Humboldt Seed Company (HSC) yesterday announced the release of its OG Kush Triploid and Donutz Triploid cannabis seeds to the U.S. market. The strains were created to simplify home growing and provide a solution for commercial cultivators to remain competitive in an ever-changing market.
The OG Kush Triploid is an upgraded classic with sparkly, bright green, tennis ball-sized buds and THC from 30% to 34%, according to the company. The Donutz Triploid yields frosty, indoor-style buds with THC from 30% to 35%.
Triploids possess three copies of chromosomes instead of the usual two and are 99% seedless, thanks to natural breeding techniques and selective pressures. HSC triploids are not genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The alteration in chromosome number allows for enhanced characteristics and maintains genetic integrity.
A Donutz Triploid showing a branching, multi-headed triploid trichome structure and trichome length in microns.Chris Romaine
According to Benjamin Lind, co-founder and chief science officer of HSC, the company discovered a naturally occurring triploid during a phenotype hunt in Grass Valley, California. The new strains come after extensive, large-scale field trials with California farms and a collaboration with Richard Philbrook, a molecular biologist at Dark Heart Labs.
Triploid seeds offer a 3% to 5% increase in THC, a 10% to 20% increase in flower yields and a 10% to 15% increase in fresh frozen live rosin yield. The seeds also shorten flowering time by five to ten days and virtually eliminate crop losses due to pollination. Additional benefits include potentially enhanced disease resistance and reduced requirements for nutrients and water, leading to a lower carbon footprint and a more environmentally friendly growth cycle.
Cannabis horticulture expert Ed Rosenthal says triploid technology has revolutionized global fruit production, particularly in seedless watermelons and grapes. “I had a chance to compare the triploid and diploid plants at the Humboldt Seed Company 2023 phenotype hunt,” Rosenthal said in a statement. “The triploids appeared more vigorous, had larger buds and higher trichome density, increasing the value for both the consumer and farmer.”
HSC triploid seeds are available across the U.S. with a triploid clone release to follow this spring in Europe.
The Donutz Triploid.Erik Christiansen
OG Kush TriploidErik Christiansen
