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Industrial Hemp in Oregon
- Thread starter socioecologist
- Start date
"Hsuan and team will be publishing later this fall, but it's very good news."
Is that published yet Seth?
-SamS
Is that published yet Seth?
-SamS
socioecologist
Member
We're in final manuscript preparation right now. Bit of a delay due to Hsuan landing a tenure-track dream job at NC State in January, but the results are the same as I described last summer. There is a ploidy block present in triploids. A very tiny amount of seed can be produced in 3n plants when heavily pollinated by 2n true males (less seed when pollinated by 4n), but it's a trivial amount relative to their diploid counterparts. Again, this just makes me wonder even more about your results. We've successfully made dozens of different triploid crossing combinations with the same results now. We shipped out the first certified organic, certified non-GMO commercial triploid seed to farmers this week.
I am glad you did get some seeds with 3n plants being pollinated by 2n males I got many more than you, some seemed over 90% of normal seeds they give, a few had only 10% or less. Let me know when published I am interested.
Another question for you, have you ever seen a high CBDA variety with 25% CBDA and zero THCA? Or even 25% CBDA and less than .3% THCA? I have not. -SamS
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Bump for Seth
thisisarolex
New member
do u mind if i ask you a question.
socioecologist
Member
We've seen so many fake COAs and outlandish claims over the past 6 years in the new US hemp industry. The best we can do is continue to educate farmers, but a significant portion of them fall for the "ultra high ratio" BS every year. The short answer to "are there very high content CBD varieties with less than 0.3% total THC?" is NO. The known CBDAS synthase variants cataloged to date all make THCA in similar proportions (the Onofri et al. 2015 paper is the best starting point for anyone other than Sam to start learning about synthase SNPs and their implications for overall cannabinoid production). I hadn't personally seen a test result over 20% total cannabinoids in a type III plant that was trustworthy until last summer. This plant contains the common GenBank accession KP970861 CBDAS and is a further inbred version of our "Lifter" mother. As expected, a 26:1 ratio.
There was some serious consideration in the past few years by reasonable scientists who believed that CBCAS gene clusters could be contributing to the small amount of total THC present in type III and type IV plants, but that has been eliminated as a possibility through experimentation. There have been two studies using RNA-Seq data published in the past year showing that CBCAS is not expressed, even when present. I'm curious to see these studies replicated with diverse germplasm, as there are several unique CBCAS cassettes that we know of--one associated with type III populations (co-located on chromosome 7, near CBDAS) and one associated with type I populations. The latter cassette contains fewer copies of CBCAS (3 instead of 6-9); I still can't figure out where it lives genomically speaking, but I do know that it is very unlikely to be co-located on chromosome 7 like the other cassette (the cassette has been introgressed successfully into type IV plants (with our null THCAS) in multiple varieties). That said, I have also found the larger, "typically type III" CBCAS cassette in at least one type I variety as well (via PacBio HiFi WGS). These newer WGS sequencing technologies allow us to fully phase assemblies, allowing for truly diploid representations (as opposed to haploid assemblies, which used to be as good as it gets). Definitely helps when trying to figure out where things are coming from (in the longer, evolutionary context).
In my personal opinion (and what we have pursued as a business strategy), the best way to create a truly compliant, high total cannabinoid type III variety is to introduce propyl production genes (thereby replacing the "leaked" THCA with unregulated THCVA).
There was some serious consideration in the past few years by reasonable scientists who believed that CBCAS gene clusters could be contributing to the small amount of total THC present in type III and type IV plants, but that has been eliminated as a possibility through experimentation. There have been two studies using RNA-Seq data published in the past year showing that CBCAS is not expressed, even when present. I'm curious to see these studies replicated with diverse germplasm, as there are several unique CBCAS cassettes that we know of--one associated with type III populations (co-located on chromosome 7, near CBDAS) and one associated with type I populations. The latter cassette contains fewer copies of CBCAS (3 instead of 6-9); I still can't figure out where it lives genomically speaking, but I do know that it is very unlikely to be co-located on chromosome 7 like the other cassette (the cassette has been introgressed successfully into type IV plants (with our null THCAS) in multiple varieties). That said, I have also found the larger, "typically type III" CBCAS cassette in at least one type I variety as well (via PacBio HiFi WGS). These newer WGS sequencing technologies allow us to fully phase assemblies, allowing for truly diploid representations (as opposed to haploid assemblies, which used to be as good as it gets). Definitely helps when trying to figure out where things are coming from (in the longer, evolutionary context).
