THE HOAX

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

I'll agree whole-heatedly on one thing that's not so technical, and that's the best buds 20 or even 25 years ago were heaps better than the best buds I can score today. I'd certainly agree the generic level of pot is heaps more consistently stronger, but buds that made time stand still, buds that made you catatonic, once I didn't even finish a cone, and yet couldn't drive home.

 

It's something that can't bemeasured, it's memories, but I know what you mean by that comment uncle arthur.

 

I was at a bar b q a couple years back and a smell familiar from 20 odd years back woke everybody up. That real rancid thai smell.

The bloke has een living in the sticks for years, same strain..best grass I'd had since I was a kid.

 

but he was busted about 6 months back, so I imagine that's the end of that.

 

rob

[Al B. Fuct]

The author touches on a second issue, being the issue of UV-B photons. I guess the point of his essay was to show that most of the weed we smoke is shit, because most of the weed we smoke is pollination controlled and isn't exposed to UV-B photons which promote the highest production of THC, since HID lights have glass that block UV-B. Since HID is very popular, as is the old sinsemilla techniques, compared to the best stuff we are still smoking mids. Then again, we are still smoking better shit on average than they had in the 70s, but our best is nowhere near their best.

 

But yeah, thats about it.

 

Regrettably, the author has neglected some really basic science.

 

There's no such thing as a 'UV-B photon'; photons are photons. How fast a photon is vibrating determines what part of the spectrum in which it will appear, but no matter the speed of vibration, it's still a photon.

 

Further to that, HID lamps used in horticulture employ borosilicate (Pyrex) glass envelopes- which doesn't block UV. Borosilicate is used in HID and in UVA, UVB & UVC fluorescent tube envelopes mainly because it passes about 92% or better of wavelengths shorter than about 800-850nm (those wavelengths comprising visible light on through the UV region at 250nm)- but does so while blocking the wavelengths longer than 800-850, those longer wavelength emissions being identifiable as heat of various wavelengths and characters.

 

This is all is aside from some conjecture as to what effect UV of varying frequencies has on cannabis. There's a definite dearth of replicatable, peer reviewed research on the topic, mainly because governments (esp the US govt) have quite deliberately restricted research into cannabis cultivation and physiological effects of cannabis grown in different manners.

[FrankWills]

Gday,

 

 

I've dealt with the works of MarijuanaOptics since it was first published around 2002. It's since had a few updates and eidts to rectify a few mistakes and typo errors that it origianally had. I cover this subject to some extent at OG CW and Reeferman amongst a few other forums over the years. It seems I'm one of the ones who understands it totally and thought I may be able to shed some light on those having a little trouble understanding it. Below are a summary of the MOST relevant paragraphs JoeKnuck made in the order he made them in. All the other paragraphs are really sumation and supportive paragraphs to the ones preceding and following them; which are the ones I have outlined below. In quotation boxes is the paragraph as it appears in the journal and below each one I give a laymans explination of the main issue it is attempting to portray.

 

 

 

 

In relevant sequential order as they appear.

 

 

Of all the ways that optics are involved in the phytochemical production of THC, the most interesting has to be how the head cells and cannabinoid molecules are tremendously magnified (8) by the resin sphere. These and other facts are curiously absent from the literature. The footnotes update the literature to include electrostatic separation of the resin sphere from the dried plant material and marijuana parthenocarpy.

 

Of all the ways that optics are involved in the cannabis plant’s chemical production of THC, the most interesting has to be how the head cells and cannabinoid molecules are tremendously magnified by the resin sphere that develops on top of the trichome stalk which contains the resin itself . These and other facts were curiously absent from some literature on the subject that the author was reading in an effort to research this topic. I would assume the ‘literature’ Joe refers to would have been written by an authority on the subject and it seemed puzzling to Joe Knuc as to how this could have happened considering its’ vital relevance and the high level of ability of the researcher/s involved. ‘IN OTHER WORDS’, it seems to me that he is making a sort of sarcastic comment as to why they left out what he is about to reveal from their research document, given that it was obvious that they’d have easily known about it themselves.

 

I put it that there may have been some higher level of intervention in suppressing the facts from the public. Which would have concealed from us the essence of creating highly potent resin when growing our plants. If so, then they did the wrong thing, and their efforts to suppress the truth has now obviously failed. As is always the case with every truth in time, it can only be suppressed for so-long, but never eternally.

 

 

(1) "For all spheres, a ray drawn perpendicular to the sphere's surface will intersect the center of the sphere, no matter what spot on the surface is picked, and the magnifying power(a) of a glass sphere is greater the smaller its size. A sphere of glass can also bring light that is heading to a focus behind it to a point within it, with freedom from two aberrations, spherical aberration and coma, but not from chromatic aberration. Chromatic aberration results when different wavelengths are focused on different planes and is the most difficult of the aberrations to correct. The human eye lens also exhibits chromatic aberration, but a yellow pigment( called the macula lutea in the fovea, an area at the rear of the eyeball, corrects this problem by the way it absorbs blue light."

 

(a)"The formula to calculate the magnifying power of a sphere is l=333/d, where l is the magnifying power and d is the diameter of the sphere expressed in mm."

 

(b)Interestingly, the resin exuded by drug-type flowering female marijuana plants has a yellow tint. Could this pigment work to correct chromatic aberration in the resin sphere like the macula lutea does in the fovea for the eyeball?

