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interesting study on cloning

Dropped Cat

Six Gummi Bears and Some Scotch
Veteran
sam's thunk:


picture.php



Works every time.
 

Betterhaff

Well-known member
Veteran
I’ve had males root in water when I cut flower tops to ripen and collect pollen. Actually revegged one but it took a long time and work.

Always afraid to do regular clones in water because of rot.
 

Sign

Member
I've also had an easier time with males in straight water, not enough tries to make a conclusion but it's something I noticed too.
 

BongFu

Member
Interesting because I always get 100 percent strikes cutting leaves and leaving less than 3 sets of leaves on. Still good to see an actual study but I’ll happily stick with another technique that always yields 100 percent strike rates and healthy clones.
 

BongFu

Member
the study on cloning is part of a monograph entitled:
Propagation and Root Zone Management for Controlled Environment Cannabis Production
Author: Caplan, Deron M.

https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/xmlui/handle/10214/14249

ABSTRACT

Cannabis producers lack reliable information on the horticultural management of their crops. This thesis research was designed to improve horticultural practices for controlled environment cannabis production; topics included propagation, growing substrates, fertilization, and irrigation. To optimize the procedures for taking vegetative stem cuttings in cannabis, several factors were evaluated on how they affect rooting success and quality (Chapter Two). These included number of leaves, leaf tip removal, basal/apical position of cutting on the stock plant, and type of rooting hormone. Removing leaf tips reduced rooting success and cuttings with three fully-expanded leaves had higher rooting success and quality than those with two. Also, a 0.2% indole-3-butyric gel was more effective than a 0.2% willow extract gel to stimulate rooting and cutting position had no effect on rooting. Coir-based substrates with different physical properties were evaluated during the vegetative and flowering stage of cannabis production; optimal organic fertilizer rates were established for each substrate (Chapters Three and Four). During the vegetative stage, cannabis performed well in both tested substrates despite the ≈11% difference in container capacity (CC) between them. During the flowering stage, the substrate with lower CC increased floral dry weight (yield) and the concentration and/or yield of some cannabinoids, including THC, compared to the substrate with higher CC. The optimal organic fertilizer rate varied by substrate during the flowering stage but not during the vegetative stage; higher fertilizer rate during the flowering stage increased growth and yield but diluted some cannabinoids. Finally, the effects of controlled drought stress timing and frequency during the flowering stage were explored on floral dry weight and secondary metabolism (Chapters Five and Six). When drought was applied during week seven of the flowering stage, through gradual substrate drying over eleven days, floral concentration and content per unit growing area of major cannabinoids were increased. When drought was applied over a period of ≈8 days during week seven, cannabinoid content was similar to a well-watered control; though, dependent on drought timing, the content of some terpenoids varied. This research provided evidence-based information that can help growers improve the quality and yield of their cannabis crops.

Presentation:

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That's a great read. Thanks for posting the link !:biggrin:
 

Somatek

Active member
Interesting because I always get 100 percent strikes cutting leaves and leaving less than 3 sets of leaves on. Still good to see an actual study but I’ll happily stick with another technique that always yields 100 percent strike rates and healthy clones.

That was my initial reaction, it's unimpressive they're only getting a 70% success rate but then I stepped back and realised it'd be foolish to dismiss it just because it doesn't match my experience.

Since changing I've had quicker success and more importantly better root formation (not measured, purely observed). If you've created the right environment for 100% success, trying their way will probably just speed it up or give you denser roots.

I run a perpetual garden, so I'm always snipping clones and it was easy to test side by side. It's worth challenging your assumptions as it's improved my grow.
 

Veggia farmer

Well-known member
two subjects here now.. Nice to here about experiments:) had something say about cloning but forgot it after the drought subject came up..


Drought will effect the potency level ? Cacit works like that and some other herbs I think.. Espescially the plants that like sandy soil. Cannabis is natually sandy loam. Riverbanks I believe I have heard about.

container cap. what substrat? Bigger but looser?
 

