[TanzanianMagic]

Has anyone researched differences in cannabis roots, in order to clarify why some varieties like dry soil and others like more watering, while some like loose soil and others prefer heavier soils?

With landrace cannabis it is easier to guesstimate (dryer for Moroccan strains, wetter for Brazilian strains, for instance), but it would be easy to tell of hybrids which root type is prevalent and adjust the soil mix accordingly.

Clearly plants that have evolved in desert conditions and jungle conditions have different likings. However, has anyone linked it to differentiation in their root system?

Just wondering, because for me that would be the next step in optimizing growth.

I have the book Roots Demystified, by Robert Kourik, but it is not specifically about cannabis.

Cheers

[Phaeton]

Anecdotal observations.

I grow bagseed sativa and Northern Lights, pretty opposite ends of the spectrum.
Cloning is done is styro cups embedded in rockwool media trays 17 x 34 inches, 28 cups to a tray for cloning, as the clones take they are removed to another identical tray and removed from the cups.
I have taken to tilting the trays slightly. The sativa end is elevated, the perched water is mostly at the indica end. The clones take better this way, the indica wants wetter roots than the sativa.
This is just two random plants, but the theory holds water.

Results of real testing should be most interesting. How much more would perfectly dialed in roots make?

It's an interesting topic. One thing I've noticed is that in a lot of cases the plant will make whatever type of roots correspond best to the amount of moisture available. If the media is consistently on the dry side, the plant makes many fine roots. When moisture levels are consistently higher in the media, thicker roots develop. I've also seen pics of roots in water culture that are thick as ropes, more efficient for that environment.

[highonmt]

I think that you are seeing nutrient delivery differences in your media, the cannabis plant regardless of strain needs the roots to be wet in the bottom of yer pot and dryer or more aerated in the upper portion of the pot. This situation insures that both the drinking roots and the breathing roots have optimal conditions, which is why soiless aka hempy systems work so well, and why good soil growers have drainage media as the bottom layer of the pot. Root differentiation is an interesting property of cannabis roots some are designated as the lungs of the plant others as the nutrient uptake system and some do both. The bottom line is that if you give the plant a situation where there is constant water in the bottom of the pot and moderate moisture above you will have better luck, oh and I have never heard of a strain that does better in heavy media, if you have let us know. Here are some roots in my nft table system see the breather roots sticking straight up above the rootmass...
these are sticking up so far they have air pruned, The dark areas are submerged by nutes at the drain so they look darker all the roots are very healthy.

[Elsweeto]

Holy shit!! I don't grow hydro so I have no reference for root mass; except what I've seen from my rinsed out D.I.Y smart pots I used to be impressed by those but that shit has blown my mind. What's yield like with a root mass like that???

[pezmasterelite]

Hi all,

dramamine, I agree with you, but I also feel that certain plants will be more apt or more comfortable growing a certain ratio of drinking and breathing roots. Or that certain plants will be more able to change their ratio and adapt better than others.

highonmt, I believe the OP was referring to plants which better tolerate wet conditions as opposed to those who simply wilt and suffer from over-watering first. In a heavier media, the soil is more wet that other soil on average. This could by chance make for a better environment for a wet-tolerant plant. It would be like DWC, only the plant does not need as much oxygen bubbled into it, it can chill in heavy, wet soil.

I realize this seems crazy for us drug cannabis indoor growers, but I believe hemp plants are grown in this type of soil, really wet, heavy lowland type areas. Hemp plants do not suffer from stem rot and such as easily and can tolerate standing water from what I read on ICMAG. They also thrive in this type of environment and can be easily grown with minimal care. Seemingly, I am not a hemp farmer and don't grow this, but it was discussed on ICMAG, I can dig up references if necessary.