[jackel]

So I had an interesting discussion with a breeder, and the topic of keeping a male in the garden (discarding before pollination). The theory was that female plants can pickup "pheromones" from the male, therefore making the ladies grow faster and more vigorous, to compete for the male pollen.
I have no experience in this, just curious what you all may think of this kind of bizarre idea. I know some species of shellfish and other fish can change their sex based on the surrounding sex population, so I suppose it's possible. What say you?

[Chimera]

ahembullshitcoughcough

[Sam_Skunkman]

I have not ever seen it and I do grow a lot from regular seed so 1/2 are males.
I guess you could make two or more of the same female clones and take half and grow exposed to males and the other half not and see if any differences in yield or potency or maturation.
I am sure this is someone's fantasy like that plants produce more resin if sex starved because they want to get any pollen in the air.
-SamS

[Pantagruelion]

Sound like a fantasy. Fairly easy trial to run, as Sam stated. I can think of a thousand more worthwhile experiments. Run a plant seedling next to its mother and see if it grows more bratlike in structure....

[Relentless]

never seen anything like that.. i will say ive had more males pop up from seeds with having a ton of females surrounding them.. maybe they are more likely to become male if surrounded by females.

[Dropped Cat]

Interesting thread.

On a related note, the more I strut around the house naked the less
my wife wants to have sex with me.

Especially when we have company. Go figure.

[bluntmassa]

Lol, Let me guess you heard it from Subfool oops I mean Subcool? He did say it for sure but he doesn't actually breed talks like he does he'll even quote things from DJ Short's book too make you believe he knows his shit.

[tokersmoke]

Id say its possible..There are things we do not yet know about our favorite plant.

Dropped im still laughing

[Only Ornamental]

Originally Posted by jackel

...The theory was that female plants can pickup "pheromones" from the male, therefore making the ladies grow faster and more vigorous, to compete for the male pollen...

Completely ridiculous under a (bio-)logical point of view:
A) Plants don't have pheromones or the flora's counterpart; they can't need these because they don't have sex with each other but rely on the 'postman' strategy to get 'pregnant'
B) Cannabis depends on wind-pollination and has adapted to an environment where the next male (or female) may be hundreds of kilometres away
C) If the female would grow faster and more vigorous due to competition, it would be caused by sensing a female, not a male
D) Logic dictates that having a male close by would allow the female to remain small (because pollination is guaranteed) and use its energy for all the seeds to come
E) Every plant tries to compete for light, nutrients, water and pollen (or pollinating insects)... that's life
F) If female cannabis plants really were in such an urge to get their pistils on some pollen, hermaphrodites would be the logic, first, and easiest solution (following a Darwinistic model)

[generalgrievous]

..popping seeds while having a male on the veg table with them gives me 9:1 female/male ..without that male on the table .. the ratio is a typical 1:1, or slightly higher female to male. .
.. That being said .. They obviously know/sense the other plants in their vicinity.. And know what sex they are..
.. Sampson Simpson ..I stick by my story...