TARDIS - Question About Sativa & Indica Genetics

Firstly, I don't know very much about hybridization nor genetics; only the basics. I was really confused this morning when I was reading about a new strain called "Tardis" which Leafly is classifying as a pure sativa. However, the strain info says "sativa dominant". Seems Leafly isn't exactly the best but anyways...

TARDIS = Trainwreck (hybrid) X Oregon Diesel (Indica)


My question to any experts out there: How can you end up with a sativa-dominant plant when its lineage contains so much Indica? Is it just a case of recessive genes which "randomly" rear their head now & then when cross-breeding--just like you'd learn about in high-school biology?

Anyway I apologize if this sounds like a super-noob question, but me being an intellectual type of guy, it's been driving me crazy how a strain could be called a Sativa and have so much Indica in its lineage. Thanks!

i'm not quite in the expert category for cannabis genetics
however, calling this cross a pure sativa looks to be quite a stretch
based on the parents, that designation makes no sense

If you want the technicals...

The term SATIVA is a latin term that, simply,means cultivated. Look it up.

Indica is also latin terminology and indicates what region a particular cultuvar came from. Indica, specifically pointing at INDIA.
As well;
Afghani = Afghanistan origin
Chinesis = Chinese origin
Kush = originally originated from the Hindu Kush range which runs through all the above areas. The name today means almost nothing in relation to an area of origin because people ignorantly use terminology that they don't understand.

The proper terminology to what you are referring is;
(W)BLD = (WIDE) BROAD LEAF DRUG TYPE
NLD = NARROW LEAF DRUG TYPE
(W)BLH = (WIDE) BROAD LEAF HEMP
NLH = NARROW LEAF HEMP

I hope this adequately answers your question. If not, I suggest finding a copy of Robert Connel Clarks Marijuana Botany.

Leafly is often a good resource but gets sloppy at times.




"How can you end up with a sativa-dominant plant when its lineage contains so much Indica?"


I call it dominant/recessive genetics expressed as phenotypes with subsequent in line breeding but there are entire threads with excellent debate on just that question.


now, what do the terms sativa, indica mean?




MJpassion, ^ nice.


nld aka "sativa" buds have a different bud formation than wld aka "indica" bud formation. what we call sativas usually have a "sativa" look to the bud and the leaf during late veg. and flowering is almost always narrower than wld or "indica". if a keeper pheno has narrow leaf during late veg. and flower and produces typical nld aka "sativa" bud formation then it usually gets treated as "sativa" or if it is an nld/wld hybrid it gets called "sativa dominate".


the term sativa is still employed and it gets even more confusing. many so called landrace sativas have broad leaf leaves at least in vegetation stage; some landrace Malawi strains, some Cambodian, Laos, Colombian, Mexican, etc. some of these so called landrace sativas might be adulterated with adam genetics but just because a landrace nld/sativa has broader leaves in early vegetation does not mean it is contaminated with amsterdam genetics pollen.

also, many ppl think that landrace nld aka sativas have upper clear, energetic high effects but sometimes taken to "amber" these same strains have very debilitating high effects. Some Malawi (wld in veg.) have extreme narcotic effects. some nld (sativas) have deep, narcotic yet still somewhat energetic at the same time high effects like the png/cts phenos from southers star seeds nanan bouclou.


very little black and white, many shades of grey without adequate descriptors and compliance to adequate descriptors is my take. besides, it all gets so cumbersome; indica, indica dom, sativa, sativa dom. these are/were easy and uncomplicated perspectives.


ppl need to remember that words mean what we tell them to mean. Meanings of words change over time. Chauvinism used to mean excessively patriotic. Chauvinism does not mean "excessively patriotic" anymore.


chau·vin·ism
[ˈSHōvəˌnizəm]

NOUN

1. exaggerated or aggressive patriotism:
   "public opinion was easily moved to chauvinism and nationalism"

Personally, I'd like to go back to sativa and indica. we all pretty much knew what indica, indica dom., sativa, and sativa dom. meant.




i'm still confused and am no authority.

I wouldn't say leafly is a source for growers

What MJPassion said, maybe I would add kafiristanica besides the kush, but for details you should check SamSkunkman's posts.
Leafly looks like a joke to me.

Dr Who would know, oh yeah