is it possible to identify an unknown strain?

i apologize if i am posting this in the wrong section.

i would like to know if it is possible to identify an unknown strain.

i dont want to just post a pic of my unknown plant. i would like for this to benefit others. the problem is this: when i search all the grow journals of the different named strains, all these buds are grown fucking...boss. for all i know at my harvest time my buds have had deficiencies everytime that i dont see quite yet. so my plant/bud doesnt look the same. lets say im growin some ak-47, and since im still a noob, ive had some kind of deficiency every time at harvest time. so my ak-47, will not look like some of these "boss grown" ak-47s......knowhatimsayin? sry for the ramble. thats what all great speeches start as tho. thanks. and im terribly sorry if this is posted in the incorrect section.

no chance mate, i cant tell by looking.i can tell a few by smoking them though.

really no chance? theres gotta be somethin that we can do to help others with the same problem. like maybe a guidline and we can try and narrow it down. but i suppose with cross pollination and such all "bag seeds" grown are hybrids. which would make it nearly impossible to identify. boo

there are litterally thousands of strains out there, most of which look alike, many smell alike, and even taste alike.

High tech computers, microscopes, a degree in biology, a whacky hair doo, pale skin and a pair of glasses that are made from the bottom of a beer glass.

Unfortunately right now it is not possible. Due to the nature of the way Cannabis is grown and the naming categories you can't identify what strain a certain bud is. There are several laboratories across the world that are working on building a database so that they can identify a strain by testing it but this is made even more difficult because cross breeding is so prevalent.

For example when John Smith grows Train Wreck and GDP in his grow room together the plants can potentially have some cross pollination. This would result in a different chemical make up of the plants. John would probably not notice it but over time the chemical signature of his Train Wreck would not be the same as someone growing Train Wreck a few states away.

Like wine there are some people who have a good "nose" for certain strains and can most likely identify many by the taste. But as you give a very good example of if I grow a low quality version of AK-47 it would taste different than someone who is a professional grower.

I try to send as many of my "successful" strains in for testing to the lab to help contribute to those databases but I think it will be a few years before we have pocket based testers that can quickly identify a strain for us.

try leafly and strainbrain they'd give you what you're looking for. you need an HD camera and like everyone here is saying, there is a lot of different stuff that is very close to being the same so you get a range of strain names when u use these weed thingys