 

 

All glass spheres work as light magnifiers whose focal point, or point of focus, is in their centre.

 

The resin sphere is used initially by the plant as a form of spherical lens to magnify ALL the light which lands on its entire outer surface area that it then uses in the production of fully activated resin by thermo-phytochemical reaction. ‘Phyto’ is a Greek word which means plant and is simply pronounced; fito.

 

All light rays, irrespective as to what angle they are striking a glass sphere at, are all simultaneously directed perpendicularly to its’ surface into its centre, where they all meet up together(inwardly collimate) and are focused there. This occurs in the same way as we would focus sunlight using a normal flat(parabolic)glass lens onto a piece of paper to make the paper ignite from the high concentration of light over a large surface area (collimating) into one point. In a sphere this collimation of light into a hot spot occurs inside the sphere and is hard to see using the naked eye, unlike the flat lens whose collimation of light occurs outside the lens and is visible to the naked eye.

 

The mathematical equation used to calculate magnifying power of a sphere is l =333/d, where l is the magnifying power and d is the diameter of the sphere expressed in millimeters. Therefore from this equation we can see that the diameter of the sphere is indirectly proportional to it’s power of magnification. The smaller the diameter, the bigger the magnification. This implies that the smaller the diameter of resin sphere, the HOTTER the focal point (centre) of the sphere can become using the same amount of light that is shining on it.

 

This alone may answer an age old question as to why pure sativa seem to have more powerful resin than indica do. The resin sphere of a sativa is effectively 1/3 the diameter of the Indica resin sphere. Therefore providing 3 times the magnification factor to utilize in creating all its’ internal chemo-processes in producing fully activated THC. It has three times the power with which to sizzle the resin in the centre of its’ sphere.

 

 

The resin spheres contain the THC. It is not contained in the leaf or floral bract. After the resin spheres are dissolved in solvent or dislodged by electrostatic attraction, and a microscopic examination of the leaf or floral bract has revealed that only the glandular trichomes' stalks remain, no effect will be felt after smoking the dried plant material from which the resin spheres have been removed.

 

This is outlining that the psychoactive ingredients of marijuana are only contained in the resin produced in its’ resin spheres that stand on top of its’ trichomes, and nowhere else on the plant.

 

 

(4) "Cannabinoids represent a dimer consisting of a terpene and a phenol component. Cannabigerol (CBG) is the first component of the pathway. It undergoes chemical change to form either cannabichromene (CBC), or cannabidiol (CBD). Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is derived from CBD."

 

 

What this is telling us is that the ‘fundamental form’ of the cannabis resin inside the trichome ball/sphere is a type of ‘photosensitive folic spirit’ (of high viscosity, as we already know) that is continually undergoing molecular change as more and more light passes through it. When the sphere is FIRST formed(irrespective of what phase of growth the plant is in) on the plant, the ‘spirit’/resin mainly consists of the cannabinoid called Cannabigerol (CBG). It then, with light passing through it over time, changes it’s molecular structure and progressively turns into the cannabinoid called cannabichromene (CBC), or cannabidiol (CBD). With more light passing through it (ripening) it can then change into becoming Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is occurs around the time when we see the resin balls ‘whiten up’ and just prior to ‘ambering’. So in other words, our ‘much wanted’ cannabinoid Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is derived from CBD. So obviously this shows the order of psychoactive potency that the 4 pre mentioned Cannabinoids have.

 

 

(5) "Pate (1983) indicated that in areas of high ultraviolet radiation exposure, the UVB (280-320 nm) absorption properties of THC may have conferred an evolutionary advantage to Cannabis capable of greater production of this compound from biogenetic precursor CBD. The extent to which this production is also influenced by environmental UVB has also been experimentally determined by Lydon et al. (1987)."

 

The writer's own experience allow for a more specific conclusion: If the UVB photon is missing from the light stream(a), or the intensity as expressed in µW/cm2 falls below a certain level(, the phytochemical process will not be completely energized with only UVA photons which are more penetrating but less energetic, and the harvested resin spheres will have mostly precursor compounds and not fully realized THC©.

 

This simply explains that out of all the different colors of light in the ‘light spectrum bandwidth’, Ultraviolet ClassB (UVB) is the MOST critical light for activating the resin to it’s full potential. This must always be keep in mind.

 

UVB is the key, for heaps of THC. The more naturally occurring UVB that we can shine on our plants, the better.

 

Side Note: Also keep in mind that UVB is invisible to the human eye and is dangerous to the human skin with prolonged periods of exposure. It is the UVB light in the Suns rays that is the biggest culprit in the course of skin cancers and cataract of the eye. So DO NOT attempt to apply or simulate it in an indoor environment using expensive and powerful UVB emitting lamps. It is near impossible to cover the entire exposed surface area of the plant EVENLY with the correct levels of UVB light using these UVB lamps anyway. They are only useful in industrial applications such as drying paint very fast – like they do in the automobile industries. When used in these industries the operators MUST wear full bodied protective clothing and they are adjusted with an effective ‘strike zone’ that is measured in 1 to 2 inch increments away from the bulb. ‘Strike zone’ meaning the area away from the lamp at which we require a predetermined level of UVB to be emitted onto. ‘IN OTHER WORDS’, if adjusted for a strike zone that is 3 feet away from the lamp to have an intensity of 250microWatts per square inch, then the area which is only 1 foot past that may be getting as little as 30microWatts per square foot. So it’s impossible to EVENLY cover the plant all over given that the plant has curvature… as too does the lamps lighting output emit itself from the lamp in a radial manner. See diagram 1. I have looked into what it would take to make it possible to have the right amounts of UVB indoors using UVB lamps and it is simply not feasible. UVA is not worth considering as it is not the correct wavelength of light we are seeking for full activation of the resin. UV fluorescent lamps are in effect UVA emitters and emit minute levels of UVB, and some emit no UVB at all.

