 | NORML News: BUSH DOCTOR: increasing POTENCY |
 By THE NAKI BUSH DOCTOR, NORML News Summer 2003-4
Cannabis is a factory for the production of many compounds. A variety of alkanes have been identified, as well as nitrogenous compounds, and other miscellaneous compounds. Terpenes appear in abundance and contribute to the characteristic odour of the plant and its preparations. The compounds which make up the active drug are unique to this genus and are termed cannabinoids.
The main factor in getting strong herb is the strain. This is genetics, but ecological factors have long been thought to have an influence by stressing the Cannabis plant. The resultant increased biosynthesis of the cannabinoid and terpene containing resin, in most cases, seems likely to be the plant adapting to a variety of survival-threatening situations.
The major sites of cannabinoid production appear to be epidermal glands which show a variation in size, shape and population density, depending where on the plant they are. While there are no published reports of glands present on root surfaces, most of the material parts possess them, along with non-glandular trichomes.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the cannabinoid responsible for the main psychoactive effects of most Cannabis drug preparations. THC is thought to be produced by the plant from cannabidiol (CBD) which, in turn, is derived from cannabigerol (CBG) generated from non-cannabinoid precursors. CBG is also the biogenetic precursor of cannabichromene (CBC). Some of the cannabinoids (e.g., cannabielsoin, cannabinol, and cannabicyclol) are probably degradation products of the enzymatically produced cannabinoids (e.g., CBD, THC and CBC, respectively).
Cannabinoid and reactions to environmental stress:
Water: THC is a viscous hydrophobic oil that doesn't crystallise and is of low volatility. Since the sticky resins produced and exuded on the surface of the plant are varying combinations of THC, other cannabinoids and a variety of terpenes, they can be seem as similar to the waxy coatings of the cacti and other succulents that serve as a barrier to water loss in dry environments. Many studies have been carried out on the relationship of water and THC content and all seem to agree that when faced with low water supply and low humidity THC levels are increased. This is probably a survival mechanism.
Temperature: This may play a role in determining cannabinoid content, but it is the moisture availability that is really the factor here. If you have a high temp you are going to need more water because it is used up faster therefore this is likely to create a water shortage. Higher temperatures can increase growth speed but only as long as all other factors (nutrients, light etc) are good..
Soil Nutrients: Mineral balance seems to influence cannabinoid production. One study has shown the influence of soil K, P, Ca and N concentrations on Cannabis. They report a distinctly negative correlation between soil K and plant delta-9-THC content, although K-P interaction, N and Ca were positively correlated with it. These minerals were also shown to affect the production of CBD, delta-8-THC and cannabinol (CBN), although the latter two compounds are now thought to be degradation products of delta-9-THC. Optimal Fe (iron) and Mg (magnesium) levels have been found to be very important for plant synthesis of THC. It is suggested that these minerals (Mg and Fe) may serve as enzyme co-factors (like a catalyst).
Plant damage: Wounding of the plant has been used as a method to increase resin production. Cracking, bending and generally mutilating the stems and branches increases the size of the stems and associated flowers, and also it seems from observation these flowers get real sticky and are strong to smoke. This increase may be a response to water loss (low water again) above the point of damage. Under natural circumstances, wounding most often occurs as a result of insects. This is a source of environmental stress which the production of terpenes and cannabinoids may be able to minimize. Cannabis doesn't have many predators and has even been utilized in powdered or extract form as an insecticide. A generous covering of non-glandular trichomes, emission of volatile terpenoid substances, and excretion of the sticky cannabinoids makes it a pain in the arse for some bugs.
Competition: Give your plants plenty of space so they don't have to compete for water (although as we said earlier this can be a good thing), food and light.
Ultraviolet radiation: Another stress which plants are subject to results from their daily exposure to sunlight. While necessary to sustain photosynthesis, natural and some artificial light contains biologically destructive ultraviolet radiation. The extent to which this increases THC production has been determined by experiments. These showed that under conditions of high UV-B (280-315 nm) exposure, cannabis produces significantly greater quantities of THC.
SHOW YOUR GROW!
John Doe's Flo
above left: close-up of skunk 1
above: canty-ghanimaking
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