Are seedling twins a sign of polyembryonic cannabis?

A new to me term I learned recently while planting mango seeds, polyembryonic. Supposedly these seedlings are exact replicas of the parent plant while other mango seedlings not displaying this expression have more random genetic recombinaions in the prognency.

I couldn't help but wonder if the occasional twins seedling phenomenon seen in cannabis is a polyembryonic thing like in mango varieties...
 
From another cannabis website:

TWIN SEEDLINGS
This mutation is very common. Polyembryonic seeds contain more than one seedling. Once germinated, it will produce two taproots instead of one. If carefully handled, these seedlings can be successfully separated into two plants. Strangely, one of the two plants will be a normal offspring of both mother and father. The other plant will only be a clone of the mother. Three-seedling polyembryonic seeds have also been reported. Despite its interesting biological marker and outcome, there is no real advantage to breeding plants with this trait. No effort has been made thus far to develop a true-breed with these characteristics.
 
I * heard * the same thing a long time ago. I was studying polyploidy. I popped a mr nice g-13 haze that grew two plants. One male one female. I cut out the male and kept the female. I was wondering what the g-13 haze mother is? I’d like to see it. I’m thinking a g-13 skunk? crossed with a hazeC male? It is very symmetrical and mirror like after topping once it grew four more feet of some wicked looking bud stacking in a double helix type AD6B082D-C59E-41AB-A45C-B6A377CADB15.jpgtower. Don’t know if it’s true or not about the mother... but I thought it might be a good idea to keep her around in case it was the awesome g-13 mom SB used for breeding. Of course no haze c. What is the best? Maybe a holy grail male. Holy G13rail. Well here she is I’m no grower but smells like a new box of shoes?! Looks potent and wicked I’ll say.
longball I hope you don’t mind me teasing you a little... I just want to make u laugh. I saw your 2019 2020 pics... reminiscent of the old high times where people sent pics of their buds and gfs. Ha. Nice job man screw them neighbors. Mine grew too big as well but I’m inside. Live and learn and burn.
 
a old thread about twin

 
Thanks for adding to the discussion everyone, I appreciate the links and observations.

Kryppler, you mention observing a male and female plant out of the twin seedling. When researching and reading around, it seems to be more common than not that when twin cannabis seedlings emerge one is male and one is female. How cool would it be if these are replicas of each parental input! A female copy and a male copy of the genetics. I wonder if there would be a chance for that happening in polyembryonic cannabis seedlings.
 
Last edited:
Hi CannaFish, from what I am reading about this phenomenon in seedlings it may very well depend on the variety and how the genetics have been stacking or selected over time up until the point that indiviudal seed is made. Sometimes it's two seedlings called a duplet, others it may be a three (triplet) or more. Some publications, not specifically speaking of cannabis, mention that sometimes these multiple seedlings are exact copies of a parent plant while other times they differ from the parent plant but are identical to one another. Sometimes, one is different and another identical to the parent. It seems like there is a good bit of variability, but how that translates to cannabis I haven't been able to find published literature on the subject yet apart from observations like yours and others across the various cannabis forums.

Neat plants you have there, not only multiple seedlings from one seed but whorled or trifoliate or whatever it's called too. I always seem to confuse the terms. Fascinated by the fasciated specimens, multiple seedlings. Keep them coming! Stoked and staying tuned...
 
Twin Seedlings

From a second cannabis website:

We’ve been having trouble getting a consensus on the matter of polyembryony in cannabis. There is research in other plants such as oranges and mangos which show that a pair of twin, or polyembryonic seedlings from a single seed will prove to be 2 completely differing cultivars; one being of heterozygous lineage of the two parent plants and the other seedling will be a direct “clone” match of the mother plant. From my reading, I have found that It is used often for mango, citrus and other cultivars to get true to type fruits and plants, and I have also read online that this is true for cannabis.

I carefully separated the two seedlings into their own pots, labeled them and vegged them out, took clones, and put them into flower. The entire time they grew similarly, but had completely different stem rub smells; one was more basic cannabis vegetation with a light orange hint to it and the second is more of an intense burnt rubber and orange peels kind of smell. Once put into flower I quickly realized, not only were they starting to completely deviate in structure, but I had one male plant and one female plant. Remember, these both came from a single seed.

