Every word growers use, defined.
From F1 to water activity, PPFD to pollen chucker: one plain definition per term, the synonyms and slang people actually type, and a link to the evidence. Where a word is contested, you get the house position.
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- 12/1212-12, 12/12 light cycle, twelve twelve, 12 on 12 off
12/12 is the classic flowering schedule for photoperiod cannabis: 12 hours of light and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness, which triggers and sustains flowering.
Environment and light - 13/1113-11, 13/11 light cycle, 13 hours light, 13 on 11 off
13/11 is a flowering schedule of 13 hours light and 11 hours dark; GenetixBay endorses it, as most cultivars still flower while gaining extra daily light.
Environment and light - 18/618-6, 18/6 light cycle, 18 on 6 off, eighteen six
18/6 is the standard vegetative light schedule: 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness each day, keeping photoperiod cannabis from flowering.
Environment and light - 24/024-0, 24/0 light cycle, 24 hours light, lights on 24/7
24/0 means lights on 24 hours a day with no dark period; GenetixBay endorses it for veg, as cannabis does not need a sleep period before flowering.
Environment and light - 4204/20, four-twenty, 4:20, April 20
420 is cannabis culture shorthand for cannabis itself and for April 20, celebrated as an unofficial cannabis day.
Grower slang and culture - 60/60 rule60-60 rule, 60 60 rule, 60/60, sixty sixty
A drying rule of thumb: dry cannabis at about 60 °F (15.5 °C) and 60% relative humidity so buds dry slowly over roughly 10-14 days.
Harvest, drying and curing
A
- A/B nutrienttwo-part nutrient, 2-part nutrient, A and B, part A part B
An A/B nutrient is a mineral feed split into two concentrates so that calcium (part A) is kept apart from sulfate and phosphate (part B), which would precipitate together.
Nutrients - Abscisic acidABA, abscisin, dormin, stress hormone
A plant hormone (ABA) that signals water stress, closes stomata and maintains seed dormancy.
Plant biology - Absolute humidityAH, water vapour density, water vapor density, g/m³ humidity
Absolute humidity is the actual mass of water vapour in a volume of air, in grams per cubic metre, independent of temperature.
Environment and light - Accessionaccessions, germplasm accession, seed accession, accession number
An accession is a distinct sample of plant material (seed, tissue or cuttings) entered into a collection or gene bank under its own ID with records of origin.
Genetics and breeding - Achenecannabis seed, seed (botanical), achenes, fruit
The dry, single-seeded fruit of cannabis that growers call a seed; a hard shell (pericarp plus seed coat) encloses one embryo and does not split open.
Plant biology - Acid vs neutral cannabinoidsacidic cannabinoids, neutral cannabinoids, acid cannabinoids, carboxylated cannabinoids
Acid cannabinoids (THCA, CBDA, CBGA) are the carboxylated forms the plant makes; neutral cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBG) form when heat or time removes the carboxyl group.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Action thresholdeconomic threshold, treatment threshold, intervention threshold, action level
The pest or disease level, set in advance, at which a grower takes a specific control action because waiting longer would cost more than acting.
Pests and diseases - Aerial dispersalballooning, silk ballooning, wind dispersal
Pests spreading on air currents; spider mites gather at plant tops and drop on silk threads to be carried by wind or fans.
Pests and diseases - Aeroponicsaero, aeroponic, LPA, low-pressure aeroponics
Aeroponics grows plants with roots hanging in air inside a dark chamber, wetted by sprayed nutrient solution; low-pressure (LPA) systems use ordinary pumps and spray heads.
Systems and media - Air potair pots, air-pruning pot, air pruning pot, root pruning pot
An air pot is a rigid container with cone-shaped holes in its walls that air-prune roots, preventing circling and drying the medium faster than a solid pot.
Cultivation and training - Air stoneairstone, air stones, bubbler, air diffuser
An air stone is a porous diffuser connected to an air pump that breaks air into fine bubbles in a nutrient solution, mixing it and helping maintain dissolved oxygen.
Systems and media - Air-filled porosityAFP, air porosity, air space, aeration porosity
Air-filled porosity is the share of a container's volume that holds air rather than water after it has drained, a key factor in root oxygen and overwatering risk.
