Rule of 100 seeds

[FuhQ]

to be honest 100 plants its not enough .. ofcourse you can find intresting pheno from 100 plants, but best breeders in buisness planting thousands..

This is laughable, most of the seed makers out there today are not growing out thousands of plants for breeding projects. I think even hundreds is doubtful.

 

[infinitylimit]

It seems this hundred rule is a over-simplification that we try and apply to genetics. A belief that any given plant has 1% chance to be what we desire thus a 100 plants should give the right genetic make-up, it's just pure non-sense.

It is not random how gene's combine, however knowledge for cannabis traits dominance is not of highest order researched. That being said if you did large numbers all at once it would seem that is opening yourself to a lot of risk and extra work.

 

[3dDream]

I have a small grow and was able to classify plants in groups when they make true leaves. I would then pop 100+ seeds and only run single groups at a time. You end up killing lots of seedlings.

I also use the smell from rubbing the true leaves as an indicator. It is similar to the final product.

I guess my point is you can cull plants very early in the process.

 

[stasis]

This is laughable, most of the seed makers out there today are not growing out thousands of plants for breeding projects. I think even hundreds is doubtful.

And a Hell Load of Work, too, if one is also trying to grow....

Yeah, I agree, not these days, usually.. Many of the 'Top Breeders' are Pollen Chuckers who get lucky now and then, when compared with some of the old School Grower/Breeders.

 

[symbiote420]

It seems this hundred rule is a over-simplification that we try and apply to genetics. A belief that any given plant has 1% chance to be what we desire thus a 100 plants should give the right genetic make-up, it's just pure non-sense.

It is not random how gene's combine, however knowledge for cannabis traits dominance is not of highest order researched. That being said if you did large numbers all at once it would seem that is opening yourself to a lot of risk and extra work.

Great 1st post IL! It's all about obervation, selection, and a lot of luck! I'm a natural rebel ...I don't like being told there's only one way to do something right!

And I'll challenge any "breeder" to state it takes more than those 3 things! (whether you have 2 or 6,000 plants)

 

[infinitylimit]

I would agree with you, only adding you also need time.

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter how many seeds, it's about achieving your goals.

 

[coloradcannabis]

I would also argue the lottery effect. Where anyone at any time can play the lotto once and win. Any one seed can be that one in a million, or you could play for years and only win a few minor prizes but never millions.

So 100 seeds is just a arbitrary number in my opinion. Might as well be 1000 or 10.

The rule of 1,000,000 seeds now that is a different story!

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

I have really been studying up on breeding. Is it true the best breeders grow out 100 seeds, choose the best 10 males and females to breed and do it all over again for several generations? I have read the small breeder has very little chance of finding a freak pheno. Thanks

I would also argue the lottery effect. Where anyone at any time can play the lotto once and win. Any one seed can be that one in a million, or you could play for years and only win a few minor prizes but never millions.

So 100 seeds is just a arbitrary number in my opinion. Might as well be 1000 or 10.

The rule of 1,000,000 seeds now that is a different story!

I popped 5 beans, 2 lived, they were both female, and I got two of the dankest cuts anyone has ever seen. Basally I won the God damn weed seed lottery twice, in 5 drawings. I am a luck box. lol

 

[BrownThumb]

it is better to be lucky than good,

That is an often painful truth..LOL, good point!!!

 

[Yes4Prop215]

i popped ONE seed from a cross i made (louie13 x fire OG) and it was DANK!

ive popped another 100 seeds from various breeders like cali connectino and SOL, and found ZERO keepers lol...

 

[Galactic]

Re: Rule of 100 seeds

I flipped a coin and it was heads.

This other time, I did it 100 times and all tails.

I now only bet on heads.

 

[MJPassion]

This is an easy game to play... 1 pack, 10 seeds... Find the best one or two females and hit them with the best looking males in the lot and then you potentially have thousands of seed to sort through. The F2s should show much variation, especially if you use poly hbrid parents. F2 is the generation where the real fun begins.

 

[bajangreen]

It doesn't matter how much you plant out because with each generation you get way closer to finding the plant you want. you should be close enough by 7gen or so.

 

[floralheart]

100 plants? .....Overkill

I mean if you have the time and space knock yourself out! I doubt there is a breeder today that does this ....not a single one! A Seedbanks myth, I believe this is yet another attempt to play on the naive ..."Can't let them know how easy this can be, let's make it seem overwhelming ....no one will want to make their own then we can sell our seeds for $100+ a pack worldwide!" ....REALLY??

An eye for observation plus a mind for selection makes for the best breeders, seed makers, chuckers, or whatever you wanna call em/yourself! Sure selecting from a patch of 100 plants is ideal but if you're working with good stock to begin with, who's to say you can't do the same with 25 to 50 plants? This ain't the 70's/80's people ....we have the work they've already done as a reference .....there's tons of strains out here that we are 99% sure of what the will offer to the project(s), back in the daze of the 100 plants to make selections from they were just learning what they had!

I agree. That's why I say it's more of an art than a science. Smart thinking, luck and taste level prevail in prohibition, over science.

If we were all Spanish and had a genetics study license, I'd say it was more of a science. Because we could warehouse and measure 1,000's in a genetics race.

The ultimate measure is the final smoke. The instrument used to measure that is the breeder himself and the personality and vibe of that person.

The dope is only as cool and creative as the taste level of the person who's smoking it or trying to make it up out of the ether to be able to smoke it.

Also... it's travelling the road that's important, not the destination.

I agree, basic scientific knowledge is vital, but it isn't everything. Ask Yngwie Malmsteen. I'd rather party with Darrel Abbot any day.

25, 50 and 100 all sound like good annual numbers to me. Then like another poster said, the best of the next years batch have to compete and the lineup grows and gets cut back each season.

 

[SeedsOfFreedom]

Plant numbers are key, but you must find a balance. Somewhere between enough plants to see whats possible in a strain, and not too many plants to properly sample the finished product. Don't think of it as numbers, think of it as a search. Look for something specific, and don't stop sprouting seeds until you get it. Maybe you will need 5 seeds, maybe you will need 400. It depends on your genetics and what you are trying to achieve.
Floralheart brings up a great point aswell, herb will take on certain traits because of the breeders and testers preferences for tastes and highs. So naturally breeders that could pick out great tastes and enjoyable highs better has an advantage over other breeders, regardless of plant numbers. I have heard DJ Short touch on this even, the vibe of the grower and breeder is passed into the finished product.

 

[floralheart]

The rule of 1,000,000 seeds now that is a different story!

I would wear the robes of an afghani tribesman, and wander the hills of Hollywood, with a look of being lost on my face. Did you hear that? man!

I agree with the numbers. It's all about the search. It's all about the winner. It's all about that lottery.

And in that moment when you win it, and you're smoking a joint with Bill Murray, it was worth the search.