Genetics question

[Justabloke]

Hi All,

I'm curious if a/some growers can tell me if the genetics of the various med strains/strands mutate over time and distance.

IE: Is Northern Lights geneticly the same now in Denver that it was when it was created in, say, Detroit? If there is mutation what causes it beside intential cross breeding.

Thanks,
JaB

Justabloke Reviewed by Justabloke on 05-09-2010. Genetics question Hi All, I'm curious if a/some growers can tell me if the genetics of the various med strains/strands mutate over time and distance. IE: Is Northern Lights geneticly the same now in Denver that it was when it was created in, say, Detroit? If there is mutation what causes it beside intential cross breeding. Thanks, JaB Rating: 5

[Dorje113]

Hi All,

I'm curious if a/some growers can tell me if the genetics of the various med strains/strands mutate over time and distance.

IE: Is Northern Lights geneticly the same now in Denver that it was when it was created in, say, Detroit? If there is mutation what causes it beside intential cross breeding.

Thanks,
JaB

They definitely change over time, because a lot of the original hybrids have been lost, or at least are to me. In the early 90's, I had Skunk #1, NL #1, Hash Plant, Cali. Orange and Silver Haze x Skunk #1. These strains were THE original hybrids (except haze x skunk, but real Haze is a pure Sativa with 100+ days flowering time) because they were created from naturally occurring non-hybrid varieties like Thai, Afghani, Columbian Gold, etc... Maybe someone still has these genetics as they were when they were first created, but I haven't seen real Skunk #1 in years. The stuff I had actually smelled like a skunk, and the odor was too strong to mask, even a small bud in wrapped in 3 plastic bags reeked uncontrollably.

Then there is also the issue of genetic stability, which a lot of modern strains lack completely. Some are just clones from fortunate 1st gen. crosses that may never be recreated, so the degradation associated with keeping the original around for so long, and clones from clones from clones, etc causes the plant's quality to decrease over time. For instance, I tried starting Jack Herer seeds many years ago, and the result from starting Jack is one of FOUR different common phenotypes, and you need to start A LOT of Jack seeds to find a good mom. Finding a similar plant in the future might take starting 50 seeds to find the one that was similar to the one before it. A plant that has been bred with stable genetics produces seeds that, when germinated, are very similar to one another. Because of that, strains can show a lot of variation.

Then there is the current labeling of strains "Sativa" or "Indica", this is almost complete BS, as most strains presented as pure Sativa are anything but. They are all hybrid crosses. For example, I'm in a disp, and they have some herb labeled "Silver Haze". Great, I like Haze, and asked if this is actually real Haze. The grower happened to be there, and he said flowering time is 60 some days. Well, this clearly isn't pure Haze. Not even close. It was very good herb that smelled like Haze, but to call that plant Silver Haze is ridiculous. So, some differences in strains you see are a result of misrepresentation. Intentional or not, unfortunately it's a widespread problem.

[Justabloke]

Morning Darje,

Wow, thanks for the quick and complete reply. :thumbsup:


Do you think genetic manipulation (other than cloning) would help the genetic stability of today's meds or are we asking for trouble doing that? Would national growing standards help reduce mutation? What's a phenotype?

Sorry to seem so ignorant on the subject. The last two plants I try to grow grew tall and spindly even though I kept the CFL within inches of the top of the plant. Which, in hindsight, was probably a good thing as I didn't take into account for the fragrance factor. That would have gotten me busted sure as shit because I wasn't a patient back in 03.

j

[Dorje113]

Morning Darje,

Wow, thanks for the quick and complete reply. :thumbsup:


Do you think genetic manipulation (other than cloning) would help the genetic stability of today's meds or are we asking for trouble doing that? Would national growing standards help reduce mutation? What's a phenotype?

j

No, genetic manipulation is bad IMO. Good breeding and a seed bank would be the best thing for us, I think... some veggie growers keep a seed bank so they can go back to old heirloom varieties, I hope someone has a cannabis seed bank. If so, I'd love to get back the old Skunk #1....

[Adamkadmon]

Good breeding and a seed bank would be the best thing for us, I think...

/signed

[funkfingers]

:jointsmile::jointsmile::jointsmile:indeed

[funkfingers]

I recommend that people keep seeds around of ANY plant that bears fruit(or vegetable) of some kind or another.. They may come in REAL handy in the not to distant future :wtf::wtf:

To anwser the question on what a phenotype is, It's the variation expressed in any living offspring, that have the same parents, kinda like if your sister has red hair and you don't.. There are some really good books on breeding, plus a ton of stuff online if you want to learn more.. It can get pretty complicated with all the poly-hybrids that are being interbred nowadays.. In most public school systems this was touched on in biology class, IMO it's way above most people at that age for it to have any real life application..:rastasmoke::rastasmoke:

[lampost]

I don't know that much but it seems like the gene pool is becoming tainted by all this aimless breeding! And then you hear talk of some of the first killer landraces that no longer exist because they've been bred out of existence and it make me sad.... and then there's no question that the gene pool is becoming tainted!

[funkfingers]

:rastasmoke::rastasmoke::rastasmoke::rastasmoke:

[funkfingers]

Met a guy the other day who has been in pakistan, afghanistan, thailand,africa,ect collecting landrace seeds, for the last 5 or so years..Some of the afghani's, and paki's sound pretty interesting..