2 questions... one is on topic the other not really
1) I hear mention of 20% thc and all, but how do you find this out, I mean is there some testing kit or such or some method to test thc levels in a plant?
2) where exactly are Tricomes located? I mean which part of the plant?
I have a fair microscope, and I've looked at the fan leaves and the bud hairs, It looks like the bud hairs have tricomes but what I see doesn't really look a lot like the images I found here, more like hairs (like on the fan leaves), does it take longer to form tricomes or am I looking in the wrong place?
1) My understanding is that, seed companies and those that grow to sell seeds will do their best to create the idea conditions for the strain they are selling seeds for and once found they will send a sample to a lab and have the THC content analyzed, (I think there was another thread that had a link to a small kit that was relatively inexpensive and another that gave you the kit to send them a sample.) this is done to give buyers of their seeds an idea of what the potential THC level is on the strain. Companies that sell seeds (seed banks) use this info to market the strains and this is where most people get the numbers they quote, the true THC content of most of the weed they are smoking is not quite at the levels these seed banks quote to be realistic and IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET THAT EVERY GROW, the conditions will dictate this much more than genetics.
This can be somewhat misleading at times cause this is not the only thing that matters with the level of the affect. I mean, as I understand it, it is more important how the THC interacts with other cannabinoids and terpins and this interaction and balance is what will influence the affect and flavors.
2)
where exactly are Tricomes located? I mean which part of the plant?
They
can be located in numerous places, but they are most commonly found on the leaves closest to the bud sites and on the buds or flowers. You will find they look a lot like a clear or translucent tall lanky mushroom. When they start to turn a red/purple color, kinda looks like they are bleeding, they are starting to degrade and have peaked or ripened in a nut shell.
The other spikey looking thing, that doesn't have a 'head' on it, is something different and I just read something that describes these and I can't remember enough about it to give a proper explanation, pretty medicated then and now, lol. Anyways, these are primarily found under the plant leaves.
Hope this helps and like I said this is only my understanding based on the info I have looked at.