 

 

The writer's own experience allow for a more specific conclusion: If the UVB photon is missing from the light stream(a), or the intensity as expressed in µW/cm2 falls below a certain level(, the phytochemical process will not be completely energized with only UVA photons which are more penetrating but less energetic, and the harvested resin spheres will have mostly precursor compounds and not fully realized THC©.

 

When UVB light is missing from the light that is shining on the plants or it is below the level required for, then the resin we end up with on our harvested buds will NOT be fully realized/activated.

 

 

(a)Examples of an environment where the UVB photon would be missing from the light stream include all indoor cultivation illuminated by HID bulbs and in glass or corrugated fiberglass covered greenhouses.

 

 

The above is self explanatory and of vital importance. It clearly provides the age old reason as to why indoor buds are NEVER as potent as outdoor buds grown in direct Sunlight for a minimum of 2hours of midday direct Sun per day or more. The ‘2 hour’ period I have noticed myself over the years from personal experience. Cannabis needs 2 hours of strong direct Sunlight per day to begin to show signs of strongly activated resin, and a minimum of 4 hours of strong (midday) direct sunlight per day to develop into it’s inherent full sized stature… full sized bush/Xmas-tree.

 

I would like to add that in a greenhouse scenario we do not get full activation of the resin as we do outdoors, but there is still a small portion of the total UVB light that does still penetrate through onto the plants. With most acrylic polymers being able to filter out 90% of the UV light, then that leaves us with at least 10% of it that stills penetrates onto the plants. This small amount is often enough to notice a slight increased potency compared to plants grown under Discharge Tubes. Though it is never enough to compare with the full activation of the resin which outdoor plants experience.

 

 

("The maximum UVB irradiance near the equator (solar elevation angle less than 25 deg.) under clear, sunny skies is about 250 µW/cm2. It was observed that the daily solar UVB in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (N24.4Lat.) decreased from September to December by about 40% (Hannan et al. 1984). The further a person is from the tropics, the less UVB radiation there is: the average annual exposure of a person living in Hawaii is approximately four times that of someone living in northern Europe." Below are some UVB readings taken in Hoyleton, Illinois, on a clear sunny day in June by David Krughoff as reported in Reptile Lighting 2000.

 

7am: 12 microwatts/cm2

8am: 74 microwatts/cm2

9am: 142 microwatts/cm2

10am: 192 microwatts/cm2

11am: 233 microwatts/cm2

12pm: 256 microwatts/cm2

1pm: 269 microwatts/cm2

2pm: 262 microwatts/cm2

3pm: 239 microwatts/cm2

4pm: 187 microwatts/cm2

5pm: 131 microwatts/cm2

6pm: 61 microwatts/cm2

 

©Cannabinoid pathway: Anywhere in this pathway

UVB (320 nm - 290 nm) does a better job than UVA (400 nm - 320 nm) in energizing a phytochemical reaction that will produce more fully realized THC because "all cannabinolic compounds show an absorption maximum between 270 and 280 nm in the ultraviolet region."

 

These two paragraphs simply provide proof that UVB radiation is the most important bandwidth of light in the full activation of cannabis resin.

 

 

(7) #1: The ovum has been fertilized and there is a seed developing: In the areas of the Northern Hemisphere where indigenous people have grown heterozygous drug-type marijuana for hundreds of years, pollination is used to trigger the growth of the capitate-stalked glandular trichome on the floral bract and concomitant leaves of the flowering females before the autumnal equinox(a) so the majority of seeds will be ripe( before November.

 

In the areas of the Northern Hemisphere for hundreds of years where marijuana cultivation has been indigenous to its’ people and hermaphrodite biased genepools/strains are used to grow drug-type marijuana, pollination of their crops is done before their autumnal equinox so the majority of seeds will be ripen before November. This assures the maturation of capitated-stalked glandular trichomes’ on the seed bracts and bud leafs of the flowering females.

 

(7) #2: The floral bract has become parthenocarpic: Parthenocarpic fruits develop without fertilization and have no seeds. Except for transmutation and turning lead into gold, there has been more nonsense written about seedless marijuana than on any other subject. In marijuana parthenocarpy, the floral bract (the fruit) enlarges in size as though there were a seed growing inside, and the capitate-stalked glandular trichome is triggered into growth on the floral bract and concomitant leaves. "Most popular supermarket tomatoes are parthenocarpic which was induced artificially by the application of dilute hormone sprays (such as auxins) to the flowers." In a trial, marijuana parthenocarpy was not induced by the application of the spray used on tomatoes. Only the photoperiod© will trigger parthenocarpy in flowering female marijuana plants. Marijuana parthenocarpy occurring before the autumnal equinox is considered by the author to be "long-day" and marijuana parthenocarpy occurring after the autumnal equinox to be "short-day".

