Cross Strain Breeding Help Needed

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
Hey everyone, I'm working on making my own cross strain for the first time. I just collected pollen from a male and I put it in some folded aluminum foil and put it in some Tupperware with some rice (for humidity control) and then threw it in the freezer.

My plan is to take some seeds that i want to pollenate and do 12/12 from seed and then pollinate the small plant when it starts to flower and just harvest the seeds from that. Would I be correct in doing it that way? Or would i have to let the plant go through the veg cycle some first before I pollenate. I know its gonna go through its own veg cycle even if I do 12/12 from seed because a plant wont flower until its ready. Once I get my first batch of seeds I plan on maybe growing some of those and trying to feminize them.

my main questions are

- is it ok to do 12/12 from seed in order to pollenate a strain?
-how many times to I have to pheno hunt and do selective breeding before I get a stable strain?
- How long is frozen pollen really viable for?
- If I pheno hunt can I pollenate my best females with the same original saved pollen and continue that cycle until stable? Or must I get new pollen from a male child?

Thanks everyone
 

Alter Jean

Well-Known Member
Throwing it straight in the freezer prolly killed the pollen

- is it ok to do 12/12 from seed in order to pollenate a strain?
Sure but why the rush?

-how many times to I have to pheno hunt and do selective breeding before I get a stable strain?
Depending on what you're starting with.. You could have hundreds of genes to go through

- How long is frozen pollen really viable for?
The way you have done it? - negative 24 hours

- If I pheno hunt can I pollenate my best females with the same original saved pollen and continue that cycle until stable? Or must I get new pollen from a male child?
That depends.. What characteristics or traits do you want to impart from one strain to another?
You would technically making a Back cross. I advise to just do some reading or following some of the people on here that are playing with pollen to a serious degree.
 
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Tracker

Well-Known Member
I have the following books for reference. I'm sure there are other good ones, but these have been good for me:

Green, Greg, The Cannabis Breeder's Bible, 2005

Clarke, Robert Connell, An Advanced Study: The Propagation and Breeding of Distinctive Cannabis

- is it ok to do 12/12 from seed in order to pollenate a strain?
Yes

-how many times to I have to pheno hunt and do selective breeding before I get a stable strain?
Each successive filial generation will narrow down the gene pool. Backcross generations will narrow in favor of the crossed parent. Selfed generations will be significantly narrower gene pool than crossing with something else, even a filial cross.
If every generation is a filial cross, then you can get pretty consistent by f4 or f5. The deeper you go in selecting for particular characteristics, the higher percentage of the offspring will show those traits. For true breeding you've got to get a good grasp on dominant, recessive, and multi allele traits. There has to be good tracking and an understanding of statistics to see how the desired traits express themselves in the population.

- How long is frozen pollen really viable for?
I've never used pollen older than a few months. I've read that it can be good for at least a year if stored properly

- If I pheno hunt can I pollenate my best females with the same original saved pollen and continue that cycle until stable? Or must I get new pollen from a male child?
You can do it as long as the pollen stays viable. That would be backcrossing, and each successive backcross would lean more toward the characteristics of the male. It just depends which way you want to go with it.
 

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
Throwing it straight in the freezer prolly killed the pollen


Sure but why the rush?


Depending on what you're starting with.. You could have hundreds of genes to go through


The way you have done it? - negative 24 hours



That depends.. What characteristics or traits do you want to impart from one strain to another?
You would technically making a Back cross. I advise to just do some reading or following some of the people on here that are playing with pollen to a serious degree.
Well there’s been numerous people who put pollen in the freezer with 0 issues if done right. I actually followed a guide on how to freeze pollen and was told this way by multiple breeders as well…
 

80skunk

Well-Known Member
Well there’s been numerous people who put pollen in the freezer with 0 issues if done right. I actually followed a guide on how to freeze pollen and was told this way by multiple breeders as well…
Hi how did the pollen turn out ? thanks
 
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