When it comes to cannabis breeding, is it necessary to use both male and female plants or can you use just one of them? If so, what are the pros and cons?
One answer “Is it necessary to use both male and female plants for breeding?”
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Cannabis breeding is an incredibly complicated process, and it requires both male and female cannabis plants in order to be successful. Using only one gender of plants may be tempting, as it reduces the complexity of the breeding process, but it is not recommended as it can have a major impact on the resulting strain’s yield and potency.
When breeding cannabis, male and female plants play very different roles. The female cannabis plants are responsible for making the most desirable parts of the plant: the buds. The buds are full of trichomes, which are resin glands filled with cannabinoids and terpenes. Without female plants, not only would there be no buds to harvest, but there would also be drastically fewer trichomes for desired chemical effects.
The male cannabis plants’ role in cannabis breeding is to provide the genetic material needed to create new plants. When the male and female plants come into contact with each other, the males will release their pollen, which will be collected by the female plant. The pollen binds to the female plant’s ovule and fertilizes it, producing a seed.
When seeking to create a new strain, it is important for both genders of cannabis plants to be used. If only one gender of plants is used, it severely limits the genetic diversity that is available. Without genetic diversity, it makes it more difficult to breed new plants with desirable traits, and the resulting strain may be weaker and less potent than desired.
One of the more controversial topics related to cannabis breeding is the use of hermaphroditic plants. Hermaphroditic plants possess both female and male reproductive organs and are often used in the cannabis breeding process to increase the efficiency of the process. While this can result in more viable seeds than traditional methods, the marijuana plants that come from those seeds may be weaker and less desirable than plants bred without the use of hermaphroditic specimens.
In conclusion, it is necessary to use both male and female cannabis plants in the breeding process. Doing so will ensure that the resulting strain has better yield and potency as well as a greater genetic diversity. Although hermaphroditic plants can be used to increase the efficiency of the breeding process, it is done so at the risk of producing weaker and less desirable plants than those created with traditional breeding methods.