F1 Hybrid Varieties

Marijuana Horticulture

by Jorge Cervantes

An F1 hybrid population is obtained by crossing two unrelated, true breeding varieties. F1 hybrids are unique in that they are uniform when grown from seed, but, like all hybrids, are genetically unstable. If reproduced sexually by inbreeding within the F1 population, the subsequent generation will be neither uniform nor similar to the F1 generation.

One of the major benefits of F1 seed to the grower is a condition known as hybrid vigor, or heterosis. Hybrid vigor occurs when the progeny resultant from crossing the two parental inbred lines exceed the performance of the parental lines in some character, or most often in sets of characters (F1 < or > P1 or P2).

F1 hybrids are often bigger and more robust and grow faster than either of the parent populations used in the creation of the F1 population. For example, a (Skunk#1 x Blueberry) F1 hybrid may grow faster and yield more than either the pure Skunk #1 or Blueberry parent populations. Often, heterosis is apparent as a tolerance to adverse environmental conditions.

F1 seed production has benefits to the breeder or seed maker, as well as the grower. True breeding seed can be easily reproduced by open-pollination. Most seed companies have no interest in selling easily reproduced seeds. This is as true of corn as it is of cannabis. Very few companies that do take the time and effort to breed stable parent stock release it in a pure from. Most make and release hybrids, as certain competitor companies’ sole mission is t create knockoff versions of lines released by those who have actually taken the time to develop new true-breeding lines. By releasing only hybrids of their pure lines, seed banks ensure the customer come back to buy more of the F1 seed each time they wish to do a new seed planting of the variety. They also protect the investment of their long term breeding effort by removing the possibility that a competitor will reproduce their work and sell it as their own.

Unfortunately, breeders of cannabis drug varieties have no recourse to the law when others reproduce and market their years of work. Due to the illegal nature of the plant, drug cannabis varieties are not protected by the various plant breeder’ rights legislation around the world. There is, however, at least one drug type cannabis cone registered for plant protection in Holland. The clone registered as “Medsins” is owned for use by a pharmaceutical company licensed to grow cannabis for pharmaceutical production.