 

 

The term parthenocarpy means ‘sinsemilla’. It comes from the Greek language; ‘parthena’ meaning virgin, and ‘carpy’ meaning seeds. Virgin-seeds, ie ‘non impregnated seed bracts’, ie ‘no-seed in the seed bract’, ie sinsemilla.

 

Sinsemilla Marijuana occurring before the autumn/fall equinox is considered by the author to be "long-day marijuana” or ‘in other words’ indica, and marijuana parthenocarpy occurring after the autumnal equinox to be "short-day marijuana" or ‘in other words’ sativa.

 

 

The longest photoperiod that will trigger parthenocarpy in unfertilized flowering homozygous(d) Indica female marijuana plants is 13:00 hours, give or take 15 minutes. This effect can be obtained in the month of August at N35Lat, and because the capitate-stalked glandular trichomes received plenty of UVB during this month at this latitude, the harvested resin spheres had fully realized THC. Rating: euphoria and hallucinations, major appetite boost and pain relief, deep dreamless sleep. These plants seldom grow taller than four feet but potency makes up for the reduced harvest.

 

The longest daytime photoperiod that will trigger flowering in heterosexual long-day/Indica strains of cannabis is 13hours. NB. IF strong UVB light is absorbed by the flowers in any ‘1 month or more’ of it’s flowering period, especially if it occurs during any one of the last 2 months of its’ flowering; then the resin will have been fully realized (fully activated). These plants seldom grow taller than four feet but potency makes up for the reduced harvest.

 

 

The gene pool is heterozygous if a flowering female marijuana plant is not parthenocarpic by the end of the first week in September in the Northern Hemisphere. If this is the case, pollination is used instead of parthenocarpy to trigger the growth of the capitate-stalked glandular trichome before the autumnal equinox to obtain as much fully realized THC as possible in the harvested resin spheres by the time the majority of the seeds are ripe.

 

Genepools grown outdoors in the ground whose seed bract does not naturally become impregnated by the end of the first week in September in the Northern Hemisphere, or by the end of the first week in March in the Southern Hemisphere, is a heterozygous gene pool; ‘in other words’ it has hermaphrodite biased tendencies.

 

With these type of genepools, IF pollination is used/allowed ‘before the autumn/fall equinox to produce ‘seeded flowers’ instead of leaving them seedless (by plucking all male flower clusters off by hand as they appear during the course of early flowering), then we will obtain as much fully realized THC as possible in the harvested resin spheres by the time the majority of the seeds are ripe.

 

 

The longest photoperiod that will trigger parthenocarpy in unfertilized flowering heterozygous female marijuana plants is 11:00 hours, give or take 15 minutes: This effect can be obtained in the month of November at N35Lat. Because of the low intensity of UVB radiation at this latitude at sea level during November, the harvested resin spheres evidenced only slightly more THC than precursor compounds. Rating: mild to medium euphoria, appetite boost and pain relief, good snooze.

 

Thai marijuana falls into this 11:00 hour category, and its parthenocarpy is characterized by an inflorescence in which many floral bracts are attached to an elongated meristem. It is these elongated meristems that are harvested to become a THAI STICK. On the other side of the world, Mexican marijuana grown around the same latitudes (Michoacan, Guerrero, Oaxaca) also falls into this short-day parthenocarpic category and the unfertilized marijuana will become "sensimilla" in the 11:00 hour photoperiod which begins in mid-December in that region. The winter sunshine in those latitudes has more UVB intensity than the winter sunshine at N35Lat.

 

The above 2 paragraphs of extreme interest to us all.

 

The longest daytime photoperiod that will naturally trigger ‘sinsemilla flower growth’ in heterozygous female marijuana plants (‘in other words’ in female dominant hermaphrodite-biased sativa gene pools) is 11:00 hours, give or take 15 minutes.

 

NB

 

* The implication of this is paramount to cultivators whose objective is to produce pure females from hermaphrodite biased pure sativa genepools. They MUST NOT provide LESS than 11 hours of daytime photoperiod to trigger flowering; any less may inititate flowering quicker, but will defy the prime objective by simultaneously increasing their hermaphrodite rates.

 

 

All unfertilized flowering female marijuana plants will become parthenocarpic in a 9:00 hour photoperiod (15:00 hour dark period): This can be obtained in the month of December at N35Lat. At this latitude in this month there is not even enough UVB in sunlight for precursor vitamin D3 to develop in human skin. The phytochemical process will not produce THC whenever the UVB and UVA photons in the light stream fall below a certain level of intensity expressed in µW/cm2. Rating: no effect.

 

If by chance, we are lucky enough to produce pure females outdoors in the ground naturally with the same hermaphrodite-biased sativa gene pools in the winter month of December in the Northern hemisphere where it has a 9:00 hour photoperiod (15:00 hour dark period) around the region of N35Lat, where at this latitude in this month there is not even enough UVB in sunlight for precursor vitamin D3 to develop in human skin, then the phytochemical process will produce hardly any THC at all. Rendering the resin very inactive and very low in potency.

 

 

(a)In the Northern Hemisphere above the Tropic of Cancer, the key to all marijuana potency is this: The more days of sunlight the capitate-stalked glandular trichomes' resin spheres accumulate before the autumnal equinox the more fully realized THC.