Systems and media - Airflowair flow, air movement, air circulation, canopy airflow
Airflow is the movement of air through and around the canopy; it thins the still boundary layer on leaves, evens out temperature and humidity, and lowers mould risk.
Environment and light - Alatealates, winged aphid, winged morph, alatae
The winged form of an aphid, produced mainly when colonies crowd or plants decline; alates fly to new plants and are caught on sticky cards.
Pests and diseases - Alkalinitytotal alkalinity, water alkalinity, bicarbonate alkalinity, mg/L CaCO3
Alkalinity is water's capacity to neutralise acid, mainly from dissolved bicarbonate and carbonate, reported in mg/L as CaCO3; it decides how much pH Down you need.
pH, EC and water - Allelealleles, gene variant, allelic variant
An allele is one version of a gene; a diploid cannabis plant carries two alleles at each locus, one from each parent, which may be the same or different.
Genetics and breeding - Alpha-pineneα-pinene, a-pinene, pinene, alpha pinene
Alpha-pinene is a bicyclic monoterpene with a sharp pine-resin aroma, the main terpene of conifer needles and a common, usually secondary, terpene in cannabis.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Amblyseius swirskiiswirskii, A. swirskii, swirski mite
A warmth-loving generalist predatory mite that eats thrips larvae, whitefly eggs and nymphs and broad mites, and can persist on pollen.
Pests and diseases - Amino acid chelateamino acid chelates, amino chelate, glycinate, chelated amino acids
An amino acid chelate is a metal bound to amino acids such as glycine; it is a gentler, biodegradable alternative to synthetic chelates, often sold for foliar sprays.
Nutrients - AmmoniumNH4+, NH4, ammoniacal nitrogen, NH4-N
Ammonium (NH4+) is the positively charged form of nitrogen; a small share stabilises root-zone pH, but too much reduces cannabis yield and quality.
Nutrients - Ammonium nitrateNH4NO3, 34-0-0
Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a 34-35% nitrogen salt, half ammonium and half nitrate, used in small amounts to steer root-zone pH in hydro.
Nutrients - Antheranthers, pollen sac, pollen sacs, stamen
The pollen-producing part of a stamen; in cannabis each male flower has five anthers that split to shed wind-blown pollen.
Plant biology - Anthocyaninanthocyanins, purple pigment, purple colour, purple color
A water-soluble flavonoid pigment stored in cell vacuoles that colours leaves, stems and flowers red, purple or blue, set by genetics and enhanced by cool temperatures.
Plant biology - Aphidaphids, greenfly, blackfly, plant lice
Small soft-bodied sap-sucking insects of the family Aphididae that cluster on stems and leaf undersides, excrete sticky honeydew and multiply rapidly by live birth.
Pests and diseases - AphidiusAphidius colemani, Aphidius ervi, aphid parasitoid, parasitic wasp
Tiny parasitic wasps of the genus Aphidius that lay eggs inside aphids; the larva kills the host from inside, leaving a swollen tan mummy.
Pests and diseases - Apical dominanceapical control, top dominance, leader dominance
The suppression of side-shoot growth by the main growing tip, driven mainly by auxin flowing down the stem from the apex.
Plant biology - Apical meristemshoot apical meristem, SAM, growing tip, growth tip
The zone of dividing cells at the very tip of a shoot (or root) that produces new leaves, nodes and stem; removing it is what topping does.
Plant biology - Arrhenotokyarrhenotokous parthenogenesis, arrhenotokous
Reproduction in which unmated females lay unfertilised eggs that become males, while mated females make both sexes. Typical of spider mites and thrips.
Pests and diseases - ATCautomatic temperature compensation, temperature compensation, temp compensation, temperature-compensated
ATC (automatic temperature compensation) is a meter feature that corrects pH or EC readings for sample temperature, usually referencing EC to 25 °C.
pH, EC and water - Autoflowerautoflowering, auto, autos, day-neutral
A day-neutral cannabis plant that starts flowering by age, usually a few weeks after germination, regardless of light schedule; the trait is mainly recessive.
