How do you pick your stud?

Breeder's Lab
70

I use several methods to select males at different times. It can vary depending on goals.

Here are some examples.

Branching/vigor/structure:

  1. Plants height is measured weekly, with notations of pot size. This allows me to compare them to their sisters or my other p1.

  2. I check and score topping response. I measure new stem growth daily after topping with notations on how many leaves are thrown in the new sets. I select for fast shoot growth and full leaf throw. Plants that take forever to respond or show poor leaf throw and short stem shooting score low.

  3. I measure internode spacing of the main stem every week up until week 4 in flower. The average gives me a good data if I want a tighter cola forming plant or wide open structure and grenades.

  4. Measure main stem width every 8 inches up the main stem weekly.

  5. Days in flower to final stretch. The 40/60 rule is pretty accurate indicator of overall flower time.

  6. Amount of stretch.

Resin production:

  1. Only use resin producing males ha.

  2. Resin production is graded and scored on flower through week 4. If it isnt producing well by then I dont use it. I also select for plants that produce massive amounts of the hairy stem trichs in veg.

Intersex selection:

  1. Jamb a finger in the dirt and disturb/abuse the roots on all 4 sides week 2 and 4 of flower. One of the best ways to test for intersex also known as the old school way to make fem seeds. Root manipulation is a strong test of stability. Discard any plants that show intersex traits.

  2. Overall observation for intersex throughout flower.

Terps:

  1. Stem rubs help if you know what you are looking for of course. Not all plants are true from stem rub to smoke. Drying male flowers then doing a crumble test in your hand is an excellent observation method albeit a little messy.

Color:

  1. Tom Hill put me on a tray of cuts in the fridge to evaluate for color.

  2. Color observations throughout flower.

Flower formation:

  1. Overall density of flowers. Depends on strain and your goals.

  2. What I call crowning is an idea of how much the top buds/colas grow past their last full leaf sets, this can be measured.

  3. Flower onset. That old dont select the first to flower line is bullshit. I record and select for the fastest flowering every time and my main line gorilla bubble has tested in the 30s. I want my plants to flower hard and fast. There is no linkage to early flower and intersex. They are two independent traits.

  4. Flower size, nut sacks can be measured individually like a single calyx and compared. Think giant sour d calyx or tight smaller c99 flower for example.

And on and on lol. These are just examples, of course it all depends on goals!

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