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Phenohunting seeds-6 months?
- Thread starter Dallas905
- Start date
frostqueen
Active member
6 months is an arbitrary estimate. It will vary widely, but many genotypes will stabilize by 6 months old. A cannabis seedling is usually considered 'mature' when the leaves/branches switch from opposite phyllotaxy to alternate. At that point the chemical profile stabilizes, with any variation after that being a result of diet and environmental factors.
In this picture, the seedling is 14 weeks old. The top has fully alternated. What I typically do when pheno hunting is take a clone of the alternated top and then flower that; the traits tend to stabilize at that point and you will see very similar phenotypical expression from that point onward.
If there is an effect, it's very small. And the usual argument is that it causes plants to throw an odd male flower, not a different chemotype.
In pheno hunting, though, aren't you seeking absolutely stellar results? If so, then arguably any plant that stands out with a factor working against it is likely to be even better when that factor is removed.
But (as we all know?), the best way to find standout plants is to look at as many as possible.
So flower 'em early and give the very best the benefit of the doubt even if they have an odd male flower or two. Round two will rule out genetic sources of male flowers, and any effects of 'maturity' as well.
Look at what Nspecta does over at CSI for examples.
Two side notes: when breeders flower early it amounts to selection pressure for performance even under early flowering. Also, any cannabis that took six months to reach sexual maturity would not leave many offspring on much of the planet!
In pheno hunting, though, aren't you seeking absolutely stellar results? If so, then arguably any plant that stands out with a factor working against it is likely to be even better when that factor is removed.
But (as we all know?), the best way to find standout plants is to look at as many as possible.
So flower 'em early and give the very best the benefit of the doubt even if they have an odd male flower or two. Round two will rule out genetic sources of male flowers, and any effects of 'maturity' as well.
Look at what Nspecta does over at CSI for examples.
Two side notes: when breeders flower early it amounts to selection pressure for performance even under early flowering. Also, any cannabis that took six months to reach sexual maturity would not leave many offspring on much of the planet!
This has been my experience as well.
I grow the plant from seed and either take a clone then, or harvest the plant and regenerate it. This first run for me, plant structure and ease of growing is first consideration, the high is second consideration.
It's the second run of mature clones where the high becomes the first consideration for me. Mainly because I know more about the plant and what it likes and doesn't like. I've got her a bit dialed in, if you will.
By my fourth run, I've usually got the best expression of the plant that I can grow in my environment. And then decide if it's better or worse than what I currently have for moms.
Yeah, it's a long process. But I enjoy it.
Thanks friends. Great information to marinate on. I plan on cloning at 2 months old and flipping that clone after a month. So it's great news that I don't need to wait six months. As far a running clones multiple times I'm going with 3 runs. I have heard that hermie tendencies in the first run can be sorted out in the second or third run due to acclimation by the mother to the particular environment. I have collected some of the best genetics available currently and want to give every seed a chance to succeed. C.S.I, Archive, TopDawg.
If yer worried about hermis, double check for light leaks in the grow/bloom area. <in my opinion, the most common cause of hermis most overlook.
Things like the light on a light strip should be covered, AC lights, etc.. Turn on a light outside the grow bloom area and get inside the 'lights off' bloom area stay there for few minutes letting your eyes adjust to the dark, look for light intrusion while in the dark..
6 months old rule of thumb is not 6 months at the end of the first run after seed. Not that that wouldn't give a decent representation of a year old plant but strain dependent, sativas' take longer to mature.
Things like the light on a light strip should be covered, AC lights, etc.. Turn on a light outside the grow bloom area and get inside the 'lights off' bloom area stay there for few minutes letting your eyes adjust to the dark, look for light intrusion while in the dark..
6 months old rule of thumb is not 6 months at the end of the first run after seed. Not that that wouldn't give a decent representation of a year old plant but strain dependent, sativas' take longer to mature.
you can use Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) to see the approximate cannabinoid profile pretty much from as soon as the first true leaves appear. The profile is genetically pre-determined and unique to each seed.
I had to do this recently, see my CBD blitz thread where I found my low-THC/high-CBD mother in just 3 weeks.
Even only 3 weeks in, with TLC it's very easy to see which plants have dominant CBD or THC profiles, and there is no need to take it through to harvest to determine this.
I had to do this recently, see my CBD blitz thread where I found my low-THC/high-CBD mother in just 3 weeks.
Even only 3 weeks in, with TLC it's very easy to see which plants have dominant CBD or THC profiles, and there is no need to take it through to harvest to determine this.
