Hokkaido: Out and Back
It’s been an interesting journey into the gene pool of Hokkaido Hemp. Sure, having a selection of about 100 plants can do wonders to the genetics expressed in the subsequent generation, but what I’m seeing is still astounding nonetheless. My original experimentation with the previous (P4) generation led to an idea I just couldn’t shake...
“How divergent is this Landrace from all of these other F1 polyhybrids that seem to dominate the market?”
I mean, it would seem to me that the market is so volatile with what’s hot and popular. An example would be how parental stock ends up becoming less well known compared to seemingly quick outcrosses just a few generations away. I didn’t want to seriously breed these kinds of bastard crosses because the deeper I look into their lineage, I’m almost always met with the same unknown males and potential hermaphroditic ancestry. I want to create my own building blocks that aren’t going to just fade into the horizon. If I’m going to dedicate years of work to breeding stable lines, they damned sure better be unique or at least therapeutic in their cannabinoid/terpene expression.
“But realistically, how long does it take to work a Landrace seemingly destined for an eternity of selection toward low THC/high fiber back to its former glory - or at least create something that’s useful and relevant medicine in the modern age?”
Looking at the P5 gen, I can’t help but think how I’m already seeing attributes that are unexpected. Even if their cannabinoid levels are still unknown, I have seen expressions of outcrosses that seem to improve several aspects simultaneously. Okay, so there might be a minor loss in total terpenes (A.K.A. how nasally loud the plant is in flower), but it’s closer to 75% strength compared to the mother stock. Trichome coverage is more carpeted, especially on the Green Cheese and Blue Dream outcrosses, but even so on the pure line compare to the previous generation. I will not know for certain until I go further down these lines, but I am seeing very nice vigor and structure on these plants. Denser bud development, although still soft in the middle, and heavy purpling even though the Hokkaido #3 (P4) male showed no color expression other than green. HPLC testing a couple of these standouts will give me some answers, but I should really be testing and Tissue Culturing every expression to get a better idea of spread. Even though I started with 4 of each outcross and 4 pure Hokkaido, I ended up with both sensimilla and some small seeded testers.
A quick mention - because I think it’s worth discussing - I found that when testing regular seed it’s helpful to top plants as early as it makes sense to. I like using a deep water cloner, but I have used starter plugs in a humidity dome with success. The main point here is to root the clone in a different environment under a 12/12 light cycle while the mother plant remains in veg and recovers from the removal of her apical meristem. By rooting the clone under flowering conditions, you can determine the sex of the mother stock while still in a small 4” container - saving precious space in the grow room. The flowering clones can be pollinated with a choice male at this point. This works really well if you are back crossing and have a male or female from the previous generation ready to donate/receive pollen just as the clone starts to show sex. I was able to observe traits like height, node spacing, flower development, gland coverage, terpene profiles, and color expression all while making a small batch of seeds to see which direction the next round of breeding should take. I find that it’s easier to determine what should be culled if space (and plant count) is limited, but you still need to test a larger population. By Tissue Culturing in lots of 4, you can back up and save a lot of plants while remaining compliant with plant count limitations. This way, lines can be tested in this manner until something truly stands out. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t find something remarkable right away, have patience, and go with what smells and effects you enjoy. :0)
Furthermore, I am going to get more in depth on some of these outcrosses, including pictures and flower reports. It would be nice to get the community involved with testing and feedback on some of these, as I think there is something to be desired in most of these lines. I doubt I’ll pursue them much further, but come spring I may change my mind when I see how some of these do outdoors.
~Judo