From a third cannabis website:

Some cannabis seeds can germinate two plants. Technically, this is a phenomenon known as polyembryony. This happens just as in the human species. In this case, however, one plant will be normal and one will be a clone of the mother. Like with human conjoined twins, you cannot separate these plants too early. They can be separated when they reach between 20-25cm in height. This phenomenon should not be confused with real “Siamese Twin” marijuana, which is a mutation in which two plants share the same root.

Disclaimer: I have no idea if any of this is true. I do not know where these people are getting their information. I have never seen a 'twin seedling' though I suppose it is only a matter of time before I do. For entertainment purposes only. Like stringbeanonna mellow said, I have not been able to find any scientific research on this.

Longball
 
String bean- I was totally thinking the same thing I wouldn’t mind trying some g-13haze incestual seeds!! Does that count as S1 selfed?! Ha. I’m not sure if they were joined underneath the dirt because I never looked. I hoped for two females and thought the bigger one is the crazy breeder mom right? And then I thought maybe they use recessive genetics and u have a weak mother that takes all the traits of dad but maybe one thing-potency or structure etc. Probably not in strong genetics they’re probably breeding huge beasts but u never know in IBL. But it was a nail biter puting into flower the (male) one was way bigger but u never know until the flip...I didn’t want seed the whole room this time-after last time so when I saw grapes I was quick with the blade. I was hoping it didn’t stunt Gemini sista too bad watching that her dear brother die like that- but it must have scared her into straightening up her act. She started performing like a dancer down a double double helix pole- she knows what’ll happen if she shows even a hint of maleness!!! Haha. I hope I got the male in time. But if not we will see if incest is best in cannabis haha. Enough jokes.
Longball -thanks, man. The plant is good. I don’t know what I’m doing. U jam?! Awesome man rock on. I’ll show u my guitar one day. Nothing’s better than being at a concert and having someone pass u a gnarly one in the mosh pit. I like music I like herb I am real sucky at making both -but -will try to make what I like in spite!!! At the bottom... you can only get better- have some FUN trying some new stuff experiences it’s gotta be the meaning of life. U know what’s better than that DNA double helix looking bud? A double DNA double helix!! Here it is so you guys can see what the polymetric? -the Gemini twin seed is turning into. I hope they fill in for 2 huge ass buds... it’s day 40 there- I got some time I hope- but I don’t feed them so whatever’s in the dirt is what it gets. 32C906AF-8EC8-48F7-A2BE-C935E00C992E.jpeg
 
Kryppler said:
At the bottom... you can only get better-

Not so fast, Kryppler. I have seen people hit bottom and keep on digging!! haha Just teasing you, Kryppler. You have a fun attitude so you will do well in all you do :) Love your double double helix plant. Hope it turns out awesome. It looks awesome!

In looking at twin seedlings around the web there seems to be a lot of male/female twins. I guess it makes sense, 50% males, 50% females. I have not seen any one mention if they are using reg or fem seeds. Also, I have not seen anyone mention twin seedlings with landrace strains. I'm sure it must happen, maybe not as much? So far I have only seen it in hybrids and polyhybrids. It appears the more something is hybridized the more twin seedlings I have seen. Keep in mind, I am not stating scientific evidence, simply what I have observed while cruising the web for 20 minutes ;)

Longball
 
Interesting
Have run into the phenomenon many times.
Last lot was from the Erdpurt line.
Both were male.
They were almost identical throughout their growth cycle.
 
Both male eh sentient? I guess that blows a hole in the theory of one mom clone. Unless there were three... and the fem died. Or the thing went male from environmental stress before it’s coming of age... oh well. I thought it might be useful for a rare mom to preserve... I was hoping it was a sign of polyploidy -which is probably as useful in cannabis breeding as the twin seeds- doesn’t seem like a lot. I have a theory of cannabis, the great flood, and polyploidy though... I know you guys will have some info to contribute!! Well my twin is doing awesome considering it is in my amateurish farming hands. I hope I can keep it alive until harvest to try that beast!!
 
Back
Top