BongFu

Member
That was my initial reaction, it's unimpressive they're only getting a 70% success rate but then I stepped back and realised it'd be foolish to dismiss it just because it doesn't match my experience.

Since changing I've had quicker success and more importantly better root formation (not measured, purely observed). If you've created the right environment for 100% success, trying their way will probably just speed it up or give you denser roots.

I run a perpetual garden, so I'm always snipping clones and it was easy to test side by side. It's worth challenging your assumptions as it's improved my grow.


I agree. Its funny how we as a culture we take on practices and these practices are seen as must do and then bam along comes a proper study. The thing is though I have always got 100 percent strike rates in about 10 - 12 days by cutting some leaf material so while I can't improve strike rates perhaps as you say I can improve root quality.
 
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BongFu

Member
two subjects here now.. Nice to here about experiments:) had something say about cloning but forgot it after the drought subject came up..


Drought will effect the potency level ? Cacit works like that and some other herbs I think.. Espescially the plants that like sandy soil. Cannabis is natually sandy loam. Riverbanks I believe I have heard about.

container cap. what substrat? Bigger but looser?


Yep they have just confirmed what hippies believed in the 60's. If you subject a plant to stress of any kind it produces more resin as part of the defense to this stress. Nothing new here but it is great to see that science is now confirming very old beliefs and practices that a lot of more advanced growers use to maximise quality. I'm really looking forward to seeing more on this type of thing. E.g. light colour spectrum and quality etc.
 

Somatek

Active member
Yep they have just confirmed what hippies believed in the 60's. If you subject a plant to stress of any kind it produces more resin as part of the defense to this stress. Nothing new here but it is great to see that science is now confirming very old beliefs and practices that a lot of more advanced growers use to maximise quality. I'm really looking forward to seeing more on this type of thing. E.g. light colour spectrum and quality etc.

If you read the full paper it's really looking at optimal irrigation strategies for keeping costs down, testing the cannabinoids was just to see if quality suffered more then testing if it specifucally raised them. So while properly irrigated crops produced slightly more then those that experienced water stress the difference was negligible and they achieved a 47% water reduction with draught. So for the slight yield increase it doesn't justify the added expense, especially as I believe the draught crops produced as much or more cannabinoids.

It also looked at flushing and found there was no reduction of nutrients in the plant matter comparing the flushed vs control crops. Challenging another long held assumption in the community.

https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/xmlui/handle/10214/12125

I'm also looking forward to seeing what their research discovers, it's a local university that's focused on Ag and is currently building a plant lab specifically to study pot. Exciting times to be alive, I hope they study things like defoliation to show one way or the other if it's effective.
 

BongFu

Member
If you read the full paper it's really looking at optimal irrigation strategies for keeping costs down, testing the cannabinoids was just to see if quality suffered more then testing if it specifucally raised them. So while properly irrigated crops produced slightly more then those that experienced water stress the difference was negligible and they achieved a 47% water reduction with draught. So for the slight yield increase it doesn't justify the added expense, especially as I believe the draught crops produced as much or more cannabinoids.

It also looked at flushing and found there was no reduction of nutrients in the plant matter comparing the flushed vs control crops. Challenging another long held assumption in the community.

https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/xmlui/handle/10214/12125

I'm also looking forward to seeing what their research discovers, it's a local university that's focused on Ag and is currently building a plant lab specifically to study pot. Exciting times to be alive, I hope they study things like defoliation to show one way or the other if it's effective.

Absolutely on defoliation although I think they will find it is effective with a whole bunch of considerations such as genetics, nutrient adjustments, level and timing of defoliation etc. Certainly studies have already been done on other dicots that demonstrate that some defoliation increases flower and fruit yield. And yes I have seen the flushing study - no surprises there for me.