In my personal opinion (and what we have pursued as a business strategy), the best way to create a truly compliant, high total cannabinoid type III variety is to introduce propyl production genes (thereby replacing the "leaked" THCA with unregulated THCVA).
Seth,
Glad you posted this, I have been telling folks for years that any high CBDA variety like 25% will have 1% THCA. But you know that folks do not want to listen and want to try themselves maybe because they do not understand genetics. Maybe in the future we will have varieties with a single version of CBDA synthase that does not make so much THCA that any high CBDA variety will have over .3% THC but today I believe most CBDA varieties have many different versions of CBDA synthase and that does give to much THCA to be below .3% THCA. The folks at TU Dortmund have been exploring growing the different CBDA synthases in vitro just one version at a time to gain understanding if they all produce THCA or if any can be found that produce much less THCA and then researchers could look for varieties that only have that CBDA synthase or breed one if no plants with just that CBDA exist in nature. I supplied them with many high CBDA varieties for their searches several years ago, they did have one paper that touched on this. We would already know this info except that extra high CBDA varieties are new and not enough is known if there are CBDA synthases that produce much less THCA than the more common CBDA synthases, the future of Cannabis will be interesting, that is for sure.
I also love how the Onofri et al. 2015 paper Sequence heterogeneity of cannabidiolic- and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid-synthase in Cannabis sativa L. and its relationship with chemical phenotype paper showed why the CBDA synthase is likely much older than the THCA synthase, that makes sense to me.
-SamS
Glad you posted this, I have been telling folks for years that any high CBDA variety like 25% will have 1% THCA. But you know that folks do not want to listen and want to try themselves maybe because they do not understand genetics. Maybe in the future we will have varieties with a single version of CBDA synthase that does not make so much THCA that any high CBDA variety will have over .3% THC but today I believe most CBDA varieties have many different versions of CBDA synthase and that does give to much THCA to be below .3% THCA. The folks at TU Dortmund have been exploring growing the different CBDA synthases in vitro just one version at a time to gain understanding if they all produce THCA or if any can be found that produce much less THCA and then researchers could look for varieties that only have that CBDA synthase or breed one if no plants with just that CBDA exist in nature. I supplied them with many high CBDA varieties for their searches several years ago, they did have one paper that touched on this. We would already know this info except that extra high CBDA varieties are new and not enough is known if there are CBDA synthases that produce much less THCA than the more common CBDA synthases, the future of Cannabis will be interesting, that is for sure.
I also love how the Onofri et al. 2015 paper Sequence heterogeneity of cannabidiolic- and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid-synthase in Cannabis sativa L. and its relationship with chemical phenotype paper showed why the CBDA synthase is likely much older than the THCA synthase, that makes sense to me.
-SamS
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thisisarolex
New member
socioecologist
Member
In 50 years? Probably. Right now, no. You ventured into one of those semi-rare moments in life when one of the world's foremost authorities on cannabis breeding--that's Sam--is interacting with a younger, less experienced colleague (that's me, hopefully the thread can provide some context here) while we collectively try to figure out existing reality and plan for the future by understanding the past. If you have something to contribute or a contrary opinion, by all means, please feel free to do so--that's how we all get a little closer to truth.
What has been published in academic literature, submitted to NCBI GenBank, shared to CoGe, and derived from sequence data on hundreds of thousands of samples by public and private labs is evident: no known fully functional CBDAS synthase variant significantly deviates from the CBDA:THCA ratio established in vitro (a study Sam alluded to). There are some nonfunctional CBDAS synthases that are capable of ultra low total THC levels, but the two known variants produce varying levels of CBGA as well. The point is: anyone who claims a "fully compliant" 20%+ CBDA variety is full of shit, end of story. The commercial hemp market is dominated by a very limited number of fully functional CBDAS allele variants, and for good reason (they are efficient vs. other synthases).