Plant biology - Auxinauxins, IAA, indole-3-acetic acid, IBA
A class of plant hormones, chiefly indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), that drives cell elongation, apical dominance, bending toward light and root formation.
Plant biology - Axillary budlateral bud, auxiliary bud, axil bud, side shoot bud
A dormant shoot bud in the angle (axil) between a leaf and the stem at each node, able to grow into a branch or a flower cluster.
Plant biology
B
- Bacillus thuringiensisBt, B.t., Btk, Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki
A soil bacterium whose crystal proteins kill caterpillars after they eat treated leaves; subspecies kurstaki and aizawai are the strains used against budworms.
Pests and diseases - BackcrossBX, BC, backcrossing, BX1
A backcross is a cross of a hybrid back to one of its parents (or that parent's line), repeated to recover the parent's traits while keeping one introduced trait.
Genetics and breeding - Badderbatter, cake batter, badder concentrate, whipped badder
Badder is a soft, cake-batter-textured concentrate formed by whipping an extract so its cannabinoids crystallise finely; it can be solvent-based or, as rosin badder, solventless.
Processing - Bag appealbag-appeal, jar appeal, eye appeal, looks
Bag appeal is how good flower looks in the bag or jar, frost, colour, density and trim, which sells cannabis but does not measure its quality.
Grower slang and culture - Bagseedbag seed, bag seeds, bagseeds, mystery seed
Bagseed is a seed found in purchased flower, of unknown parentage and often the product of accidental pollination, including by intersex plants.
Grower slang and culture - Banker plantbanker plants, banker plant system, open rearing system
A non-crop plant kept in the grow to host harmless alternative prey or pollen, breeding beneficial insects continuously so they are ready when pests arrive.
Pests and diseases - Batchlot, batch number, lot number, harvest batch
A batch (or lot) is a defined quantity of product from the same plants, harvest and processing run that is sampled and tested as one unit and carries one ID.
Lab testing - Bay LinesBay Line, GenetixBay lines, community lines, community breeding programme
Bay Lines are GenetixBay's community breeding programme: lines bred from member-nominated keepers and documented males, tested and released with full records.
GenetixBay terms - Bay TrialsBay Trial, GenetixBay trials, member trials, open trials
Bay Trials are GenetixBay's member-run controlled grow experiments that test growing claims side by side and publish the results openly.
GenetixBay terms - Beansbean, seeds (slang), pop beans, popping beans
Beans is slang for cannabis seeds; "popping beans" means germinating them.
Grower slang and culture - Beauveria bassianaBeauveria, B. bassiana, white muscardine fungus, entomopathogenic fungus
An insect-killing fungus whose spores germinate on contact, penetrate the cuticle and kill soft-bodied pests such as whiteflies, thrips, aphids and root aphids.
Pests and diseases - Beet curly top virusBCTV, curly top, curly top virus, Curtovirus
BCTV, a leafhopper-spread curtovirus that stunts outdoor hemp and cannabis, curling and yellowing new leaves; there is no cure once a plant is infected.
Pests and diseases - Beneficial elementbeneficial elements, beneficial nutrient, quasi-essential element
A beneficial element is one that improves growth or stress tolerance in some plants without being strictly essential, such as silicon, sodium, cobalt and selenium.
Nutrients - Beneficial-microbe reservoirbio reservoir, biological reservoir, beneficial reservoir, microbe-dosed reservoir
A beneficial-microbe reservoir deliberately inoculates hydroponic solution with helpful bacteria and fungi so they occupy the root zone before pathogens can; GenetixBay prefers this approach.
Systems and media - Benefit-sharingbenefit sharing, access and benefit-sharing, ABS, fair and equitable benefit-sharing
Benefit-sharing is returning a fair share of the benefits from using genetic resources or traditional knowledge, money, credit, access or support, to the people who provided them.