On the drought stress - conclusion was


Drought increased the concentration of major cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THCA) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) by 12% and 13%, respectively, compared to the control. Further, yield per unit growing area of THCA was 43% higher than the control, CBDA yield was 47% higher, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) yield was 50% higher and cannabidiol (CBD) yield was 67% higher. Controlled drought stress may therefore be an effective horticultural management technique to maximize both floral weight and cannabinoid yield in cannabis, although results may differ with cannabis cultivar or chemotype.
 

positivity

Member
Veteran
Interesting. But how does drought differ from a wet dry cycle. Typically you don’t water until the pot dries out. You generally wait until it’s light but not so much you’ll hurt the roots.

Are we talking literally let the pot sit dry for an extended period. 1 hour...6 hours...
 

BongFu

Member
Interesting. But how does drought differ from a wet dry cycle. Typically you don’t water until the pot dries out. You generally wait until it’s light but not so much you’ll hurt the roots.

Are we talking literally let the pot sit dry for an extended period. 1 hour...6 hours...


Best to read the paper very carefully. Definitely a high risk practice that should be approached with great care.
 

Dropped Cat

Six Gummi Bears and Some Scotch
Veteran
I have been testing coco DTW plants with dry-ish medium conditions
the last weeks of flower and will agree that flowering plants in coco with
moist vs wet is yielding better smoking yields.

Your mileage will vary, natch.
 

Somatek

Active member
On the drought stress - conclusion was


Drought increased the concentration of major cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THCA) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) by 12% and 13%, respectively, compared to the control. Further, yield per unit growing area of THCA was 43% higher than the control, CBDA yield was 47% higher, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) yield was 50% higher and cannabidiol (CBD) yield was 67% higher. Controlled drought stress may therefore be an effective horticultural management technique to maximize both floral weight and cannabinoid yield in cannabis, although results may differ with cannabis cultivar or chemotype.

Were those results consistent? I thought the results varied and they concluded the effect was in relation to pot size.

The paper I linked conpared 3 crops; 2 saw a reduction in cannabinoids & 1 increased, the yields were slightly lower in 2 but the same (possibly slightly higher) in the 3rd. Which is what I was basing my comment on, the results don't seem to be conclusive but they have consistently found the difference to be negligible compared to the water savings. Sorry if I wasn't clear and seemed to be contradicting you instead of elaborating on the one studies results.
 

Somatek

Active member
Are we talking literally let the pot sit dry for an extended period. 1 hour...6 hours...

No, if you read the full paper their creating and controlling the water stress by measuring VPD and other metrics to gauge 2 different levels of water availability. Essentially it's just a much more controlled version of maintaining a good wet dry cycle. It's worth reading the whole paper and looking at the data, but at this point it seems to reinforce both arguments; optimal watering usually yields a bit more but from a purely economic viewpoint slight water stress is more cost effective at large scale.
 

BongFu

Member
Were those results consistent? I thought the results varied and they concluded the effect was in relation to pot size.

The paper I linked conpared 3 crops; 2 saw a reduction in cannabinoids & 1 increased, the yields were slightly lower in 2 but the same (possibly slightly higher) in the 3rd. Which is what I was basing my comment on, the results don't seem to be conclusive but they have consistently found the difference to be negligible compared to the water savings. Sorry if I wasn't clear and seemed to be contradicting you instead of elaborating on the one studies results.

All good chap I didn’t take it as you were contradicting me.
 

BongFu

Member
I have been testing coco DTW plants with dry-ish medium conditions
the last weeks of flower and will agree that flowering plants in coco with
moist vs wet is yielding better smoking yields.

Your mileage will vary, natch.


I expect you will find this is because of the air to water relatioship in the substrate. The thesis goes through this also finding that higher numbers of irrigations in a well aerated coir substrate yielded better than fewer irrigations in a substrate with lower air capacity.
 

