Yellow butterfly came to see me the other day; that was nice. Starting to show signs of stress on the odd leaf, localized isolated blips, blemishes, who said growing up was going to be easy! Smaller leaves have less surface area for stomata to occupy, so the stomata are packed more densely to maintain adequate gas exchange. Smaller leaves might have higher stomatal density to compensate for their smaller size, potentially maximizing carbon uptake and minimizing water loss. Environmental conditions like light intensity and water availability can influence stomatal density, and these factors can affect leaf size as well. Leaf development involves cell division and expansion, and stomatal differentiation is sensitive to these processes. In essence, the smaller leaf size can lead to a higher stomatal density due to the constraints of available space and the need to optimize gas exchange for photosynthesis and transpiration. In the long term, UV-B radiation can lead to more complex changes in stomatal morphology, including effects on both stomatal density and size, potentially impacting carbon sequestration and water use. In essence, UV-B can be a double-edged sword for stomata: It can induce stomatal closure and potentially reduce stomatal size, but it may also trigger an increase in stomatal density as a compensatory mechanism. It is generally more efficient for gas exchange to have smaller leaves with a higher stomatal density, rather than large leaves with lower stomatal density. This is because smaller stomata can facilitate faster gas exchange due to shorter diffusion pathways, even though they may have the same total pore area as fewer, larger stomata. Leaf size tends to decrease in colder climates to reduce heat loss, while larger leaves are more common in warmer, humid environments. Plants in arid regions often develop smaller leaves with a thicker cuticle and/or hairs to minimize water loss through transpiration. Conversely, plants in wet environments may have larger leaves and drip tips to facilitate water runoff. Leaf size and shape can vary based on light availability. For example, leaves in shaded areas may be larger and thinner to maximize light absorption. Leaf mass per area (LMA) can be higher in stressful environments with limited nutrients, indicating a greater investment in structural components for protection and critical resource conservation. Wind speed, humidity, and soil conditions can also influence leaf morphology, leading to variations in leaf shape, size, and surface characteristics. Small leaves: Reduce water loss in arid or cold climates. Environmental conditions significantly affect gene expression in plants. Plants are sessile organisms, meaning they cannot move to escape unfavorable conditions, so they rely on gene expression to adapt to their surroundings. Environmental factors like light, temperature, water, and nutrient availability can trigger changes in gene expression, allowing plants to respond to and survive in diverse environments. Depending on the environment a young seedling encounters, the developmental program following seed germination could be skotomorphogenesis in the dark or photomorphogenesis in the light. Light signals are interpreted by a repertoire of photoreceptors followed by sophisticated gene expression networks, eventually resulting in developmental changes. The expression and functions of photoreceptors and key signaling molecules are highly coordinated and regulated at multiple levels of the central dogma in molecular biology. Light activates gene expression through the actions of positive transcriptional regulators and the relaxation of chromatin by histone acetylation. Small regulatory RNAs help attenuate the expression of light-responsive genes. Alternative splicing, protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation, the formation of diverse transcriptional complexes, and selective protein degradation all contribute to proteome diversity and change the functions of individual proteins. Photomorphogenesis, the light-driven developmental changes in plants, significantly impacts gene expression. It involves a cascade of events where light signals, perceived by photoreceptors, trigger changes in gene expression patterns, ultimately leading to the development of a plant in response to its light environment. Genes are expressed, not dictated! While having the potential to encode proteins, genes are not automatically and constantly active. Instead, their expression (the process of turning them into proteins) is carefully regulated by the cell, responding to internal and external signals. This means that genes can be "turned on" or "turned off," and the level of expression can be adjusted, depending on the cell's needs and the surrounding environment. In plants, genes are not simply "on" or "off" but rather their expression is carefully regulated based on various factors, including the cell type, developmental stage, and environmental conditions. This means that while all cells in a plant contain the same genetic information (the same genes), different cells will express different subsets of those genes at different times. This regulation is crucial for the proper functioning and development of the plant. When a green plant is exposed to red light, much of the red light is absorbed, but some is also reflected back. The reflected red light, along with any blue light reflected from other parts of the plant, can be perceived by our eyes as purple. Carotenoids absorb light in blue-green region of the visible spectrum, complementing chlorophyll's absorption in the red region. They safeguard the photosynthetic machinery from excessive light by activating singlet oxygen, an oxidant formed during photosynthesis. Carotenoids also quench triplet chlorophyll, which can negatively affect photosynthesis, and scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage cellular proteins. Additionally, carotenoid derivatives signal plant development and responses to environmental cues. They serve as precursors for the biosynthesis of phytohormones such as abscisic acid () and strigolactones (SLs). These pigments are responsible for the orange, red, and yellow hues of fruits and vegetables, while acting as free scavengers to protect plants during photosynthesis. Singlet oxygen (¹O₂) is an electronically excited state of molecular oxygen (O₂). Singlet oxygen is produced as a byproduct during photosynthesis, primarily within the photosystem II (PSII) reaction center and light-harvesting antenna complex. This occurs when excess energy from excited chlorophyll molecules is transferred to molecular oxygen. While singlet oxygen can cause oxidative damage, plants have mechanisms to manage its production and mitigate its harmful effects. Singlet oxygen (¹O₂) is considered a reactive oxygen species (ROS). It's a form of oxygen with higher energy and reactivity compared to the more common triplet oxygen found in its ground state. Singlet oxygen is generated both in biological systems, such as during photosynthesis in plants, and in cellular processes, and through chemical and photochemical reactions. While singlet oxygen is a ROS, it's important to note that it differs from other ROS like superoxide (O₂⁻), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and hydroxyl radicals (OH) in its formation, reactivity, and specific biological roles. Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) protects plants from damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) by dissipating excess light energy as heat. This process reduces the overexcitation of photosynthetic pigments, which can lead to the production of ROS, thus mitigating the potential for photodamage. Zeaxanthin, a carotenoid pigment, plays a crucial role in photoprotection in plants by both enhancing non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). In high-light conditions, zeaxanthin is synthesized from violaxanthin through the xanthophyll cycle, and this zeaxanthin then facilitates heat dissipation of excess light energy (NPQ) and quenches harmful ROS. The Issue of Singlet Oxygen!! ROS Formation: Blue light, with its higher energy photons, can promote the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including singlet oxygen, within the plant. Potential Damage: High levels of ROS can damage cellular components, including proteins, lipids, and DNA, potentially impacting plant health and productivity. Balancing Act: A balanced spectrum of light, including both blue and red light, is crucial for mitigating the harmful effects of excessive blue light and promoting optimal plant growth and stress tolerance. The Importance of Red Light: Red light (especially far-red) can help to mitigate the negative effects of excessive blue light by: Balancing the Photoreceptor Response: Red light can influence the activity of photoreceptors like phytochrome, which are involved in regulating plant responses to different light wavelengths. Enhancing Antioxidant Production: Red and blue light can stimulate the production of antioxidants, which help to neutralize ROS and protect the plant from oxidative damage. Optimizing Photosynthesis: Red light is efficiently used in photosynthesis, and its combination with blue light can lead to increased photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production. In controlled environments like greenhouses and vertical farms, optimizing the ratio of blue and red light is a key strategy for promoting healthy plant growth and yield. Understanding the interplay between blue light signaling, ROS production, and antioxidant defense mechanisms can inform breeding programs and biotechnological interventions aimed at improving plant stress resistance. In summary, while blue light is essential for plant development and photosynthesis, it's crucial to balance it with other light wavelengths, particularly red light, to prevent excessive ROS formation and promote overall plant health. Oxidative damage in plants occurs when there's an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the plant's ability to neutralize them, leading to cellular damage. This imbalance, known as oxidative stress, can result from various environmental stressors, affecting plant growth, development, and overall productivity. Causes of Oxidative Damage: Abiotic stresses: These include extreme temperatures (heat and cold), drought, salinity, heavy metal toxicity, and excessive light. Biotic stresses: Pathogen attacks and insect infestations can also trigger oxidative stress. Metabolic processes: Normal cellular activities, particularly in chloroplasts, mitochondria, and peroxisomes, can generate ROS as byproducts. Certain chlorophyll biosynthesis intermediates can produce singlet oxygen (1O2), a potent ROS, leading to oxidative damage. ROS can damage lipids (lipid peroxidation), proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids (DNA). Oxidative stress can compromise the integrity of cell membranes, affecting their function and permeability. Oxidative damage can interfere with essential cellular functions, including photosynthesis, respiration, and signal transduction. In severe cases, oxidative stress can trigger programmed cell death (apoptosis). Oxidative damage can lead to stunted growth, reduced biomass, and lower crop yields. Plants have evolved intricate antioxidant defense systems to counteract oxidative stress. These include: Enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and various peroxidases scavenge ROS and neutralize their damaging effects. Antioxidant molecules like glutathione, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), C60 fullerene, and carotenoids directly neutralize ROS. Developing plant varieties with gene expression focused on enhanced antioxidant capacity and stress tolerance is crucial. Optimizing irrigation, fertilization, and other management practices can help minimize stress and oxidative damage. Applying antioxidant compounds or elicitors can help plants cope with oxidative stress. Introducing genes for enhanced antioxidant enzymes or stress-related proteins over generations. Phytohormones, also known as plant hormones, are a group of naturally occurring organic compounds that regulate plant growth, development, and various physiological processes. The five major classes of phytohormones are: auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene, and abscisic acid. In addition to these, other phytohormones like brassinosteroids, jasmonates, and salicylates also play significant roles. Here's a breakdown of the key phytohormones: Auxins: Primarily involved in cell elongation, root initiation, and apical dominance. Gibberellins: Promote stem elongation, seed germination, and flowering. Cytokinins: Stimulate cell division and differentiation, and delay leaf senescence. Ethylene: Regulates fruit ripening, leaf abscission, and senescence. Abscisic acid (ABA): Plays a role in seed dormancy, stomatal closure, and stress responses. Brassinosteroids: Involved in cell elongation, division, and stress responses. Jasmonates: Regulate plant defense against pathogens and herbivores, as well as other processes. Salicylic acid: Plays a role in plant defense against pathogens. 1. Red and Far-Red Light (Phytochromes): Red light: Primarily activates the phytochrome system, converting it to its active form (Pfr), which promotes processes like stem elongation and flowering. Far-red light: Inhibits the phytochrome system by converting the active Pfr form back to the inactive Pr form. This can trigger shade avoidance responses and inhibit germination. Phytohormones: Red and far-red light regulate phytohormones like auxin and gibberellins, which are involved in stem elongation and other growth processes. 2. Blue Light (Cryptochromes and Phototropins): Blue light: Activates cryptochromes and phototropins, which are involved in various processes like stomatal opening, seedling de-etiolation, and phototropism (growth towards light). Phytohormones: Blue light affects auxin levels, influencing stem growth, and also impacts other phytohormones involved in these processes. Example: Blue light can promote vegetative growth and can interact with red light to promote flowering. 3. UV-B Light (UV-B Receptors): UV-B light: Perceived by UVR8 receptors, it can affect plant growth and development and has roles in stress responses, like UV protection. Phytohormones: UV-B light can influence phytohormones involved in stress responses, potentially affecting growth and development. 4. Other Colors: Green light: Plants are generally less sensitive to green light, as chlorophyll reflects it. Other wavelengths: While less studied, other wavelengths can also influence plant growth and development through interactions with different photoreceptors and phytohormones. Key Points: Cross-Signaling: Plants often experience a mix of light wavelengths, leading to complex interactions between different photoreceptors and phytohormones. Species Variability: The precise effects of light color on phytohormones can vary between different plant species. Hormonal Interactions: Phytohormones don't act in isolation; their interactions and interplay with other phytohormones and environmental signals are critical for plant responses. The spectral ratio of light (the composition of different colors of light) significantly influences a plant's hormonal balance. Different wavelengths of light are perceived by specific photoreceptors in plants, which in turn regulate the production and activity of various plant hormones (phytohormones). These hormones then control a wide range of developmental processes.

