Originally Posted by yerbero1 of Canna Cabana

Scientific Approach for the Cannabis Researcher

The clinical potential of cannabis is a tremendous leap forward for patients. Nevertheless, “marijuana continues to be classified as a so-called Schedule 1 drug, alongside LSD and heroin. As such, it is defined as being potentially addictive and having no medical use, which under the circumstances becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy (Scientific America, Marijuana Research, Current restrictions on marijuana research are absurd, November 22, 2004)." Hence, as a response to the lack of support for utilizing cannabis to heal ones aliments, many cannabis aficionados grow their own medicine.

The proliferation of cannabis breeding continues to become widespread in communities throughout the world. With the lack of support for cannabis, the future of the seed will rely more and more on the common breeder to breed their own seeds. One will find thousands of cannabis breeders throughout the world from closet breeders to more sophisticated breeding programs.

Cyberspace has become a major communication avenue for cannabis aficionados to learn about breeding the future generation of seeds. However, too often, one hears about an assumption on a cannabis plant obtained from ones own biased views. In response to this problem, this article was aimed at providing the cannabis breeder with basic tools to reach intended outcomes.

Genetic Diversity

First and foremost, the plant breeder must educate themselves on the vast diversity of forces behind the seed. The whole genetic history of a plant is stored in the seed. The genetic engineering of a plant is as diverse as a human fingerprint. In plant breeding, you will find a well spring of endless possibilities. No two plants are exactly alike. Thus, a multitude of factors come into play from both external and internal forces that makeup the seed. A general knowledge of the forces behind the seed is an essential component for a successful plant breeder.

A basic component for the breeder will be to make an attempt to trace the origins of the seed. Is the seed genetically engineered toward outdoor-or-indoor environments? What soils allow the seed optimum performance? Is the seed more acclimated for hot or cold climates? Hence, the more you know about the origins of the seed will allow you to better understand the seed and meet your intended outcomes.

"A short cut to plant breeding is to look for seeds that have well-established traits and thoroughly formed habits (Burbank, Luther (1921) Plant Breeding Volume I, P.F. Collier & Son Co., pg.178)." The best way is to look for stored up traits in a seed as compared to what could take years in searching for your own traits. "Emerson (p.59) indicated that some traits can be fixed and permanent in any stock, by painting and repainting them on every individual, until at last nature adopts them and bakes them into her porcelain."

Research Question

The first component of a research program is clearly defined goals. What are you looking to create in your breeding efforts? Are you looking for a particular type of high? Are you focusing on developing hardy plants resistant to disease? Are you looking for plants better acclimated to your area? Are you looking to increase weight? Are you looking for a type of color or flavor? Thus, begin with the end in mind.

By utilizing basic research tools serves the community by increasing the efficiency of plant breeding efforts. By utilizing goals as a catalyst to breeding will keep one centered on intended outcomes. On the other hand, the uneducated plant breeder could severely pollute the gene pool by crossing bad traits as well as good traits in the future seed.

Open Pollination Method

Mother Nature's basic tool to create the next generation of seeds is the open pollination method. This process would be the primary tool used when trying to preserve a strain. One advantage of the open pollination method would be to maintain the vast genetic diversity of the specimen in future seeds. In trying to preserve a strain, the open pollination method would be an effective tool to preserve a strain.

Random Polycross

This process is utilized to pollinate at random as many specimens as possible. Though, this method is not desirable IMHO to zero in on specific traits, one will have a diverse population in future seeds. One benefit would be to make as many crosses as possible with very little work. Strength of random polycross breeding would be to capture the vast diversity of traits in the seeds with as little work as possible. A weakness of this process would be obtained a varied population with a multitude of endless possibilities. And, some bad traits might be continually reproduced utilizing this method.

Recurrent Mass Selection (RMS)

The RMS breeding method looks for the best individuals (superior specimens) to increase levels of desired traits. The breeder selects the best individuals for breeding. One would make numerous selections of superior males and females from a multitude of plants. One crosses a superior male with superior female showing desired traits as a continuous active process that leads to producing superior plants. This process is repeated for as many generations as needed to reach desired traits. In this process, the inferior types are discarded and superior types are retained and crossed with the existing elite lines. The progeny go through a series of testing for performance on desired traits. Subsequently, the testing and retesting produces a consistent line of seeds.

Crossing specimens that are out of kind from one another, such as indica and sativa, will produce more radical changes in future seeds. Crossing within kind, such as an indica crossed to an indica will lead to more definite ends. Nevertheless, the key factor is the skills and goals of the educated breeder in reaching intended outcomes. Both crossing in-kind and out of kind have definite benefits to the seed.

Plant Cloning

Cloning is a process of making seeds from an identified male and female. The breeder subsequently keeps the clone mother and father in vegetative state until ready to make seeds, or one could make a multitude of cuttings from the clone mother and father and continually make hundreds of seeds for years on end. One advantage to keeping clone mothers and fathers was that you are aware of the seeds the clones will produce. Many longstanding seed banks keep clone mothers and fathers to produce thousands of seeds with similar outcomes.

For a novice breeder, first obtain the seeds with heredity desired. Then, grow a large selection of seeds and search for superior specimens. Then, you experiment by crossing, for example, male plant A with Female Plants A,B,C, and D and make seeds (or visa versa). You keep the clone mother and father in vegetative state until you identify the male and female that produced the seeds closer to your intended outcome. Subsequently, you save the clone mother and father to keep making seeds that you desire. IMHO, on the one hand, one might say that the cloning method severely cripples the ability to work with a diverse gene pool, on the other hand, this method continues to be at the leading edge of making seeds closer to intended outcomes.