 

In the Northern Hemisphere above the Tropic of Cancer, the key to producing marijuana whose resin is a its’ PEAK inherent potency is this:

 

The more days of sunlight that the flowering plants spend in the Sun absorbing the most intense UVB radiation in the year, which is before the autumnal equinox, the more fully realized THC - be they sinsemilla or seeded.

 

 

(b)It is recognized in the indigenous world that drug-type marijuana with a majority of ripe seeds will produce more euphoria, hallucinations, appetite stimulation, pain relief, and sleep aid than with a majority of unripe seeds.

 

Just to note that the term used in the above paragraph “the indigenous world” relates to countries where marijuana grows indigenously… in the wild all by itself. ‘IN OTHER WORDS’, there is never a shortage of bud to smoke.

 

“It is recognized in the ‘indigenous world’ that drug-type marijuana with a majority of ripe seeds will produce more euphoria, hallucinations, appetite stimulation, pain relief, and sleep aid than with a majority of unripe seeds.”

 

This occurs because buds that are finished outdoors in the ground with unripened seeds are usually the result of their flowering season ‘cut-short’. ‘IN OTHER WORDS’, they were not given enough time in the most UVB light intense months of the year to finish their flowering. Hence low activation of resin, hence low potency.

 

 

©The photoperiodic response is controlled by phytochrome. "Phytochrome is a blue pigment in the leaves and seeds of plants and is found in 2 forms. One form is a blue form(Pfr), which absorbs red light, and the other is a blue-green form(Pr) that absorbs far-red light. Solar energy has 10X more red (660nm) than far-red (730nm) light causing the accumulation of Pfr." The first and last hour of a day's sunlight is mostly red light because of the scattering effect on blue light. "So at the onset of the dark period much of the phytochrome is in the Pfr form. However, Pfr is unstable and returns to phytochrome Pr in the dark." The red light in sunrise returns the Pr to the Pfr form. "Phytochrome Pfr is the active form and controls flowering and germination. It inhibits flowering of short-day plants (the long night period is required for the conversion of Pfr to Pr) and promotes flowering of long day plants."

 

This is a great paragraph. It states that if we induce a source of light over the plant that is rich in the red spectrum (incandescent lighting) 1 hour either side of the daytime period (1st and last hour of daytime), it will have one of the opposing two effects on cannabis depend on it’s type, be it Indica or Indica dominant(short-day plants), or be it Sativa or sativa Dominant (long-day plants). It inhibits flowering in Indica or Indica dominant(short-day plants), and promotes it in Sativa or sativa Dominant (long-day plants). All within reason though. In that I mean so long as the daytime photo period is approaching it’s critical flowering trigger state. Which is 13hours plus or minus 15 minutes of sunlight for Indica biased strains, and 9-12hours plus or minus 30 minutes of sunlight for Sativa biased strains depending on strain. This can be used to our advantage if growing equatorial or IBL sativa outdoors in pots that normally begin flowering when the daytime photoperiod drops to less than 10hours per day and we wish to finish them fully outdoors before the cold of Fall arrives. So if we start their flowering night period indoors and aim for a beneficial* dark period of 13hours per day, then it best we supplement their existing daytime under discharge tubes by giving them ONLY incandescent light for the 1st hour and last hour of day to AID in triggering the onset of flowering.

 

Red rich light naturally occurs every day on earth everywhere that has a night period. It happens for the first hour of Sun up, and the last hour of the day before sun down(red horizon) - this is a well known fact. So when plants are grown outdoors in the ground they all naturally receive this red light bombardment every single day they are living. I have looked into the level of intensity which this incandescent (red rich) light needs to be applied to the plant for proper effectiveness for allowing the plant to form the required Pfr mentioned above – as it would be outdoors naturally. This Pfr in a way acts as a beneficial-toxin to the plant which it slowly reverts back to Pr during the night by itself. Hence the noticeable gentle ‘drooping’ of the fan leafs of plants just before it goes dark, which does NOT occur when they are grown indoors as a result of the lacking rich red light either side of their day. Without it they are not metabolizing this beneficial toxin called Pfr. So outdoors where they naturally produce it, they will always have drooping leafs by dusk, and they will be all standing up again just after dawn, even before the direct Sunlight strikes them. In the night period the plant has reverted its’ ‘bitter’ Pfr back into stabilized Pr and has aided itself in either triggering or delaying flowering onset depending on the class of cannabis that it is. Indica use it to delay their flowering, which hence allows them to veg more and produce more flowers. Sativa use it to trigger the onset of flowering sooner than they would without it to assure the ripening of their seeds and survival of their next generation in a world that allows them to veg too long far too easily and perhaps miss out on ripening their seeds fully before winter sets in.

 

I have calculated that to simulate the level of red light during the normal outdoor environment required by the plants to trigger this Pfr production is as follows:

 

1 x 125W incandescent light bulb is sufficient to cover an area of plant 4foot x 4foot at a distance of up to 5feet away from the bulb.

 

For your plants ‘effective foliage surface area’ calculate accordingly to work out how many bulbs you need in total and space them apart and around the plant accordingly to cover its entire outer surface area evenly.

