F1 hemp strain

Looking at the hemp industry, it’s incredible to see the amount of development that has occurred since legalization. Excitingly, we have reached a point where cutting-edge plant science is being applied to commercial hemp production. These advancements have opened new doors of understanding on breeding premium CBD hemp strains.

As pioneers of the CBD space, High Grade Hemp Seed has developed an extensive knowledge-base on hemp genetics. To this end, our goal is to help you better understand the technical nuances of choosing hemp seeds. A particularly pressing issue for modern hemp farmers is understanding the F1 and F2 generation definition.

The abbreviations “F1” and “F2” refer to the genetic lineage of a particular hemp plant. More specifically, they describe how many generations of breeding have occurred from the original in-bred genetics from which the hemp plant was derived. This is important because F1 and F2 hemp plants of the same strain can have dramatically different characteristics.

In order to make the best hemp seed purchases possible, it’s critical to educate yourself on the differences between F1 and F2 genetics. Every growing season, countless hemp farmers go broke because they used the wrong genetics. To help ensure your success next growing season, High Grade Hemp Seed put together this brief exploration into F1 and F2 strains.

What do F1 and F2 Mean in Hemp Seeds?

In the world of plant genetics, the acronyms F1 and F2 refer to the genetic heritage of a particular hemp plant.
The term F1 means “first filial generation, or the genetic cross between two genetically distinct plants.” F2 refers to the next generation of hemp plants that results from breeding two F1 plants.

F1 hemp plants are cross-bred from two distinct in-bred lines (IBL) of plants. In hemp cultivation circles, IBL strains are also referred to as “homozygous plants.” These strains are in-bred for uniformity for several generations with the goal of controlling dominant genetic traits. In essence, the hybrid offspring of IBL strains comprise the entire catalog of hemp genetics available today.

F1 genetics are sought after by hemp farmers because these hybrids produce robust and consistent offspring. This predictability in crop performance is a huge asset in commercial hemp production. As such, by purchasing verified F1 strains, you give yourself the best chance of having a good harvest.

 

Why are F1 Hemp Seeds Better than F2?

The reasons why F1 hemp seeds are better than F2 seeds can be explained by how genes express themselves in different generations of cross-bred plants. Importantly, F2 hemp plants often display stunted and abnormal growth due to the expression of recessive alleles.

The encyclopedia definition of allele is as such, “also called allelomorph, [alleles are] any one of two or more genes that may occur alternatively as a given site (locus) on a chromosome. Alleles may occur in pairs, or there may be multiple alleles affecting the expression (phenotype) of a particular trait.”

What’s critical to note here is that recessive alleles can remain hidden in F2 hemp strains for generations. However, when the F2 is bred with the wrong plant, the recessive alleles can surface and wreak havoc on a crop. The worst part being, you won’t have any idea when these recessive traits will surface.
Due to the fact that the genetic expression of F2 hemp plants is so difficult to predict, we also recommend that you don’t attempt to breed them. To illustrate, experts feel “once you get past F1, it becomes really advanced breeding. F2’s can be a big mess if they aren’t done right.”

F1 hemp seeds are better than F2s because they offer more predictable crops. Even more, studies have proven that F1 cross genetics grow more vigorously than more F2 strains. As commercial hemp farming already faces great challenges with weather and bugs, why not eliminate as much risk as possible by using F1 genetics?

What are the Best F1 Hemp Strains?

At High Grade Hemp Seed, all of our hemp strains are F1 hybrids. That being said, you can trust that our hemp seeds and starts will set you up for success next growing season. Even more, you can rest easy knowing you are circumventing the extra problems that come with growing F2 hemp strains.

Here are a few of our most highly sought-after hemp strains:

Cherry Wine

Cherry Wine is one of our most popular CBD strains at High Grade Hemp Seed. This F1 hybrid features uniform hemp plants that consistently produce quality flowers. Even more, Cherry Wine maximizes CBD production while keeping THC levels below 0.03%.

Merlot

Merlot was carefully bred to maximize CBD production as well as robust plant growth. These F1 hemp seeds are a sure bet for a reliable crop of top-shelf flowers. Even more, their strong terpene profile will leave a lasting impression – in both flowers and concentrates.

Trophy Wife

High Grade Hemp Seed puts serious energy into breeding Trophy Wife. This high CBD strain is the result of breeding a homozygous Cherry Wine male with a Wife S1 phenotype. The end result is a vigorous hemp strain that consistently produces CBD-rich flowers.

ArkRyder

ArkRyder is one of the crowning achievements of our breeding program at High Grade Hemp Seed. With robust growth and high CBD ratios, this F1 strain represents the very best in current hemp genetics.

EliRae

Our breeders went above-and-beyond with EliRae, as they fused our foundational feminized hybrids in a single strain. EliRae plants regularly put up 600 gram harvests with an amazing CBD ratio of 20:1.

Contact High Grade Hemp Seed

High Grade Hemp Seed is at the forefront of plant breeding in the hemp industry. Contact Us to discuss our award-winning hemp genetics in more detail.