Uncle Ben's Topping Technique to Get 2 or 4 Main Colas

Status
Not open for further replies.

Sativied

Well-Known Member
Untopped (couple of days younger too)
View attachment 3364839 View attachment 3364837

Topped
View attachment 3364838 View attachment 3364840

That last one is probably a male, picked a taller one on purpose as it shows the difference better. I got about 30 more topped at slightly varying age (won't be flowering them all, about half is male and some won't make the selection).

View attachment 3364842 View attachment 3364843
Two weeks later, after roughly 10 days transition, the tallest and the shortest.
upload_2015-3-22_16-55-2.png upload_2015-3-22_16-55-31.png
 

Sativied

Well-Known Member
4 from same node
Nice, looking very healthy too.

quadmale2.jpg male_quad.jpg favtri_quadbranch.jpg

I prefer the tri whorled (main trait I breed for), ideal for topping. Topping after 2 tri nodes creates 6 nicely spaced non-overlapping branches/bud sites/colas. Each successive node is turned 60degrees as is already apparent in @bellcore's tri.

I've grown a lot of whorled phyllotaxy plants over the past year+ and done a lot of research into it (journaled at a more serious forum) and can actually induce the whorling in some of my crosses/lines (all based on a frosty quad male) by topping it or simply bending the main stem a la LST. The trait is as result of a mutated gene that causes a different auxin <-> cytokinin balance and auxin concentrations. Mine however don't start out as a tricot but as normal dicots and then start whorling around the 4th node or even later.

Tricots, those that start out with 3 cotyledons / seed leaves, are not always plants with inheritable whorled phyllotaxy but an inevitable result of being a tricot. This is described by Hofmeister’s rule: an empirical heuristic derived from the observation that new leaf primordia are formed in the largest space between the existing flanks of the older primordia. That's also why that second node of a tri is rotated exactly 60 degrees, and why on a regular decussate each successive node is rotated 90 degrees.
upload_2015-3-22_17-44-48.png

The new primordia, leaves in this case, start at a position where most auxins are accumulated and concentrated, or better said, least are used.

upload_2015-3-22_17-47-51.png
upload_2015-3-22_17-48-19.png A. alternating (mature cannabis)
B. regular opposite decussate
C. (tri) Whorled phyllotaxy (in case of cannabis, other species it's tricussate)
D. Spiral (similar to whorled but alternating, i.e. not all nodes on same level, mature whorled becomes spiral)

Point is, when you top, you heavily influence the same hormone balance and you can get abnormal node placement without actually have a mutant.

"Using a combined pharmacological and genetics approach we demonstrated that regular spacing of organs is controlled by auxin and its transporter PIN1 (Reinhardt 2000, 2003)."
http://www.botany.unibe.ch/deve/research/projects/reinhardt.htm
 
Last edited:

OldSoul777

Well-Known Member
Nice, looking very healthy too.

View attachment 3377764 View attachment 3377765 View attachment 3377769

I prefer the tri whorled (main trait I breed for), ideal for topping. Topping after 2 tri nodes creates 6 nicely spaced non-overlapping branches/bud sites/colas. Each successive node is turned 60degrees as is already apparent in @bellcore's tri.

I've grown a lot of whorled phyllotaxy plants over the past year+ and done a lot of research into it (journaled at a more serious forum) and can actually induce the whorling in some of my crosses/lines (all based on a frosty quad male) by topping it or simply bending the main stem a la LST. The trait is as result of a mutated gene that causes a different auxin <-> cytokinin balance and auxin concentrations. Mine however don't start out as a tricot but as normal dicots and then start whorling around the 4th node or even later.

Tricots, those that start out with 3 cotyledons / seed leaves, are not always plants with inheritable whorled phyllotaxy but an inevitable result of being a tricot. This is described by Hofmeister’s rule: an empirical heuristic derived from the observation that new leaf primordia are formed in the largest space between the existing flanks of the older primordia. That's also why that second node of a tri is rotated exactly 60 degrees, and why on a regular decussate each successive node is rotated 180 degrees.
View attachment 3377771

The new primordia, leaves in this case, start at a position where most auxins are accumulated and concentrated, or better said, least are used.

View attachment 3377772
View attachment 3377773 A. alternating (mature cannabis)
B. regular opposite decussate
C. (tri) Whorled phyllotaxy (in case of cannabis, other species it's tricussate)
D. Spiral (similar to whorled but alternating, i.e. not all nodes on same level, mature whorled becomes spiral)

Point is, when you top, you heavily influence the same hormone balance and you can get abnormal node placement without actually have a mutant.

"Using a combined pharmacological and genetics approach we demonstrated that regular spacing of organs is controlled by auxin and its transporter PIN1 (Reinhardt 2000, 2003)."
http://www.botany.unibe.ch/deve/research/projects/reinhardt.htm
Thanks for the info! Good stuff! This one didnt start like that but started happening around the third node and seems to only be happening on the adjacent node. Just found out today its a girl! It is just showing preflowers . I guess I will clone it in case its any good. Its nirvana free seeds that came with an order. they grow like crap compared to what you pay for. I will prob get rid of most and put some better clones in their spot.
 

propertyoftheUS

Well-Known Member
So was I right to top it at the quad leaf node? Like I said its the first I've seen of this. The strain is the greatest closet strain ever. Tightest node spacing I've ever seen with absolutely no stretch. My avatar is this strain flowered from clone.
 

propertyoftheUS

Well-Known Member
So was I right to top it at the quad leaf node? Like I said its the first I've seen of this. The strain is the greatest closet strain ever. Tightest node spacing I've ever seen with absolutely no stretch. My avatar is this strain flowered from clone.
 

Uncle Ben

Well-Known Member
So was I right to top it at the quad leaf node? Like I said its the first I've seen of this. The strain is the greatest closet strain ever. Tightest node spacing I've ever seen with absolutely no stretch. My avatar is this strain flowered from clone.
That's not my method but you can top however you want. Just expect a different response.
 

johne0d

Active Member
Hello , If this is answered I appologize for not reading all the pages.Last time I topped Uncle Ben's method(wich is the best for me) , instead of 4 coalas, i got 2 or three, and the 4th coalas, was a branch very small...wich didnt develop, My question is: If i get in VEG 3 good coalas and 1 small, can I cut the small coalas ? or just leave it...Thank you
 

Uncle Ben

Well-Known Member
It's an issue of apical dominance. Don't worry about the smaller cola, let it be. Every leaf is feeding the entire plant process.
 

Gratefulgrowin93

Well-Known Member
used this method before and tried fim and topping later on, and staking but nothing but this mainlining and scrog seem to give me truly bigger yield better aiflow and light distribution and cleaning lower part of plant where popcorn would form or PM would thrive if I spray ,water too often or overcrowd my little 4 x 4 tent. Love your method Uncle Ben! Much love and respect my brother! ✌
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top