Why a New Seedless Triploid Cannabis Might Be a Gamechanger

Diploid_Triploid comparison in Cannabis

Pollen viability and germination test. Left: Fertile diploid pollen showing expected pollen tube formation. Right: Infertile and misshapen pistilgard triploid pollen showing zero pollen tube formation.

Dark Heart Industries, one of California’s leading cannabis genetics companies, has introduced the world’s first seedless triploid cannabis for commercial growers. Dark Heart’s PistilGuard technology produces triploid cannabis seeds and clones that essentially cannot produce seed, even when directly exposed to pollen. This technology innovation means that triploid cannabis can be grown on the same scale as corn, wheat, or industrial hemp.

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“Our cannabis genetics using PistilGuard triploid technology are an industry first,” says Dan Grace, founder and CEO of Dark Heart Industries and Dark Heart Nursery. “The ability to grow THC-rich cannabis from sterile, triploid seeds and clones that are guaranteed to produce virtually seedless plants is a huge win for the cultivators we support. Pollen-proof cannabis, and the advantages it offers, will help move cannabis production from artisanal cultivation to large-scale agriculture.”

“The development of triploid seedless varieties has been a huge step forward in many commercial crops including watermelon, banana, and apples,” says Ken Owens, Ph.D., vegetable breeder and former President of Magnum Seeds. “This trait’s introduction in cannabis is a real breakthrough that will allow higher yields, reduced costs, and improved aromatic and chemical qualities of the crop. All this leads to higher profitability and control of the crop. Now that scientists at Dark Heart have developed the core technology, they’ll be able to introduce new seedless, triploid-based strains and cultivars through traditional breeding that should bring cannabis production to a whole new level very soon.”

A Brief History of Cannabis Genetics

The presence of seeds in cannabis plants decreases the density of cannabinoids and terpenes, leading to low THC production and loss of yield. As a result, breeders have long sought ways to remove seeds from cannabis.

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In the 1970’s, cannabis growers produced the first breakthrough in the campaign to produce seedless cannabis when they introduced Cannabis Sinsemilla — in Spanish “without seeds” — by physically isolating female plants from the presence of any pollen-producing males.

Further advances were made in the 1990s with the introduction of feminized cannabis seed, capable of producing overwhelmingly female plants. However even plants grown from feminized seed were still susceptible to accidental pollination from within the greenhouse or from neighboring fields in outdoor grows. Feminized seed can also still produce phenotypically male plants, albeit in very small amounts.

Producing seedless cannabis plants effectively solves this problem. Triploid seed-based plants are practically incapable of setting seed, even when directly exposed to male pollen. Male plants in the same field, same greenhouse, or neighboring field are not a problem for a triploid crop.

What’s Next

PistilGuard-branded seeds and clones will be available exclusively to Dark Heart customers and partners this year through field trials, then will be generally available for sale to all California commercial growers in 2023.

Greenhouse Grower caught up with Dakota Sullivan, Chief Revenue Officer at Dark Heart, for more insights on what the news means for the cannabis industry.

“There’s been a long history of trying to get seedless cannabis, including feminized seed,” Sullivan says. “With this, however, you still just have mostly females. Any males that emerge can pollinate quickly, which can reduce the value of the crop.”

Most production requires human aborting to avoid males, and the cost of scouting with humans is high.

“There are sensors that detect the presence of male pollen, but it’s too late by that point,” Sullivan says.

The announcement from Dark Heart means growers can now forego clones and grow direct from seed for greenhouses.

“It’s a real paradigm shift and will reduce the amount of labor needed, while freeing up space in the greenhouse,” Sullivan says. “It also enables legal growers to scale up and bring their costs down to where they can compete on price with ‘underground’ growers.”

For more information, download a whitepaper from Dark Heart.

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