Overview
Notably, most cannabis cultivators have at least a first-level genetics program in their nursery and propagation operations. Maintaining mothers and propagating by clone is a tried and tested technique used by cultivators around the world. Hereafter we’ll mostly be discussing more extensive breeding and storage strategies when we refer to in-house genetics programs. Also of note is the loosening of seed sourcing recently; per the DEA and numerous commentators, the 2018 Farm Bill has opened the genetics market to a whirlwind of new strains and cultivars. With those points in mind, let’s get into genetics programs in general.
First, let’s get into some of the ins and outs.
In-house Genetics Program Pro's and Cons
Pros of in-house genetics programs:
- Ease of propagation
- Develop and maintain consistent product lines
- Select for flavor, smell, bag appeal, yield
- Select and tailor for unique growing environments, maximizing efficiency
- Respond to changing tastes and popularity
Cons of an in-house genetics program:
- Takes up space
- Pollen-based breeding is a contamination risk
- Hermaphroditism is also a concern with newer genetics and stabilization projects
- May take up plant count/canopy
- Can be costly to maintain
- Takes significant training
- Can take time to produce results
- And sometimes produces unavoidable and unfavorable results
So, how do these points inform the choice to have an in-house genetics program, and what types of techniques to employ? Admittedly it seems risky. There’s a lot of potential cost to shoot for an apparently narrow target if you engage in breeding. But there’s more to managing a strain library.
Genetics Programs - the Basics
Nurseries, either as a business model or a specific license type, offer a lot in terms of handling everything from breeding to selection to in some cases even propagation. For smaller cultivators like the quickly growing sector of microbusinesses, a relationship with a nursery can be a great choice when canopy space or plant count is strictly limited. For larger growers, it’s a good way to acquire clean genetics from a trusted source without the added infrastructure of a breeding program.
A big up-and-coming player in genetics library management is tissue culture (or “TC”). By adopting these methods, cultivators can increase their strain library and maintain strains over time with greater consistency and similar ease of propagation to mother/clone techniques, which TC often supplements. This is a great way to manage genetics while saving production space but can be an investment of anything from several hundred to several hundred thousand dollars, depending on scale and scope. Some nutrients and chemical suppliers offer tissue culture product lines and training, so it’s worth checking to see if you can leverage an existing relationship when entering into TC methods.
As for traditional breeding and selection, this can be a huge investment of time, space, and money, but the rewards are often worth it.
Starting with phenotype or seed hunting, there is huge utility to propagating many seeds in an environment that closely mimics your company’s production environment to select the phenotype that best suits your specifications. Lots of old-school genetics reacted in unexpected way to the advent of the LED, for example, and a strain yielding big in living soil may not love deep water culture, or vice-versa. Staying abreast of trends in genetics and bringing on new, hype strains is essential to continued success for cannabis cultivators the world over, but don’t underestimate how careful selection from seed stock can help increase efficiency in your operation.
When it comes to breeding in-house, things can be tricky. It offers enhanced versions of the same benefits of pheno-hunting discussed above, along with the further possibility of developing trendsetting strain profiles and names that will be attached to your company while tailoring breeding projects to your specific production needs. Whatever your opinion of the company, businesses like Cookies have been cutting-edge in leveraging their genetics program(s) to drive demand for specific, recognizable genetics. On a more small-to medium scale, premier Colorado hash-house Green Dot Labs has had tremendous recognition locally with their themed strain families, with themes ranging from Famous Artists to Trippy Rips, All the Colors of the Rainbow, and Pool Bar Menu.
Conclusions
There are event coordinators curating themed cannabis menus for weddings, birthdays, and funerals. Expansive buffets of cultivars bring in wide ranges of flavors, effects, and names to delight even the most old-school stoner deep in their Acapulco-Golden-years. Breeders on the white, grey, and black markets continue to churn out new, enhanced flavors and yields, even seeing success in targeting certain rare cannabinoids and terpenes. The possibilities seem truly endless.
While all the strategies above can be employed, together or a la carte, to great success, it’s important to choose the right strategy for your business. Looking for support in fielding, maintaining, or improving your own genetics program? Contact us using the form below and let’s see how Fire Business Strategies can help your business blaze.