Legal and regulatory - Beta-caryophylleneβ-caryophyllene, caryophyllene, BCP, trans-caryophyllene
Beta-caryophyllene is a spicy, peppery sesquiterpene common in cannabis, notable as a dietary terpene that also binds the CB2 receptor in laboratory studies.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Beta-pineneβ-pinene, b-pinene, beta pinene, nopinene
Beta-pinene is a bicyclic monoterpene and isomer of alpha-pinene with a green, woody, herbal aroma, common in cannabis at low levels.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Biofilmroot slime, slime, brown slime, reservoir slime
A slimy community of microbes stuck to surfaces in a matrix they secrete; in hydro, it coats lines, reservoirs and roots and can shelter pathogens.
Pests and diseases - Biological controlbiocontrol, biological pest control, beneficial insects, beneficials
Using living natural enemies, such as predators, parasitoids, nematodes and microbes, to suppress pests and diseases instead of, or before, chemical sprays.
Pests and diseases - Biopiracybio-piracy, biopirates, genetic resource misappropriation, biological piracy
Biopiracy is taking genetic resources or traditional knowledge from a country or community without consent or benefit-sharing, especially to patent or profit from them.
Legal and regulatory - Biostimulantbiostimulants, bio-stimulant, plant biostimulant, growth enhancer
A biostimulant is a product claimed to improve plant growth, uptake or stress tolerance by means other than supplying nutrients, such as seaweed extract, humics, amino acids or microbes.
Nutrients - Bisabololalpha-bisabolol, α-bisabolol, levomenol, bisabolol oxide
Bisabolol (alpha-bisabolol) is a mild, floral, chamomile-like sesquiterpene alcohol found as a minor terpene in some cannabis cultivars.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Bloom boosterbloom boosters, PK booster, PK boost, flower booster
A bloom booster is a high-phosphorus, high-potassium additive sold for flowering; cannabis trials show a P plateau, so past moderate levels it adds cost and runoff, not yield.
Nutrients - Blue lightblue photons, blue spectrum, 400-500 nm, blue fraction
Blue light is the 400–500 nm band; it keeps plants compact with shorter internodes and thicker leaves, but a high blue fraction slightly lowers cannabis yield.
Environment and light - Boric acidH3BO3, boracic acid, orthoboric acid
Boric acid (H3BO3) is the usual boron source in micronutrient mixes, about 17.5% boron; plants absorb boron in this same uncharged form.
Nutrients - BoronB, borate, boron deficiency, boron toxicity
Boron (B) is a micronutrient needed for cell-wall structure and growing tips; the gap between deficient and toxic levels is narrow.
Nutrients - Botrytisbud rot, grey mould, gray mold, grey mold
Botrytis cinerea, the fungus behind bud rot or grey mould, which rots dense colas from the inside in cool, humid conditions late in flower.
Pests and diseases - Bottom wateringbottom-watering, bottom feeding, sub-irrigation, subirrigation
Bottom watering lets a pot absorb water or solution from a tray beneath it, so the medium wets from the base upward by capillary action.
Systems and media - Bractperigonal bract, bracts, floral bract, pistillate bract
In cannabis, the small leaf-like sheath (perigonal bract) that wraps each female flower's ovary and carries the densest capitate-stalked trichomes.
Plant biology - Breederbreeders, plant breeder, cannabis breeder, seed breeder
A breeder develops lines over generations with clear goals, large grow-outs, selection of both sexes, stability and herm testing, and honest lineage records.
Grower slang and culture - Brick weedbrick, brickweed, compressed, compressed weed
Brick weed is seeded, lower-grade cannabis pressed into dense blocks for smuggling and cheap sale, historically the bulk of imported cannabis.
Grower slang and culture - Broad mitebroad mites, Polyphagotarsonemus latus, tropical mite
Polyphagotarsonemus latus, a microscopic tarsonemid mite whose toxic feeding twists, glazes and stunts new growth; often mistaken for calcium deficiency or heat stress.
Pests and diseases - BtiBacillus thuringiensis israelensis, B.t.i., Bt israelensis, Bt for fungus gnats
Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, a bacterial strain whose toxins kill fly larvae, including fungus gnats, after ingestion; applied as a medium drench.
Pests and diseases - Bubble hashice water hash, ice hash, water hash, ice-water hash
Bubble hash, or ice water hash, is a solventless concentrate made by separating trichome heads from cannabis in cold water and collecting them on graded mesh bags.
