How Does Cross Breeding of Cannabis Strains Work?

Cannabis crossbreeding can produce offspring with desirable characteristics from both parent plants, such as flavor, yield, potency, and resilience against pests and diseases. Crossbreeding cannabis strains can occur naturally when two plants grow nearby, but more commonly, it’s done through the hand of man by growing female plants that produce pollen together to create seeds that will sprout into hybrid offspring. 

Cannabis strains are the different types of marijuana that people use for various purposes. Some strains are used for medical purposes, while others are used recreationally. There are many different strains of cannabis, and each one has its unique effects. These effects can be positive or negative depending on the person using them. These strains also differ in how they affect a person’s mind and body. For example, some strains will relax a person, while others will energize them.  

Why Would You Crossbreed Strains?

The purpose of crossbreeding is to combine the best qualities of each parent strain into one super strain. This is done by selecting two strains with complementary traits and then growing them together. For example, a grower might want to cross a White Widow strain with an auto-flowering strain to create a White Widow Auto. Crossbreeding can also help create new strains resistant to pests and diseases.

Where Do the Parents Come From, and Who Are They?
Cannabis strains such as the Permanent Marker strain are typically crossbred from two different parent strains. The parent strains can be any combination of Indica, Sativa, or Ruderalis, and each brings different characteristics to the offspring. For example, one parent might be a high-yielding strain while the other is known for its potent THC content. Therefore, the growers must carefully select which parents to use to create the desired traits in the offspring. 

What Happens When the Parent’s Strains Are Crossed? 

First, male plants are isolated, so they do not pollinate female plants. Once the males have been isolated, they will be used as a pollen source for females. Pollen grains travel through the air on wind currents, so it is essential to prevent contamination by keeping male plants away from female ones during this process. After fertilization occurs and seeds form (in about two weeks), all remaining pollen will die off because it cannot grow without water and nutrients.

The Crossbreeding Process – How Does It Happen, and When Is It Complete?

Cannabis strains are usually crossbred to create new strains with desired characteristics from each parent strain. For example, a breeder might want to make a new strain with the high THC levels of one strain and the high CBD levels of another strain. 

Crossbreeding usually starts with the grower listing the characteristics they want in the new strain. They then choose two parent strains with those desired characteristics and grow them side by side.

Choosing Your Males – 

When choosing males for a crossbreeding project, there are a few things to consider. The first is the phenotype, or physical appearance, of the plant. You want to select plants that have the desired traits that you are looking for in the offspring. The second is the genotype, or genetic makeup, of the plant. You want to choose plants that have complementary genetics to create a more diverse gene pool in the offspring. The third is the medical history of the plant.

Choosing Your Females – 

The female cannabis plant is the one that produces the buds that are typically smoked, so you want to choose a strain that is high in THC and has a good yield. You also want to select a plant that is easy to grow and has good resistance to pests and diseases. In general, it’s best to pick two plants with similar characteristics, as this will make it easier for them to mate. Once you’ve selected your females, they will need time to prepare for their crossbreeding project by getting into the flowering stage of their life cycle before they can be fertilized with pollen from another plant (male).

Evaluating Your Crosses – (aka Culling)?

After making your crosses, you will need to evaluate the results to choose which ones to keep and which to throw away. To do this, you will need to look at the phenotype of each plant and decide which traits are most desirable. Once you have narrowed down your choices, you will need to grow the plants and see how they perform in different conditions. For example, if a cross has a desirable flower and good potency but is short and needs lots of light, it might not be a good candidate for growing outdoors because it will be prone to frost damage. You may want to try breeding with it again or culling it from your breeding program.

Expectations After Completing a Successful Crossbreeding Project

After successfully crossbreeding cannabis strains, you can expect a new strain that is a hybrid of the two parent strains. This new strain will likely have characteristics from both parent strains and may be more resistant to disease and pests. It’s also possible that the final product has a higher potency or yield than either of its parents. But what are the risks? Many factors are involved in successful crossbreeding projects, including success rates and the dangers of hybrids. 

Conclusion

By crossbreeding cannabis strains, growers can create new strains with the desired traits of both parent strains. This process is called hybridization. By carefully selecting the parent strains and crossbreeding them, growers can create new cannabis strains with various flavors, aromas, and effects.