A GENDER REVEAL

On August 8, The Madill Record posted on Facebook about a big marijuana bust, sparking a colorful debate on the gender of the confiscated cannabis. This is a question that not many people have pondered over till the topic burst on the Facebook comments.

One would think that gender is not an issue when it comes to the highly debated herb. However, simple science would prove there are two genders to the plants.

Robert Scott who is ironically nicknamed Bud, is the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Cannabis Industry Association. A former grower himself, Scott is well versed on the masculinity of marijuana, or the lack thereof.

“The sex of the plant can be defined by the nodes,” Scott said. The area where the branches extend from the stalk is called the nodes.

Male plants have what are called pollen sacs and female plants will have what is called stigma. A pollen sac is self-explanatory, it is where pollen is produced. Pollen is a grainy cluster of male microgametophytes. This substance then produces male gametes — also known as sperm.

A stigma is the plant version of an ovary, where pollen germinates. It is crucial for plant reproduction. The sex of a plant is akin to figuring out the gender of a kitten, it is hard to distinguish. A grower should be able to correctly identify the gender by six weeks in age.

Typically, the male plant is introduced only to assist in cross-pollinating. This aids in achieving new genetics and strains. However, removing a male plant from the area empowers the female to grow the large, seedless buds also known as sinsemilla — the bud actually consumed.

There are two other versions of plants, as well. The hermaphrodite plant grows single flowers with male and female reproductive organs, and the monoecious plant produces two different flowers on the same plant.

A grower must be careful to not end up with over-seeded plants. This is typically thought of as lower-quality cannabis. The presence of seeds makes the smoke harsh and unpleasant.

Scott said there are quite a few things a potential grower should learn before taking on the task of germinating. “The learning experience can be fun or infuriating, he said.”

He said to know the sexes of the plants is a building block, along with knowing the soil where the plants potentially will go.

Because of the weather conditions, outdoor growth in Oklahoma is very favorable. A grower has to be careful of the soil, though. They need to make sure they do not plant in the red clay that Oklahoma is famous for. Scott said a grower also needs to keep an eye on Mother Nature. She can change anything in an instant. For instance, the torrential rains in early May affected the crops.