Hybrid type – i.e. hybrid seeds
Marijuana hybrid is a type of cannabis plant that is the result of crossing two or more different varieties. The purpose of such crossbreeding is usually to obtain the desired characteristics of both parents in one plant. Hybrids can be created to increase potency, improve flavor, change effects, or adapt to specific growing conditions.
There are three main types of cannabis: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica and C. Hybrids often combine Sativa and Indica characteristics. For example, a hybrid may have the energizing effect of a Sativa and the relaxing effect of an Indica. Breeders work to create hybrids that best suit the needs and preferences of users, both in terms of medical and recreational effects.
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What is hybrid marijuana?
In other words, in this category you will find the so-called hybrid seeds – varieties whose polarity is balanced in a ratio of 50 sativa 50 indica . Here you will also find automatic varieties created using Ruderalis genes. These genes are responsible, for example, for maintaining the low height of a given variety.
The history of modern marijuana - hybrids
How has selection and breeding influenced the current, modern image of cannabis, or how did the process of creating marijuana hybrids develop?
When looking for marijuana seeds for your collection, you come across so many varieties that it can give you a headache, although this kind of pain is a pleasant one. Countless flavors and aromas, multitude of effects and different levels of THC or CBD, especially if you are a beginner collector, may make you want to have them all - because each of them is amazing and worth checking out. How did so many different varieties of marijuana come about? What are hybrid marijuana seeds?
The titanic work of growers around the world
Breeders are almost constantly working on new varieties of hemp, crossing marijuana varieties from all over the world. One of the main factors behind this state of affairs is the fact that in recent years, a positive change in marijuana regulations has been visible in more and more countries. The liberalization of law applies not only to medical marijuana, but we are increasingly seeing changes regarding the legal use of cannabis for recreational purposes. This state of affairs automatically translates into the number of varieties available from seed producers. The history of the origins of many cannabis strains is complicated, especially when it comes to modern hybrids. However, delving deeper into the topic, we can see that many of them owe their existence to just a few key projects of marijuana fanatics.
But before we can fully understand the history of modern marijuana, we need to start our journey by knowing the lineage of each strain. It is the knowledge of the genetic line of the strains that can help in choosing the right cannabis for our needs.
Cannabis taxonomy
There are several different types of cannabis, and the main ones include sativa, indica i ruderalis. Although overzealous lovers of plant taxonomy will probably consider the above division too general, because according to them a historical outline of a given strain is necessary for proper classification, the division into sativa, indica and ruderalis seems to be the most simple and useful. Let's look at each type of marijuana separately.
Cannabis sativa - a giant that likes heat
sativas can reach up to 6 meters in height! Characterized by relatively large, long lanceolate leaves, they produce partially exposed buds. Cannabis sativa they are rather adapted to warmer latitudes, where there are long and warm days allowing for continuous development of this plant.
Cannabis Indica – Internal Taxonomist Dispute
Plants Indicates reach up to 3 meters in height. They are characterized by smooth, dense, pointed leaves, although smaller than those found in cannabis sativa. It has been assumed that the mountainous areas of India are the cradle of this genetics. In 1926, Nikolai Vavilov considered the Afghani variety adapted to the mountainous climate to be a separate type of marijuana, claiming that Aghani could not be classified as an Indica. Afghan marijuana is usually attributed to the genus indica, however, Nikolai detailing the features that distinguish Afghan women from indica opened a debate on the ultimate number of types of marijuana that continues to this day. Shorter stature (less than 180 centimeters), wider and longer leaves ending in characteristic long petioles, faster flowering time, a more calming high set Afghanis apart from other cannabis plants. indica.
Most cannabis users do not support separating Afghani genetics from genus indica. However, keep in mind that although India has cold mountains in the north, there is also a tropical climate in the south. This high environmental variability may help explain the morphological differences that pose a problem for some researchers in the classification of the Afghani variety.
Cannabis ruderalis - genes that created modern Machines
Plants ruderalis are among the youngest when it comes to classification, as this event is estimated to date back to 1924. This cannabis originates from Western Siberia and Central Asia. They reach no more than 60 centimeters. Cannabis Ruderalis has smooth, hollow stems and wide leaves. Ruderalis is considered the genetic source of autoflowering cannabis genetics. so-called autoflowers do not require short days, i.e. they auto-flower even if the length of the day is still more than 12 hours. Regardless of the light cycle, ruderalis start flowering as soon as they reach maturity, and this happens just a few weeks after germination.
How cannabis genetics conquered continents
Farmers sow the seeds from which the plant grows. This is followed by natural pollination, then crop and seed collection. The harvested seeds are used by farmers in the following year. The repetition of such a cycle allows for the development of family varieties of a given plant. This process, repeated every year, was standard procedure until the modern era. Knowledge of this process allows us to draw conclusions that the current ancestral varieties are to some extent the result of natural selection, because without much human intervention, plants had to cope with different conditions on their own.
The influence of external conditions on plants
Various factors influence the condition of a given plant species. Two main ones can be distinguished here. The first is the environment, including precipitation, temperature, humidity levels, and daylight levels. The second factor is the biological factor. These will be pathogens or herbivorous animals affecting the plant - because they determine the vitality of given plants in the environment in which they occur. In difficult conditions, only the strongest genes will survive. The stronger the genetics, the plant produces both more pollen and seeds than plants that are less able to cope with environmental or biological pressures. Therefore, family varieties are mainly adapted to the conditions in which they were grown.
How genetics conquers continents
Farmers trading indigenous regional seeds influence the genetic development of plants. Plants from geographical areas share common characteristics while maintaining a certain level of genetic diversity. A similar process took place with cannabis, which is the basis of modern hybrids. Such local varieties of marijuana include: Afghani, Durban Poison, Colombian Gold, Jamaican, Panama Red and Thai.
Classic breeding varieties
Based on the history of marijuana in the United States, we can conclude that the XNUMXs and XNUMXs were a time when the vast majority of the marijuana marketed in the US came from outdoor crops. This was due to the knowledge and agricultural tradition of those times. No one bothered to create better conditions for hemp, to take special care of it. As they were sown outside, they grew up and were cut down, and so on.
The beginning – hybrid marijuana
It is estimated that the early 60s were a breakthrough in the breeding of marijuana strains focused on high THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content. The breakthrough in the breeding of stronger marijuana strains began in North America. Jamaican and North American strains finished the flowering phase faster, but had relatively little potency. Breeders at the time began to cross these strains with longer-flowering but stronger strains from Panama, Colombia, and Thailand. They went further in their hybridization, selectively creating the most famous outdoor sativas of the 70s, the original Haze and Maui Wowie.
Farmers used the inbreeding method for this. It included the selection of female and male plants showing the desired characteristics. Then they pollinate the female varieties. Careful selection combined with inbreeding resulted in a unified line over several generations, in which all plants showed the characteristics that the breeders wanted. Thanks to this, stabilized varieties were created that retained the characteristic features of the strain.
So, in this category, we presented the top marijuana hybrids, which, thanks to the painstaking work of breeders described above, are now available to cannabis lovers and are further used to create new varieties of cannabis.