‘Old School Hybrids’, ‘New School Hybrids’ and the Recent Influx of More Modern American Genetics

Over the years, significant advancements have unfolded in the realm of European cannabis genetics. Initially, Landrace strains were meticulously backcrossed and inbred to create stabilized variants known as Inbred Lines (IBLs). Notable examples, like Afghan Kush, underwent repeated backcrossing to establish consistent and desirable attributes. This approach was applied to numerous renowned strains, including Afghani Kush, Hindu Kush, Colombian Gold, Colombian Red, Highland Thai, and various Mexican strains from Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Michoacan, among others. This backcrossing practice was widespread, extending from Southeast Asia to Hawaii, Pakistan to Southern India, Brazil to Panama, and even encompassing strains such as Power Plant, which emerged from the African continent.

Stabilising some of these true breeding strains took as long as 20 years in some cases! Breeders had reworked these strains to show stable for the characteristics they desired, different genetics were swapped from breeder to breeder all over the world. At this point many of the breeders began to cross them with each other creating the first true hybrids that we know of. Strains such as Acapulco Gold (Columbian Gold x Mexican Sativa), and Skunk #1 (Acapulco Gold x Afghani Kush), Original Haze (Mexico x Colombia x Thailand x India) and of course the infamous White Widow (South Indian Sativa x Brazilian Sativa.) all of these strains went through extensive selection and breeding processes to produce the true breeding lines that they are composed of; also going through the same process again in the hybridisation process. All of this hard work and dedication has led to the qualities that these cannabis varieties are now renowned for. Some of the key people involved in these breeding developments and also responsible for making these genetics available to wider the wider cannabis community, were influential cannabis strain enthusiasts such as Ben Dronkers, who runs the Sensi Seeds bank; and Eddy who runs the Flying Dutchman Seed Company and also the Cannabis College in Amsterdam. Other extremely important people in this process were Neville and Shantibaba who are both highly prized breeders with decades of cannabis knowledge. Both Neville and Shantibaba in the past had collaborated on work with the Greenhouse Seed Co. before moving on and settling down with Mr Nice Seeds. For years Mr Nice Seeds has been at the forefront of cannabis breeding, recently collaborating with Resin Seeds on the new high CBD Strains produced by the CBD Crew.

CBD Crew (Collaboration between Mr Nice and Resin for medicinal high CBD strains)

• Mango Haze
• Skunk Haze
• Critical Mass (High CBD version)

In the present era, the once-pioneering Hybrids like White Widow and Skunk #1 have evolved into remarkably stable inbred lines, establishing the genetic foundation for a subsequent generation of Hybrid Cannabis strains. It's now increasingly frequent to encounter strains such as Arctic Sun by Flying Dutchman (White Widow x Skunk), a hybrid that seamlessly integrates genetics from five distinct countries. Further down the line, you'll discover slightly more contemporary hybrids boasting intricate, multi-layered genetics:

• Serious Seeds - AK47
• Serious Seeds - White Russian
• Bomb Seeds - Berry Bomb
• Sensi Seeds - Ed Rosenthal Super Bud
• Kiwi Seeds - Mt Cook
• Homegrown Fantaseeds - Original Misty
• Barney's farm - G13 Haze
• Barney's farm - Critical Kush
• Barney's farm - Liberty Haze
• Greenhouse Seed co. - Super Lemon Haze
• Sensi Seeds - Jack Herer

As well as these advances in the European breeding scene, we have also had an influx of the more modern USA genetics in the last few years, so now we have strains like Blue Dream, Bruce Banner, OG Kush, Girl Scout Cookies, Gelato, Sunset Sherbert (Sorbet), Sour Diesel, Wedding Cake, and Gorilla Glue making their way into the hands of breeders this side of the pond. These are Exciting times for Seed Collectors!

As well as companies such as TGA Seeds, DNA Genetics and Reserva Privada who we have stocked for a few years now, we are happy to introduce strains, from some of the other extremely welcome breeders to come in from the Canada and the USA, Seed Banks such as Bodhi Seeds, Archive Seeds, Sin City Seeds, Rare Dankness, Apothecary Genetics, Brothers Grimm Seeds, Humboldt Seeds, Dark Horse Genetics, Jinxproof Genetics, Moxie Seeds, Purple Caper Seeds, and Top Shelf Elite Seeds, are really turning heads with the quality of their genetics. It is nice to see that some of these seed banks have a healthy range of regular seeds (non feminised), and here at Seed City we are looking forward to some of these strains making their way into future projects of the cannabis breeding communities.