 

 

In Nepal and nearby areas of India where the capitate-stalked glandular trichome is triggered into growth by parthenocarpy rather than by fertilized ovum, great care is taken to make sure that all male marijuana plants are destroyed as soon as they reveal their sex. This is because unfertilized Indica flowering females can have both stigma and anther protruding from the floral bract. In the Indica gene pool, female-produced pollen carries an allele for long-day parthenocarpy, and seeds resulting from this female-produced pollen will produce another generation of female plants that will also exhibit long-day parthenocarpy during flowering. But if pollen from male plants is introduced into this gene pool, the resulting seeds will produce a generation of females that will exhibit short-day parthenocarpy instead. The allele for long-day parthenocarpy in the female-produced pollen is carried into the gene pool by self-pollination and cross-pollination, and perhaps homozygous is used too loosely here to describe the genetic result.

 

In regions of the world where they produce large scale sinsemilla crops they take great care to make sure that all male marijuana plants are destroyed as soon as they reveal their sex. This is because unfertilized Indica flowering females can have both stigma and anther(male pod) protruding from the floral bract/cluster. In the Indica gene pool, female-produced pollen carries a gene, or version of, called ‘allele’ which they use to maintain their ability to initiate flowering under long-day lighting regimes. The seeds resulting from this female-produced pollen(naturally occurring self-pollination, NOT chemically induced) will produce another generation of female plants that will also exhibit the ability to initiate flowering under long-day lighting regime. But if pollen from male plants is introduced into this gene pool, the resulting seeds will produce a generation of females that will exhibit the ability to initiate flowering under a short-day lighting regime. Which is not beneficial in many ways for the overall integrity of their gene pool. The ‘allele’ which gives them the ability to initiate flowering under long-day lighting regimes that is in the female-produced pollen is carried into the gene pool by self-pollination and cross-pollination to neighboring sisters.

 

 

Summary

 

 

I will sum up only what is relevant in helping us achieve full inherent potency of cannabis resin. I won’t bother in summing up other very interesting points that this paper makes as I have already touched on them as I progressively discussed the relevant paragraph above containing the appropriate points.

 

Putting it simply;

 

Irrespective of where you live on earth, but are able to grow cannabis outdoors in direct sunlight, it is now possible to assure that the resin produced by your plants very near its’ highest level of potency. This can only be done outdoors in direct Sunlight and not under any form of optical cover or filter nor under artificial light.

 

To assure this we need to know ONE main factor about the genepool we are growing, and that is its’ flowering period. Once having established that we need to know which are the hottest months of the year in our growing area. We then need to calculate at what time of the year we MUST initiate flowering on our plants with the intent of finishing them during the hottest and most UVB light intense months in our area. Keeping in mind that the more time they spend flowering in these hottest of months, the more activated their resin will become. So it pays to time it such that out plants are ready for harvesting JUST BEFORE THE END of the last of these hottest months is over.

 

The easiest way to achieve this with any strain that does NOT have enough time to complete this cycle in your area as a result of there not being enough time during the entirety of these hottest months to complete the respective strain’s flowering cycle, is to grow the plants in pots that you can carry inside for darkening without excessive effort.

 

The only strains which will in fact naturally complete their entire flowering cycle during enough intense UVB radiation if grown solely outdoors in the open light, be it in pots or in the ground, are those whose flowering cycle is less or equal to the period of time remaining just prior to the Autumn/Fall equinox in your area, and the ending of the days where the midday Sun will burn or tan your skin. If the midday Sun in your area cannot burn or tan your skin, be it even lightly, then there will not be sufficient UVB present to insure complete realization of the cannabinoidal resin on your plant. With most areas in the world except near or at the equator, this leaves very little time in for full activation to develop. Hence how most people think that indoor grown buds are the most potent, as they have rarely if ever smoked properly and fully activated cannabis resin.

 

 

 

 

Calculating flowering onset – examples

 

 

Let us say that for arguments sake that the area we live in has 3 months of the summer period where the UVB radiation is very intense. These being July August and September in the Northern hemisphere. Lets also say that we intend on growing two different strains; one a fast flowering strain, the other a long flowering strain, 2 month and 4 months respectively.

 

We need to then start by working backwards in time. Ideally for the fast flowering strain we should calculate it to finish in the peak of the 3 month period, which would be some time in late August. WE then subtract 2 months from August for the flowering period, and a further 2weeks for the pre flowering period. Which brings us to the middle of June. If growing from seed, we must then also subtract our total vegging time leading up to the initiating of the 12/12 photoperiod cycle. For a good yield we should allow a vegging period of 12 weeks in soil pots, which is 3 more months. So we go back another 3 months from the middle of June, which brings us to the middle of March. So it best to begin the pre soaking of our seeds in a glass of water at the end of the first week in March. So that’s where we must begin the entire grow of any fast flowering strains.

 

Now compare a starting date of early March, with the a starting date of May or June, which is when MOST growers would consider soaking their seeds for sowing outdoors. This is the time factor that we are OUT BY when growing plants normally without taking what we have into account. This is why many find they are a month or two late of the good weather when

harvest time arrives… or should I say, is forced upon them by nature. This is even worse with the growing of long flowering strains under similar circumstance. Let us continue.