BongFu

Member
No, if you read the full paper their creating and controlling the water stress by measuring VPD and other metrics to gauge 2 different levels of water availability. Essentially it's just a much more controlled version of maintaining a good wet dry cycle. It's worth reading the whole paper and looking at the data, but at this point it seems to reinforce both arguments; optimal watering usually yields a bit more but from a purely economic viewpoint slight water stress is more cost effective at large scale.


Hey just quickly on this the point of introduing drought stress in the study was based on well known science that drought stress increases oil production in medicinal crops so the hypothesis began at by inducing drought stress it is feasible we can increase THC etc percentage in cannabis.


i.e. from paper


Drought stress is a major stimulator of secondary metabolites in plants. This is exemplified in herbs and spices cultivated in semi-arid regions such as the Mediterranean. Intermittent drought 89
and high solar radiation in these areas has been attributed to aromatic herbs and spices with abundant essential oil (Kleinwächter and Selmar, 2015). In the literature, there are no reports on the effects of drought stress in cannabis; however, secondary metabolite accumulation due to drought stress has been documented in a number of other herbaceous species (Baher et al., 2002; Bettaieb et al., 2009; Kleinwächter and Selmar, 2015). In Summer savory (Satureja hortensis), plants that were highly drought stressed during the flowering stage had 31% higher essential oil concentration than a well-watered control (Baher et al., 2002). Likewise, drought stress increased essential oil concentration in lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) and lemon catmint (Nepeta cataria L. f. citriodora) compared to a well-watered control but did not for sage (Salvia officinalis L.). Though concentrations were higher, essential oil yield (by growing area) of lemon catmint and lemon balm was lower in the drought-stressed plants because of reduced growth and harvestable plant material.


Another hypothesis they wanted to test was: "Drought stress timing is also essential to minimize yield losses and maximize essential oil yield and the concentration of secondary metabolites; differences in growth stage and natural timing of phytochemical accumulation must be considered by species (Petropoulos et al., 2004)."


Finding was


Yield and cannabinoids
Yield in the control was 178 ± 9.4 g·m-2 and was 232 ± 18.5 g·m-2 in the drought treatment but yield did not differ statistically between the two treatments (P = 0.06; n = 3). The moisture content of the dried and cured floral material was 8 ± 0.1 % in the control, 11% lower than that in the drought treatment, at 9 ± 0.1 % (P = 0.01; n = 3). Henceforward, the floral dry weight and cannabinoid contents are corrected to zero percent moisture.
Of the analyzed cannabinoids, all were detected in at least one sample, these included: THC, THCA, CBD, CBDA, CBG, CBGA, and CBN. In the drought treatment, only one sample had a detectable concentration of CBG and CBN, and in the control there were no samples with detectable CBN; therefore, comparisons could not be made for these cannabinoids, and the means for CBN were not presented.
The drought treatment elicited a 12% increase in THCA concentration and a 13% increase in CBDA concentration but had no effect on the concentrations of the other detected cannabinoids
98
(Table 5.3, top). Drought had substantial effects on cannabinoid yield, expressed as grams of cannabinoid from floral material per unit growing area (g·m-2). In the drought treatment, THC yield was 50% higher, THCA yield was 43% higher, CBD yield was 67% higher, and CBDA yield was 47% higher than in the control (Table 5.3, bottom).


Conclusion equals


Discussion
The controlled drought treatment used in this study substantially increased the concentrations of both major cannabinoids, THCA and CBDA as well as yield of THCA, CBDA, THC, and CBD compared to the control. These results suggest that the level of drought stress applied in the present study was adequate to stimulate cannabinoid production without reducing yield for this cultivar.


So no the hypothesis that drought stress could be used to improve oil yields was demonstrated. Also the hypothesis that if drought stress was implemented correctly yield losses (re harvested dried product) may not result was also demonstated.


Look over the paper more carefully - I think you might find you've misread/misinterpreted the data.. I wanted to go back to it myself to look more closely before commenting further.
 

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