Auto grow gleich mit blüteleuchtmittel

What is Autoflowering Cannabis?

Autoflowering strains are Day-Neutral (DN) and will begin flowering automatically about three to four weeks after they are planted regardless of the photoperiod.

This superpower is derived from Ruderalis, the black sheep of a cannabis family dominated by domesticated Indica and Sativa sibs.

These better-known subspecies rely on a reduction in photoperiod for flower development which makes them short-day (SD) plants.

The Ruderalis Story

The ruderalis subspecies of cannabis is defined by the DN flowering characteristic.

These wild-type, or uncultivated populations evolved at higher latitudes and developed the autoflowering trait as an adaptation to short growing seasons. 

This feature enabled ruderalis plants to expand their range to above 50 degrees North and they continue to thrive in Siberia.

Wild ruderalis populations tend to have very low THC content.  THC biosynthesis in cannabis is largely the result of human selection and ruderalis remained uncultivated until very recently.

Lowryder

Most modern autoflower varieties are descended from the Lowryder strain, one of the first to exhibit stabilized DN flowering.

Although its pedigree is uncertain, Lowryder is likely the result of hybridizing ruderalis with sativa subspecies.

Lowryder displayed a short stature and modest THC and terpene production, allowing it to be fearlessly cultivated in the closets of college dorms.

Lowryder also inherited many undesirable traits from its wild ancestors and was pretty terrible to smoke.

From this humble source, the DN flowering trait has been ingressed into drug cannabis varieties over many generations.

Ingression

Ingression is the breeding method that is used to bring desirable traits into a variety while excluding undesirables.

This is achieved by hybridizing, or cross breeding a variety containing the trait of interest, to a commercial variety of known quality. The progeny of this union are inbred until the desired trait is fixed, then back-crossed again to the commercial variety.

This cycle is repeated until the improved variety resembles the commercial one in every aspect except that the trait of interest has been ingressed. This process can take years.

Great improvements have been made to autoflower strains through repeated hybridization and backcrossing over a few decades.

Some autoflower varieties now exhibit cannabinoid and terpenoid profiles that are comparable with elite SD cultivars, but the perception that autos are schwag persists. 

The Need For Seed

Sometimes Autos are Better

Photoperiodism is an important trait for cannabis production in controlled environments.

This trait enables growers to initiate flowering at the optimal time for canopy management by manipulating the light cycle.

There are several situations where autoflowering drives performance that is unmatched by photoperiod strains.

For small grow chambers or tents, it can be much easier to maintain a stable climate when lower wattage lights are run continuously, rather than cycling more powerful lights on and off.

For growers in controlled environments with sub-optimal lighting conditions, increasing the photoperiod can increase flower quality and yield. This is enabled by the fact that plant performance is determined by the Daily Light Integral.

Daily Light Integral

In addition to greater yield, a high DLI supports dense flower formation, cannabinoid and terpenoid biosynthesis, and faster cycle times.

Cultivation of DN crops removes the need for expensive blackout systems to be installed for greenhouse production.

Growing Autoflowers Outdoors

After a few decades of growing weed here in BC Canada, I choose to grow autoflowers in my outside gardens. My nicest plant last year yielded 7 ounces of terpene rich bud in mid August.

For commercial farmers autoflowers offer several advantages over SD crops.

• At temperate latitudes, successive crops can be cultivated over a single growing season without the need for light-dep infrastructure.

• At more northern latitudes, all crops can be timed to ripen during the peak solar window, increasing quality and yield, and enabling harvest before elevated seasonal pathogen pressures occur.

• Regardless of latitude, the DN flowering trait allows for harvests over an extended period. This enables more efficient use of labor and processing infrastructure and can provide market timing advantages for finished product.

Autos can be Tricky

Autos will flower spontaneously if rooting is restricted, often with comical results. I have seen plants literally lollipop and develop a single nug on a four-inch stalk.

Autoflower seeds can be germinated in plugs, and transplanted at the first true leaf set, or sown directly into their final pots.

Root bound conditions, or transplant shock must be avoided.

Root and Shoots

Cultural systems that permit unrestricted root expansion will result in larger plants.

Topping, or intensive training of these short cycle plants is not recommended.

Start with Great Seeds

Genetic selection is always important when cultivating cannabis.

For auto growers, the breeders craft is even more important, as all production plants are grown from seed.

Phenotypic consistency, and stable gynoecy (no hermies) can vary greatly among seed lots depending on the breeder’s selection and feminization protocols.

Purchasing your seeds from a reputable breeder is always a good investment.

Welcher Dünger für autoflowering?

Wann fangen Automatics an zu blühen?

Wie lange dauert die Blütephase bei Autoflower?

Kann man Autoflower in die Blüte schicken?