 

For long flowering strains we need to then start by working backwards in time. Ideally for the long flowering strain we should calculate them to finish at the end of the peak of the 3 month period, which would be some time in late September. WE then subtract 4 months from August for the flowering period, and a further 2weeks for the pre flowering period. Which brings us to the middle of April. If growing from seed, we must then also subtract our total vegging time leading up to the initiating of the 12/12 photoperiod cycle. Calculating the vegging period will depend on the strain we are growing and how much it stretches and continues to grow in flower. Most 16 week flowers will stretch considerably, so unless we intend on cropping the mainstem to encourage multiple mainstems and heavy side branching which will reduce stretching and increase yield a lot, it best we just keep it simple for this example and allocate 6weeks of 12/12 from day 1 as the vegging period. As it will take 6weeks to trigger the onset of flowering from seed on most strains irrespective of genepool. So we then subtract a further 6week and up to as much as 2 weeks more the soaking of the seeds if they are from gorilla crops and have developed a very tough shell. Many such strains can take even longer crack their shell, but 2 weeks is a good time period to allow unless you know otherwise. So from the middle of April, we then subtract another 6 to 8 weeks, which brings us back to late February-early March. So to be safe, in case the summer period happens to be a bad one and is cut short, I would say you can’t go wrong by dropping your seeds into a glass of water for 1 day, followed by placing them in moist clean towels till they crack open the shell prior to sowing, some time around the last week of March at the latest. So that’s when we must begin the entire grow of any long flowering pure sativa strains – IBLs or Landraces.

 

Now compare a this starting date with the starting date of the fast flowering strains. That’s right, there is not much difference. So much for growers thinking they best avoid long flowering sativa because the grow takes too long. This is from seed started grows of course. From clones it is another game. The fast flowering strains are quicker, but not from seed.

 

Once we have began taking them out in the day and returning them back inside for darkening, we keep that up till harvest. We should not leave them out to finish by themselves any soon as we are still quite a time off the Autumn/Fall equinox. Though depending on your exact area and the strains you are using you may be able to get away with in the last few weeks of flower with only the fast flowering varieties. With the pure sativa landraces and IBLs that take 16weeks or more to finish, it is out of the question and should not even be attempted as it would be disastrous by reverting them back to vegging.

 

 

I hope all this helps those having a bit of bother grasping it all.

[FrankWills]

.

[FrankWills]

If anyone's interested in my own opinion of the dopes of yesteryear compared to today's hybrids, this is what I have to say.

 

 

I've smoked the true 'flat' Thai Sticks of the late 70's that originally came in 8" lengths and were then cut in half and sold at the same price. I've also had what were then called "Indian Hemp Sticks" which were basically a Karilla wrapped on a thin bamboo slither and wrapped with cotton thread that were HALF as thick as the Thai sticks and looked like they'd been dipped in bitumen and then left to dry. Both were available on the streets of Melb from the 70's till the early to mid 80's when the Fitzgerald Inquiry closed down a lot of the QLD importers that were bringing them into the country on their massive yachts. Strangely enough the best of their imports went to Melb and Sydney and the remainder of the states got the leftovers because Melb and Sydney was where the big monies were with the highest demand. Sydney was getting the better putty hashes from Paki, India and Afghani while Melb had first choice at the buds/sticks.

 

Needless to say that in those days whenever a BUST would occur, as is always the case, it was fed to the Pigs by the big boys themselves who were 1st hands in the deal. "You scratch my back..." etc etc...Same as it ever was. Personally, I have no doubt in mind that the tip-offs given by these big boys to the Jacks were of shipments that were very LOW in quality/grade compared to the ones they would allow through without hindrance. All the Jacks wanted were to catch some sucker with pounds in his lap; what the quality of it was didn't concern them as the charge would stick irrespective. It's only in this manner that I can account for the Jacks of today claiming that today's hydro's etc are more potent than those of yesteryear.

 

Personally, I am yet to smoke anything in the last 15-20years that has brought on FULL blown audible and visual hallucinations as many buds use to before 20years ago. That included a lot of Qld grown filth that would filter through to the South, along with some compressed blocks of "Purple Durban Poison" and a few rare Thai's that came in the late 70's.

 

Even buds that were not like that, as in the normal good Thai and Indian sticks, would anniolate the most hardened and aged of smokers with just a few crumblings in a joint. Often you'd add such a small amount into a joint with 1 cigarette that you could NOT see the bud from the tobacco it was that small an amount. Amounts which we today readily dust off a table and throw onto the ground or into an ashtray were more than enough for a FULL ON 8hour heart thumping load that would leave you so devastated that you could never believe it... especially today. Sticks that would weigh 1g-2g were big enough to blow away 4 blokes every Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sunday nights before going to nightclubs and pubs to rage for up to 1 month. Today, NO MATTER how good the shit is that you have, 1-2g would NOT last 2 blokes more than about 2 smokes.

 

Unless you've experienced it, I know you'll find it impossible to believe. None the less it is true. So I agree with everything Uncle Arthur says regarding this issue. It’s all true and it has nothing to do with low tolerance levels that he or others may have had back then. What I said about the stoning capability of those old buds applied to blokes who were of any age that were smoking all day every day. Normal homegrown that was fully matured they would need 3-4g per day to get them through. But all they could handle of the imports we refer to was 1/8g-1/4g MAX per day... and that was the heaviest of choofers, choofers who could have 40 or more bongs of normal homegrown per day without a problem.

 

So it's not in anyone’s imagination. Those old BUDS were really a quantum leap on anything that is available today across the board. Thai and NamBlack back in those days were regularly CUT down to reduce its potency by the Thai Landers for personal smoke with OPIUM. That's been well documented guys. The SE Asian buds of old were more potent that OPIUM. Sorry to disappoint anyone who thinks that what they keep hearing about the old buds is just talk... it not, it’s bloody real.

