be a too... but I have the impression that african genetics are rarely present in legendary strains (e.g. Skunk, Haze, WW, NL etc.). There's are the (Pure) Power Plant and some Durban varieties but apart from that not much... Why so?

Did the breeders simply not mentione that they used them in their crosses or is there an other reason, like bad performance as hybrids (but for instance TTSC and Mandala prove otherwise) or mainstream-unsuited taste (liquorice, carrot, or an oily aftertaste)?
I know, there are quite a few landraces commercially available and, according to my notes, the african sativas are even the biggest fraction. So african genetics aren't bad I think... Any ideas why they are underrepresented in the 'holy grail' strain gallery?

 

[aridbud]

I may be terribly wrong and this subject could be a too... but I have the impression that african genetics are rarely present in legendary strains (e.g. Skunk, Haze, WW, NL etc.). There's are the (Pure) Power Plant and some Durban varieties but apart from that not much... Why so?

Did the breeders simply not mentione that they used them in their crosses or is there an other reason, like bad performance as hybrids (but for instance TTSC and Mandala prove otherwise) or mainstream-unsuited taste (liquorice, carrot, or an oily aftertaste)?
I know, there are quite a few landraces commercially available and, according to my notes, the african sativas are even the biggest fraction. So african genetics aren't bad I think... Any ideas why they are underrepresented in the 'holy grail' strain gallery?

Difficult to say. Politics? General opposition to growing?
Hoping someone in Afrikka can answer that for you.

I've only grown various Durban and Malawi strains.....and like them. Awesome sativas!

 

[MJPassion]

The Malawi I grew ws very nice on the ol knoggin.
I agree they are very under repped. I've only seen a few, mostly newer, breeders using them. Swazi, Malawi, Durban... not to many others get around...

 

[meadowman]

i'm cracking some malonica from crazy x seeds, malawi x chronic.

 

[russjcan]

I grew some malawi and nobody wanted it. Didn't make tight buds and it has to stay in the ground til thanksgiving. Two more months of security and stress isn't worth it.

 

[relic1981]

I grew some malawi and nobody wanted it. Didn't make tight buds and it has to stay in the ground til thanksgiving. Two more months of security and stress isn't worth it.

arent most african carieties sativas being as a large part of the continent is near the equator i would think a lot of the african landrace varieties would take a very long time to flowerbuds that arent tightly formed, as stated above. now there has to be execptions to this rule and i would think we would have better luck growing southern african (not just the country south africa) strains like PPP and durban.. i bet there are some good strains coming out of north east africa (towards the middle east). ive heard egypt is very strict on cannabis but at one time i can see some great landraces being from there. aliens didnt come up with the pyramids... it was baked humans staring up at the stars.

cannabis has been with us for thousands of years... i wonder if our ancestors who moved out of africa brought their cannabis seeds with them. i bet ya they did,

i cant remember what thread it was in but someone posted charts that mapped out cannabis genetics and i believe it said alot of the old world landraces had african decent. (can someone post a link or correct me if im wrong here? thanks)

 

[Luther Burbank]

Current theory among botanists is that much like other plants cannabis' habits in Africa can be separated into N. Africa and subsaharan Africa. North African varieties were narrow leaf drug varieties which mingled most likely with European narrow leaf hemp varieties. Cultivars such as Malawi gold - weed found along the east coast and central Africa was most likely narrow leaf drug varieties from India introduced by traders. This makes possible introduction into Africa possible over a great course of time. All evidence suggests cannabis did not arrive in west Africa until after WWII due to a combination of physical and social barriers.

Durban Poison is the true old world anomaly. It's a narrow leaf drug variety which evolved for the temperate and long day climate of Southern Africa.

 

[Jhhnn]

I may be terribly wrong and this subject could be a too... but I have the impression that african genetics are rarely present in legendary strains (e.g. Skunk, Haze, WW, NL etc.). There's are the (Pure) Power Plant and some Durban varieties but apart from that not much... Why so?

Did the breeders simply not mentione that they used them in their crosses or is there an other reason, like bad performance as hybrids (but for instance TTSC and Mandala prove otherwise) or mainstream-unsuited taste (liquorice, carrot, or an oily aftertaste)?
I know, there are quite a few landraces commercially available and, according to my notes, the african sativas are even the biggest fraction. So african genetics aren't bad I think... Any ideas why they are underrepresented in the 'holy grail' strain gallery?

I think it's just the result of how & where cannabis culture emerged in Europe & America. A great deal of it was just circumstance. In the late 60's & early 70's, young Americans & Europeans hit the hippy trail to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, & Nepal seeking enlightenment, bringing home seeds. Africa wasn't even on the radar. Americans serving in Korea, Thailand & Vietnam brought home seeds, added those to what came from Jamaica, Mexico & Colombia. In the US, it all started coming together in Hawaii, California & points north all along the west coast. In Europe, it was in Holland. When the Skunkman & others put those 2 groups together, that's when many of what we see as classics were born.

I'm sure they realized that there were other varieties in other parts of the world, they just didn't have 'em yet. As this has unfolded, Dutch & Spanish growers have gone to great lengths to acquire African genetics & others as well. 30 years from now, they'll be old school, too.

