Sorting Out Genetics Questions, Advice?

[DGP]

So, I have taken a couple runs at this but each time I am not getting the results I am after. I have several hundred seeds that have good quality germination results (get about 90% germination rate). They are a back-cross of some Cheese Quake. In the past I just went with a batch of seeds or before that some clones I bought which I always wondered what I got each time.

Now I want to take this batch of seed I made to the level of consistent production.

Here is what has happened so far:

1. First sorting run I went for the biggest, most vigorous and quickest sprouting and growing seedlings. Out of al the seeds I sorted this one was numbered P2.

-P2 is a nice Indica dominant pheno but it doesn't clone worth a crap, it gets stressed out because it take so long to root that the clones end up going into flower on their own without a light change. Then it takes weeks for them to reveg.

2. Second sorting run I ended up with strong plants that were inconsistent in the end but the harvest looks good but each one of the 3 that I like have some sort of issue like one can't seem to get enough calmag no matter the amount I give her.

So, I am just wondering ( I did a search and didn't find much), how do the experts sort their genetics?

So far here is how I have been selecting:

1. I look for the bigger seeds that have a nice crater on the end and just look healthiest to me.

2. I watch to see which seeds germinate the quickest and put on leaves and just look more vigorous.

3. As they grow I look at color and overall vigor, root development speed and mass etc.

What do you all do when you sort? I am interested in what other gardeners do.

Thanks in advance,

Dee

 

[xavier7995]

I dont think it is really worth it to sort or do much selection based on seed characteristics, i dont think visual appearance has much to genetic potential.

I usually start a pretty decent amount seeds and then cull anything that seems overly slow/runty/etc. If it sucks to grow i dont want it. I will keep it if there is some unique characteristic that seems worth exploring. Mostly i just clone everything and then flower it all out to see what is there and then select the top few to do another round with to pick a winner.

Ultimately i am just looking for something unique or the best expression of something that isnt. It is hard to determine that without trying out the end product so i just clone it all so i can go back after i am sure.

 

[oldskol4evr]

first off ,you got run at least 25 to select from,if they shoot for the moon quick they go,most likely males,then the internode spaces,how many stems did it take to get to were there cross from each other i look for a min of third set of nodes,then base of stalk counts a lot for me,i wont healthy thick stalks from the start,ok you done all that weeded out some,then i start nit picking from structure abuse ,like fans blowing them over at small phase,a couple thumps here and there,then i let my babies get hot,as hot as they can handle,if you are feeding every 2 days in solo cups your getting there with some handlers,after all that what i havent weeded out i up pot and let um ride till they start moving again,the ones that are slow to come back quick leave the room,take a clone and make sure you sex them for further work at this point,when they been rocking about 3 weeks in new pots and you have sexed them already,flip them bitchs,put under the MH first 2 weeks while the headlights show up,then change your bulb to hps,also first 2 weeks of flower and MH bulb,i feed veg nutes,then start feeding feeding flowers,by that time you will know which are your pheno's,and adjust acordinly if you dig,i let my plant completly die before i harvest my seeds

 

[kansabis]

Well it all depends on what you want the end result to be,I tend to be of the opinion that vigor and health/pest and disease resistance are the top priorities first,then second would be the yield/node spacing,resin production,terps,etc. Also when breeding and using a male it helps to cross it to multiple differing females to help see what he is or isn't contributing. Good luck

 

[PhatNuggz]

my experience with seed selection has been sketchy at best. I have had really puny seeds produce excellent plants

im with oldskol, but who can afford 25 seeds, unless you're 'sittin on a sack a seeds'. what country song was that from? Oh, and i only grow 4-6 plants at a time

This grow 's seed parents were a backcross (supposedly) from med man Blueberry Cheesecake seeds.

And yet, all 4 look slightly different, with one being a nice indica dom. I pollinated her with the tall indica dom male, which im guessing has some sat it him to be ~ 30" tall

by the time I get this sorted, Ill be the one being planted :cool:

 

[MIMedGrower]

When I asked my favorite breeder about this he replied to always pick the plants with the best smell and structure. The rest of the traits we need tend to follow.

I’m sure this is the simple noobie answer. But his plants have yielded consistant flowers and yield through hundreds of seeds of different strains/crosses.