Go

She has a lot more room now to spread out, she is doing well! Second net going up in the next few days!

Coming into true week 7. The girls are really impressing me. The buds are stacking nicely. The bloody skunk still hasn't flowered yet she look ready thou. The dark devil is really really showing off she's starting to get that purple color coming in. The leaves are starting to get crystals. The critical mass and ak is showing off and the quarter pounder is getting feathery. Started to feed sugar water to the girls in between feedings.

Day 76 - I was on holiday all this week so not many daily photos, was able to gather the Energy the day after I come home to give them there proper defoliation at the end of week 3. No complaints or problems as of yet with the strain very easy to grow with little maintenance

🦍 cookies ancora pochi giorni ed è cotta anche lei.. buonissima,!! Ha un profumo delizioso super. I'attesa si fa lunga 🤣😉🤣😉

2/25/25 these plants are exploding with growth. all dark green and super happy. will be giving them another week and then switch them to 12/12 2/27/25 these plants are absolutely exploding with growth right 2/28/25 defoliating and tucking leaves. theyre all so lush and bushy. these genetics are surprising me after this transplant. theyre absolutely loving life right 3/2/25 these plants are growing visibly each day. i switched them to 12/12 today even though theyre only in the veg tent. after a couple more weeks, ill move them into the flower tent. so 2-3 weeks under a small 150 watt light, and then move them under a 300 watt light to finish