 

[DETStrainKey]

Moors had the on the Silk Road for trade..... Mansa musa the richest king in the world at the time was said to have one of the best gardens with granite in lay for water conductors for real lighting so workers could see at night...... Africa was the first region to cultivate cannibus and many other goods....

“A king with weed is a king indeed!”
~ Ancient Moroccan law on marijuana
Morocco ranks among the world’s largest producers and exporters of cannabis, and its cultivation and sale provide the economic base for much of the population of northern Morocco. The cannabis is typically processed into hashish. An ancient law gives the king permission to grow marijuana in a specific region of Morocco.

If you want to take it back it was a documented find when king Tut was uncovered cannabis and cocaine where uncovered.

I have a lot of books passed down to me I can blow off the dust..... chime in traveling men

 

[DETStrainKey]

Lol Africa was once called kush a long time ago..... Alchemy runs deep in Africa's blood.

 

[Only Ornamental]

i cant remember what thread it was in but someone posted charts that mapped out cannabis genetics and i believe it said alot of the old world landraces had african decent. (can someone post a link or correct me if im wrong here? thanks)

I know which one you mean. I think it was Thule who posted the maps (was it in THIS thread?).

 

[Only Ornamental]

I think it's just the result of how & where cannabis culture emerged in Europe & America. A great deal of it was just circumstance. In the late 60's & early 70's, young Americans & Europeans hit the hippy trail to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, & Nepal seeking enlightenment, bringing home seeds. Africa wasn't even on the radar. Americans serving in Korea, Thailand & Vietnam brought home seeds, added those to what came from Jamaica, Mexico & Colombia. In the US, it all started coming together in Hawaii, California & points north all along the west coast. In Europe, it was in Holland. When the Skunkman & others put those 2 groups together, that's when many of what we see as classics were born.

Now that sounds like a reasonable explanation to me! Thanks!
It has something to it that prejudice dictates us to think about cannabis when we hear 'Mexico, Afghanistan, India, Thailand etc...' but when we hear 'Africa' we think about safari, civil war, poverty and famine. Like all those things wouldn't exist in the other countries too.

Although, DETStrainKey already made a remark on that subject, we should have a lot more Moroccan genetics in the 'topnotch Dutch hybrids'... or exactly these varieties don't (didn't) work well or were already diluted with Afghani varieties by that time?

 

[Thule]

I know which one you mean. I think it was Thule who posted the maps (was it in THIS thread?).

I have to say I have no idea about this I' m all for the out of Asia theory.

 

[Only Ornamental]

I have to say I have no idea about this I' m all for the out of Asia theory.

I know, but it was you who posted the nice maps, wasn't it?

 

[Jhhnn]

Now that sounds like a reasonable explanation to me! Thanks!
It has something to it that prejudice dictates us to think about cannabis when we hear 'Mexico, Afghanistan, India, Thailand etc...' but when we hear 'Africa' we think about safari, civil war, poverty and famine. Like all those things wouldn't exist in the other countries too.

Although, DETStrainKey already made a remark on that subject, we should have a lot more Moroccan genetics in the 'topnotch Dutch hybrids'... or exactly these varieties don't (didn't) work well or were already diluted with Afghani varieties by that time?

I get the impression that Moroccan genetics are difficult to work with indoors and also difficult in the cold wet Dutch climate outdoors. There are several hybrids using them, however. It's apparently semi-autoflowering & highly adapted to intense sun, warmth & poor soil.

Breeders will tend to work with strains that do well under conditions provided. In that, Afghan & Pakistani varieties have proven to be tough & adaptable with a lot of desirable traits like compact size & potency. They're not picky.

I also think that what we get from breeders are their successes rather than crosses that didn't work well. There may well have been a lot of work with Moroccan that we just don't hear about because it didn't turn out all that well. Some did, obviously, and exist as several modern varieties like Sandstorm, Maroc & their further hybridized descendants.

 

[Kant C Shyt]

Hey Only Ornamental, not sure about "holy grail" strain gallery but Blockhead and GSC are pretty well known and have African genetics . Those are just 2 off the top of my head but i'm sure there are plenty of more. GL in your search and take care 1

 

[purple_man]

good question!

could be it's hard to get access to the breeding stock, as well as the hippies hasj trail of yesteryear never bothered to venture into "black africa"???

blessss

 

[Only Ornamental]

Blockhead and GSC

I'll sound now like a smart-arse:
Block Head by Spice of Life? Not according to my notes...
In my opinion, it's the OG Kush in the GSC and I already mentioned the Durban .

Some did, obviously, and exist as several modern varieties like Sandstorm, Maroc & their further hybridized descendants.

Cannabiogen and ACE, though I admire their work, are too modern for me to be called breeders of legendary strains (maybe our kids will think different so) .

 

[Kant C Shyt]

Might want to go check your notes again on that Blockhead, general consensus (common knowledge) is an unknown African sativa the P19. I was just trying to point out 2 famous strains with African genes but oh well. I actually have projects (started) and future projects that include landrances from Africa. Maybe 1 day you'll find what your looking for, take care 1

 

[Only Ornamental]

Right now, I'm not looking for anything . I was just wondering why.
Regarding the 'common knowledge': Where could I pimp that up? Got any links? Thanks!