New study about polyploid

NEW STUDY ON POLYPLOID


For those whom don't know us, we are Buddha Seeds; a Spanish seed bank focused on the research and development of cannabis strains. We are especially well-known for our autoflowering varieties.

We have been interested in polyploid for a long time since, it´s supposed to produces significant increases in the THC content of plants, gigantism and some other potential benefits. However there is little research and most of it has been carried out on industrial hemp.
Polyploid is a natural mutation in which a cell acquires one or more additional sets of chromosomes. Cannabis plants are usually diploid (2X), which means that they have two complete sets of chromosomes. Those being Polyploids have a higher number of chromosomes sets, so there can be triploid (3X), tetraploid (4X) individuals, etc.

This phenomenon has developed throughout the evolution of animals and plants, but there have been more cases in the latter ones, specifically in angiosperms (flowering plants). Polyploidy has allowed plants to improve their features and acquire new ones, such as more productive and bigger individuals, resistant to stress or pests. These skills have made them adapt to new climates, standing out against their diploid predecessors.

Buddha Seeds’ team is currently carrying out a R&D Project on polyploid plants . Our aim with this post is to expose the work we are developing, as well as shed light on the myths about autoflowering plants.
Research is little advanced; actually we have just had some triploid and tetraploid individuals. We wanted to share the information obtained due to some leaks that didn't guarantee the continuity of work in secret.

We will try to answer all questions you ask, even if it is possible we can't solve some of them, either because we still don't know the answer or because disclosure of some parts of the project could jeopardize its future profitability and safety of our partners (Let us remember that this plant is still illegal in Spain).
We will continue with more information on polyploid . We spent three photos.



1-Photo of the cell size
Microscopic visualization of the stem. The photo shows the cellular organization of the outer face of the stem in Cannabis sativa. Cell size of tetraploid cells is much larger than that of diploid cells. This fact allows the cell nucleus to contain the extra genetic material and the cytoplasm to acquire more cellular organelles (such as chloroplasts) to generate a higher rate of metabolism.



2-Photo of chromosomes
Staining of chromosomes from the roots. Diploid cells of Cannabis sativa have 20 chromosomes (2n = 2 X = 20) while tetraploid cells have 40 (2n = 4 X = 40). In the picture you can see two things: (1) the larger cell size of tetraploid cells and (2) the double number of chromosomes they possess. With this photo it can be certified that plants obtained are tetraploid.



3-Photo of stomata
Microscopic foliar preparation. Visualization of stomata with different sizes, depending on the degrees of ploidy. Stomata are holes located mainly in leaves that plants can open or close in order to control water loss and gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide). In tetraploid plants there is lower density of stomata on the surface of the leaf, but its size is much larger. This fact may allow them to lose less water by transpiration (more resistant to water stress) and as a result of the largest size, it ensures successful gas exchange.

can you explain the disappearance of triploid traits after vegging a few weeks?

cannot seem to bring an example to maturity. have one seedling triploid a week above ground right now, watching to witness its development.

Hi Trichrider, how do you know its a triploid? do you mean its a trifoliate? triploidy is a completely different thing.

oh yeah, trifoliate...my bad...damned vernacular.

You provided two photo sets. The first shows a normal diploid plant and the cell sizes?... and a polyploid plant with larger cells?

The second red tinted photo set shows the chromosomes in a dividing cell (mitosis) of a normal diploid plant and then a dividing cell in a tetraploid plant with twice the number of chromosomes?

If you are able to bring these plants to maturity, will you only be able to cross breed triploids with triploids, and tetraploids with tetraploids?

We have already done, tetraploids can be crossed with diploids, making triploids, triploids should be sterile, due to the impossibility of dividing 3 pairs of chromosomes to develop gametes.

Are you inducing diploids to produce polyploids or are they natural mutations?

induced for sure

You got me interested

Induced

tomorrow when the biologist arrives to work i will explain a little bit more the method, and some of the results, meanwhile if you have any questions please feel free to post them.

i have this hunch that reproduction is a desirable trait in weed that gets you high.

waveguide said:

i have this hunch that reproduction is a desirable trait in weed that gets you high.

Click to expand...

Only triploids are sterile, with polyploidy your goal is octaploid.

My question is how do you get from triploid to quadraploid if triploids are sterile.

Realhash, why do you say goal is octoploid?

we dont get from triploid to quadraploid.

tetraploids are made doubling the diploid (normal) chromosomes.

The gametes have half chromosomes than the individual.

triploids are made crossing a tetraploid wich has 2n gametes with a diploid wich has 1n gametes so the result are 3n individuals

It's been a while since college for me.. I mixed up quadraploid and tetraploid, I thought quadraploid was 4n

I was under the impression that you had to stack the chromosomes .. 2n, 3n, 4n, 5n all the way to 8n to get the most benefit from polyploidy.

I have only read a little about it- I thought with each addition of equal sets of chromsomes you got a stronger, more robust plant out of the deal, and that the odd sets(3,5,7) were all undesirable.

My horticulture teacher taught me that store bought strawberries were at 8n(octaploid) and that was as far as you could go with it.

So you stack the chromsomes by repeatedly inducing polyploidy on the same plant, or plant tissues? Or through breeding and treating the next generation.

Very interesting. Subscribed.
I'd like to germinate some triploid seeds!

lol no you wouldn't, triploids are not what you want, you want even sets of chromosomes.

ah yes I stand corrected.

I'd love to germinate some even number polyploid seeds!

"Triploids proved to be inferior to both diploids and tetraploids in many cases."

source:
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=4973288&postcount=7

The thing is there is nothing sure on polyploid, some sources talk about doubling THC content wich is not true.
We decided to do it for confronting our own data with the old studies and realize wich parts are correct and wich arent.

Regarding triploids being inferior, what does inferior mean?, is related to fibers?, is related to cannabinoid content? the preliminar results may indicate they last longer to start flowering, wich can be interesting for industrial hemp, maybe also for making bigger autoflowering.

We are for sure interested in finding some betatesters wich can give us their opinion; the more data we can collect the better

All I know is what I read.

I read that triploids auto flowered, were sterile, had slow/stunted growth and that all odd numbered chromsome sets were not in line with the goals of inducing polyploidy(the goals being an increase in vigor,fruit size, potency,disease resistance,etc).

I'm pretty sure if we researched modern day production line strawberries, their differences to wild strawberries, and how we got there we may have an answer.

They dont auto flower ( few individuals tested yet) we dont know if they are sterile, we are in process of seed production, we have to check yet the viability.
No slow or stunted growth for sure.

Many of the vegetables we eat (specially those seedless) like bananas or watermelon are triploid without any of those non desiderable traits