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ven though science can explain why we get the results seen in breeding projects, it is the discerning eye of the breeder that allows for the best plant selections.
into our inbred line strain in an attempt to get the potency aspect fixed into the stable purple strain’s genetics. Even if we are unsuccessful, it will bring a bit of vigor back into the breeding program, and we now know how to select parents to get the purple trait to breed true. An inbred line can exhibit a gradual decline in vigor after several generations, so it’s a good idea to mix up the gene pairs every now and then. We could even back-cross with the original King’s Conquest strain to reintroduce the potency and a shot of vigor to our program, if we have any seeds left or someone we know has a cutting of that strain.
Advanced concepts We have covered a complex subject in this series. Now we should have a good grasp of what happens when we breed two strains together and what we can generally expect for results. There are a few variables that we did not consider in our breeding exercise in order to keep it manageable to understand. One is that some genes may be linked to the sex of the parent plant. Sometimes breeders will do a reverse cross, that is using a male strain A plant with a female strain B and then making the reverse cross using a female strain A with a male strain B. By evaluating the progeny of the two crosses there may be distinct differences
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seen. Another variable that comes up is the interaction between genes. Sometimes genes will not express if there is not a corresponding gene present. A hypothetical example in the strain we created in this series might be that only plants with purple calyxes and wide leaves have a fruity, citrus aroma. Plants with wide leaves and green calyxes won’t have that fragrance nor will plants with narrow leaves and purple calyxes. In this hypothetical example, seemingly unrelated genes produce unexpected phenotype ratios in the progeny of a cross.
The artful science of breeding Even though science can explain why we get the results seen in breeding projects, it is the discerning eye of the breeder that allows for the best plant selections. Sometimes a hunch will have an unexpected yet desirable result. Environmental factors can also influence the expression or repression of certain traits. This is called epigenetics and is a fast-growing field of genetic research. It takes research, patience and time to really dial in a breeding project, but what could be a more rewarding way to learn about Cannabis than to do some breeding of your own? Who knows, maybe your project will produce an iconic strain that is much desired! S
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