There is a great opportunity of interest in feral hemp collection in the US midwest and we hope to help identify new variants. It will be moving forward, but I can't say too much yet--the universities responsible for curation are in the application process. I sincerely doubt that a more pure CBDA chemotype produces evolutionary advantages, but it only takes a lifetime of work to find a needle in the haystack that could change that. Or, alternatively, a simple bureaucratic change moving the legal threshold to 0.3% to 1% would make that all unnecessary. It'll give a few dozen grad students a project to work on for the next 10 years either way.
fabietto83s
Active member
With the winter solstice quickly approaching, Nature reminds us that it's time to prepare for a new season of growth. What will 2021 hold? We've given up trying to predict this upside-down world and, instead, are focusing on what we can contribute to the collective shaping of a brighter future for all. The "Up Side of Down," if you will. Sometimes a simple shift in consciousness is all it takes.
2021 will mark our 7th year in hemp operations and our 6th season of providing the industry's leading feminized seed to farmers. For 2021, all of our seed is certified both organic and non-GMO. Attaining these important benchmarks provides an even higher level of trust in our production processes and more value to farmers in the commodity chain. Factor in the industry's leading feminization rates, best total cannabinoid yields per acre, a bevy of prestigious awards for our genetics, and the revolutionary "seedless" triploid breeding advancements we are introducing, and we believe farmers' choice of seed suppliers has become more clear than ever before.
Our whole team constantly strives to be more efficient, make even better varieties, and to give back wholeheartedly, especially in the face of catastrophe and challenges. The recent installation of 1.1 megawatts of solar generation capacity (2 acres of panels) at our main campus is our first step towards adding "net-zero" to the list of positive reasons to support Oregon CBD. More importantly, it provides a tangible manifestation of positive change and shows that hope is never lost--it emerges within those who choose to cultivate it.
This thread is really very interesting, especially the important development work you are doing is very interesting .. I am an Italian hemp grower, is there the possibility to buy your seeds from Italy?
socioecologist
Member
We are working to get export clearance for international sales now, hopefully we can by early summer 2021. In the mean time, if anyone is interested, I gave a short talk about our triploids and the development process for an Oregon State University grower's forum earlier this week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpehlYztWzs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpehlYztWzs
St. Phatty
Active member
I have an area about 1/2 the size of a city lot.
But there are loads of rodents & I don't want to use poison.
You use poison on rodents, you kill all the skunks and possums.
Either hemp growers have decided that's OK, or they found a way around it.
One way is to line the bottom of the grow area with wire mesh ... that's a lot of wire mesh.
OR, just grow them out to 3 feet in a protected place & transplant.
I guess if they're big plants that could work.
But there are loads of rodents & I don't want to use poison.
You use poison on rodents, you kill all the skunks and possums.
Either hemp growers have decided that's OK, or they found a way around it.
One way is to line the bottom of the grow area with wire mesh ... that's a lot of wire mesh.
OR, just grow them out to 3 feet in a protected place & transplant.
I guess if they're big plants that could work.
socioecologist
Member
Vole pressure has been really bad in our area the past few years, so bad that no-till vineyards are going out of business. To say that it is catastrophic would not be an overstatement. We would never use poison, but have definitely used traps, .17HMR, and other lethal means, but the most consistent results have been from bringing in Barn owls. We put up a bunch of these boxes last summer and now have a resident army of predators that work while we all sleep.
https://www.barnowlbox.com
https://www.barnowlbox.com
St. Phatty
Active member
Definitely, if you can get animals to do the job.
If only a herd of cats could be trained or confined to stay in a particular area.
The spring type of mouse-traps seems like a good compromise. Just set up a few hundred of those. It's hard on the rodents but it doesn't kill the skunks or possums.
I would like to find an animal that eats the TINY size of ant, the kind you get in kitchens etc.
socioecologist
Member
Ploidy fertility paper just went live:
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/6/923/htm
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/6/923/htm
It is an interesting read, I wish the best for you.
-SamS
-SamS
Seth, did you ever get permissions to export seed to the EU your export clearance for international sales?
-SamS
-SamS