This week was great this is supposed to be an autoflower but here we are at 8 weeks and I've seen one pistol per bud site I'm wondering if I was accidently sent photoperiods? I'm not sure if anyone has ideas is this normal for this auto or is it a photo

Girls are stretching 4-6 inches daily having to bend some to keep them from light burn.I cant believe the pace they are stretching almost double any other strain ive grown .this strain is awsome 5-6 more weeks till harvest

Was such a pleasant harvest from start to finish, no issues at all. A tip for next time would be to have the SCRoG lower as I couldn’t really tuck any node sights this time round, smells absofuckinglutely amazing from 3RD week bloom onwards!

Elle sent la mangue, le sucre, les tropiques 😍 Et ce champs de trichomes est superbe...

🗓️ 9° WEEK FLO // DAY 57-63 (from switch) // DAY 134-140 (from dry seed) 🌸 Below is a focus on the last four days of cultivation, my harvest routine: 🌸 [60° FLO] ⚡- Light: 30 cm / 250 watt; ⌛- Schedule: 12/12; 🌡️- 23° C - 65% RH average; 📑- PH 5.8 - EC 0.4; 🍔- Ripen is done after 10 day. Flush begins; 💧- 9° DWC change, 20 liters tap water in DWCs; 🌱- Phenotype #1 is showing spots on leaves, not a big issue at this point. Looking at the trichomes, phenotype #2 is ripening faster. [61° FLO] ⚡- Light: 30 cm / 250 watt; ⌛- Schedule: 12/12; 🌡️- 23° C - 65% RH average; 📑- PH 5.9 - EC 0.4; 💧- 10° DWC change, 10 liters fresh tap water in DWCs. 🌱- I cut a small branch from the #1, very frosty and shining! [62° FLO] ⌛- Schedule: 0/24; 🌙- Light off until Harvest; 🌡️- 18° C - 65% RH average; 📑- PH 5.8 - EC 0.4; 💧- 3° day flush. [63° FLO] - Harvest day ⌛- Schedule: 0/24; 🌙- 48 hours in dark done; 🌡️- 18° C - 65% RH average; 📑- PH 5.8 - EC 0.4; 💧- 4 days without nutrients in DWCs. I removed water 20 hours before the chop; 🌸- Trichomes: Phenotype #1: Milky 90% - Amber 10% / Phenotype #2: Milky 85% - Amber 15%. ✅ HARVEST - After 4 days flush and 2 days in the dark, I cut both plants on DAY 63 FLO; - Wet trim, removed fan leaves. 🔜- We are at the end and I am organizing my next two diaries, I really like this initial phase of organization and planning for the next four or five months. The "modus operandi" will be the same adopted in this cultivation, I will start with two very fast autoflowering plants and in the meantime I will give the two photoperiodic plants a long vegetative growth. I still have to decide on the strains, but I already have an idea. As far as the nutritional regime is concerned, there will be big changes, for the first time I will be using beneficial bacteria in my DWCs and anyone who has any advice on using them in this setup feel free to write to me and share some thoughts. 🆕- On week 15 I got the TrolMaster TCS-1 by @TrolMaster_Europe and I started to track my grow box data. I will add these info once I add the harvest week!

Plants seem like they are slow to start showing flowers, I had to swap out one of the dragonsblood hashplant as it’s either a herm or male I’m getting a microscope tomorrow so will go over all plants thoroughly and double check sex. So far 1 confirmed male. Photos 2 days after a leaf stripping. Also figured out my RH issues see video.

Weekly update on these girls. They got a major defoliation this week so it'd allow the lower flower sites to mature some. They're sweet candy smelling when you rub the stems. The flower stretch has stopped now the sites are swelling daily. Over all I'm excited to see what the coming weeks have in store. Happy Growing

This strain goes really fast

Day 73 Day 38 Flower Monday 6th Camera is doing no justice, little video, although to my own fault I did not have phone with me when feeding yesterday for decent pictures. I will update again on water tomorrow ✌️ So far stretch has stopped, the recovery from lollipopping and defoliating is immaculate, she is so strong, already seeing denser bud sites and focused energy towards tops. Day 74 - picture updates, looking great 😍💪💚