Identify and Eliminate Male Plants, Days After Germination
With DNA-based testing, it is possible to identify male cannabis plants weeks before they show any visual sex features. DNA is extracted from one of the plant’s leaflets, as early as the second set of true leaves. Males can then be removed from a grow in order to maintain female flowers rich in cannabinoids. This method is an improvement over traditional visual inspection because it allows growers to identify male plants earlier, more accurately, and with less labor.
Save Weeks Worth of Resources
It takes approximately 6 weeks for a cannabis plant to show signs of sex. By eliminating male cannabis or hemp plants early, cultivators can make better use of their resources, canopy space, and labor.
Two Options for Sex Testing Cannabis
Medicinal Genomics has developed two DNA-based sex testing methods that look for the Y chromosome in a 4mm leaf biopsy. FemINDICAtor® is a qPCR test that runs on a thermal cycler with an optical head for real-time results. The youPCR® Gender Detection Assay runs on less expensive equipment and delivers results visually, using a colorimetric reagent.
The youPCR® Gender Detection Assay can be performed on-site using a standard thermal cycler. The assay looks for the Y chromosome in a 4mm leaf biopsy, and when a male is detected, the colorimetric reagent changes from pink to yellow.
The FemINDICAtor® qPCR Plant Gender Detection Assay is run on a thermal cycler with an optical head. If the 4mm leaf biospy contains Y chromosome DNA, the assay will emit a fluorophore signal that the instrument will display on a computer screen.
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Prefer to Outsource Testing?
Cultivators who don’t have enough volume, lab experience, or start-up cash to test seedlings in-house can outsource to one of our partner labs. They have great turnaround time and aren’t going to use your genetic data to fuel a breeding operation.