 

 

 

 

btw, you should look into the THC-synthesis genes which have been recently transplanted into tobacco root cultures and made to exude THC in the presence of precursors.... The UVB thing is interesting, but it's not the whole and only story of THC generation.

 

That is about the best thing I read in this whole thread along with a lot of other great info. I'm in full agreeance with Luke on this one. Science has NOT yet worked out what it is that separates the normal THC stone from the stone that gets you so heavily ripped that your entire consciousness is completly altered for 6-10hours non stop.

 

I could right many pages about his, but I won't bother as it would mostly be speculation. But one thing I will say regarding this and it will also cast grave doubts on Marijuana Optics as a whole is:

 

 

If UVB is the most important factor in FULLY activating the Cannabinoidal resins inside their resin spheres, then why is that outdoor WINTER grown buds grown in temperate climes (overnight lows of 0-4degC) are about 2-3 times more potent than summer grown buds, even though the plants yield about 5g each only, and they are grown in extremely LOW outdoor UV light and very cold temperature?

 

If you want to try growing a smoke as close to the 'leathals' of yesteryear, then I suggest you try growing a few sativas oudoor in the ground in winter that get to no more than 2foot tall with 3-5g of bud on each plant. Sow in Feburary, harvest before reveg occurs due to increasing outdoor photoperiod in early Aug. But they will grow very very slowly.

Edited September 20, 2007 by FrankWills

[PGHGreek420]

Uncle Arthur you make a very good argument, but no offense i hope your wrong, but if your not and you do need UVB ray to make truely mature THC buds, do you know where i could aquire some lights that still put off UVB rays, and if anyoen else knows it would be appreciated if you would share what you knwo with me im just tryin to get as much info as i can so that i can begin growin some buds for my family and friends and even sart crossbreeding making some home-made hybrids to share with the world....

[WantDaChronic]

Uncle Arthur you make a very good argument, but no offense i hope your wrong, but if your not and you do need UVB ray to make truely mature THC buds, do you know where i could aquire some lights that still put off UVB rays, and if anyoen else knows it would be appreciated if you would share what you knwo with me im just tryin to get as much info as i can so that i can begin growin some buds for my family and friends and even sart crossbreeding making some home-made hybrids to share with the world....

the maturity of the resin usually determines potency and that maturity comes with age. even if UVB lighting did increase the overall potency of a strain, you will still be able to grow wicked bud using a normal HID light like a mh or hps

[freddie]

Uncle Arthur you make a very good argument, but no offense i hope your wrong, but if your not and you do need UVB ray to make truely mature THC buds, do you know where i could aquire some lights that still put off UVB rays, and if anyoen else knows it would be appreciated if you would share what you knwo with me im just tryin to get as much info as i can so that i can begin growin some buds for my family and friends and even sart crossbreeding making some home-made hybrids to share with the world....

 

I think the point being made is that you really need sunlight. There are UVB lights that are made for keeping reptiles (i think).

 

So it's not in anyone’s imagination. Those old BUDS were really a quantum leap on anything that is available today across the board. Thai and NamBlack back in those days were regularly CUT down to reduce its potency by the Thai Landers for personal smoke with OPIUM. That's been well documented guys. The SE Asian buds of old were more potent that OPIUM. Sorry to disappoint anyone who thinks that what they keep hearing about the old buds is just talk... it not, it’s bloody real.

 

I have to say I missed FrankWills post when it came out and if you ever come back I appreciate the effort you put in and have to pretty much agree. You cannot get pot like that described by Frank anymore. I have to point out , though, that there was also plenty of low grade rubbish available in those days. The sun isn't the only factor. You really need the right variety. As always, genetics is everything. If you dont start with that you can forget the rest. There are some old strains making a comeback in overseas seed banks. Saw some Thai and Laos for sale a few weeks ago. These plants need to be grown outdoors and will flower for 5 months and even then,if your used to the hybrids or indicas available now you may not actually enjoy the trippy effect of some of these smokes.

 

the maturity of the resin usually determines potency and that maturity comes with age. even if UVB lighting did increase the overall potency of a strain, you will still be able to grow wicked bud using a normal HID light like a mh or hps

 

There is no doubt you can still grow quality pot indoors.

[huge001]

very , very interesting . i agree with F.W when u talk about thai buddha , purple haze , mullimbimby madness etc . Buds that actually made u 'trip' , hallucinations , good old fashioned sativas . Nowdays all ive noticed is everyone wants to grow indicas cos of the shorter flowering time . I think it was the breeder 'DJ Short' who said sativas r for smoking and indicas r for making hash . DDont get me wrong , i love 2 smoke hash . BUT GIVE ME A GOOD OL' SATIVA ANYDAY . I remember back before the start of hydro , when the o.d buds were still growing the streetswere just flooded with the MICKEY MOUSE gold stamp , red cellophane 'Afghani' black putty and we used 2 complain that we were sick of smoking it and wanted green . i wouldn't mind that option now big time . one good thing 2 come from the 'hydro' revolution is no more long droughts that used to happen from christmas time , untill march/april when all the o.d crops were ready . I USED 2 REALLY HATE THAT BAD .