Page 13 - Landscape SA 96

FEATURE

CANNABIS SEEDS, STRAINS AND

LIGHTING

Previous issues of Landscape SA have covered different aspects of cannabis since the
Constitutional Court declared, in 2018, that it was not a criminal offence for an adult
citizen to use, possess or grow cannabis in private for personal consumption. This is the
fifth article in the series, looking at seeds and strains of the plant.

ith regards to seeds vs clones and large scale production, it will be difficult of either the Indica or Sativa strain is ideal
their growing techniques, seeds to obtain uniformity in the final product for recreational or medicinal purposes. It
Wgerminate by being activated as there will be slight variations in colour, is difficult to quantify how many different
by moisture, making them reliable, easy height and taste. Growing cannabis from types of strains there are, as there are so
and accessible. Clones are cuttings from seeds can have a more satisfying end result many that are undocumented and so
existing mother plants that are then as many people see it as the ‘pure’ way to many that are being created on a daily
dipped into a hormone gel or powder grow. Cloning enables one to cultivate vast basis.
which is inserted into a moisturised numbers of a specific phenotype related
substrate where rooting development to the mother plant; it saves time and Lighting
will take place during the course of two to delivers exactly the preferred features of
three weeks. Clones are fast and efficient, the mother plant. The main restriction will HPS lights, better known as high pressure
and carry the exact traits of the mother be that one is limited to that phenotype. sodium light, is a specific type of gas-
plant. discharge light. As indicated by the name,
Seed genetics can vary greatly as there high pressure sodium vapour lights
Either way is preferable but for large scale are multiple phenotypes and clones are a operate at a higher internal pressure and
productions, clones are advantageous more stable representation of the mother typically require a ‘warm up’ period in
as they can be multiplied several times plant. order to evaporate the internal gas into
and will be of the same phenotype. The plasma.
similarities between the two are that they Strains
both favour the same environment of high Light emitting diode (LED) grow lights are
humidity and blue light spectrum for root A strain refers to the cultivar, botanical energy efficient lights that are an option
development. lineage, terpene and chemical profile of for indoor growers. Unlike other types of
the plant, as well as its unique sensory grow lights, LEDs do not burn a filament,
The benefit of seeds is that one is able to characteristics such as appearance and but instead pass light through semi-
obtain unique phenotypes; however with smell. High THC (tetrahydro-cannabidiol) conductors to create their spectrum. LED

Cannabis sativa Durban Poison Strain

Landscape SA • Issue 96 2020 11