Processing - Buckingbucked, de-stemming, destemming, bucking buds
Removing buds from their branches and stems, either before drying (wet bucking) or after (dry bucking), ready for trimming or jarring.
Harvest, drying and curing - Bud rot checkmold check, mould check, checking for bud rot, checking for mold
Routine inspection of dense colas in late flower, at harvest and during drying and curing for signs of grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) and other rots.
Harvest, drying and curing - Bud sitebud sites, flowering site, budsite, flower site
A bud site is a node where flowers form, where leaf meets stem, or a branch tip; training aims to put more of them in strong light.
Cultivation and training - Budtenderbudtenders, bud tender, dispensary staff, cannabis retail staff
A budtender is a retail worker in a cannabis store who helps customers choose products; training and product knowledge vary widely.
Grower slang and culture - Buffering capacitybuffer capacity, pH buffering capacity, buffering power, acid-neutralising capacity
Buffering capacity is how strongly a water, solution or medium resists pH change when acid or base is added; high capacity means stable but hard-to-move pH.
pH, EC and water - Bulbous trichomebulbous trichomes, bulbous gland, bulbous glandular trichome
The smallest glandular trichome on cannabis, a few cells with a tiny head (about 10-30 µm), scattered over leaves and stems.
Plant biology - Burpingburp, burping jars, burp the jars, jar burping
Briefly opening sealed curing jars to release moist air and let fresh air in, so moisture keeps declining slowly during the cure.
Harvest, drying and curing
C
- Cal-MagCalMag, Cal Mag, calcium magnesium supplement, Ca-Mg supplement
Cal-Mag is a supplement supplying calcium and magnesium, usually as nitrates; need depends on cultivar, water source (RO vs tap) and medium (coco), not on LED lighting.
Nutrients - CalciumCa, Ca2+, calcium deficiency, Ca deficiency
Calcium (Ca) is an immobile secondary nutrient that builds cell walls and membranes; it travels only in the transpiration stream, so deficiency appears in new growth.
Nutrients - Calcium chlorideCaCl2, CaCl2·2H2O, calcium chloride dihydrate
Calcium chloride (CaCl2) adds calcium without nitrogen, useful for late-flower nitrogen tapering, but it adds chloride, so doses must stay modest.
Nutrients - Calcium nitrateCaNO3, Ca(NO3)2, calcium nitrate tetrahydrate, cal nit
Calcium nitrate is the standard hydroponic calcium source, supplying about 19% calcium and 15.5% nitrogen, mostly as nitrate.
Nutrients - Calibration solutioncalibration fluid, buffer solution pH 7, pH 4 buffer, 1413 solution
A calibration solution is a standard liquid of known pH or EC used to calibrate meters, such as pH 4.01, 7.00 and 10.01 buffers or 1.413 mS/cm EC standard.
pH, EC and water - Calyxcalyxes, calyces, perianth, calyx-to-leaf ratio
Botanically, the sepals of a flower; in female cannabis a thin, reduced perianth on the ovary, though growers use the word for the resinous bract.
Plant biology - Candy terpscandy, candy strains, dessert terps, dessert strains
Candy terps is slang for the sweet, fruity, dessert-like aroma profile fashionable in modern cannabis, often paired with gas as the dominant market trend.
Grower slang and culture - Cannabinoidcannabinoids, cannabanoid, cannabinoid compounds
A cannabinoid is any compound that binds the body's cannabinoid receptors or shares the typical cannabis terpenophenolic structure; the plant-made ones are phytocannabinoids such as THCA and CBDA.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Cannabis aphidhemp aphid, Phorodon cannabis, cannabis aphids
Phorodon cannabis, an aphid that feeds mainly on cannabis and hemp, colonising leaf undersides and buds and leaving honeydew and cast skins in flower.
Pests and diseases - Cannabis irradiationirradiation, irradiated cannabis, irradiated weed, gamma irradiation
Cannabis irradiation is treating harvested flower with ionising radiation, gamma, electron beam or X-ray, to cut microbial counts; permission and labelling rules vary.
Legal and regulatory - Cannabis sativa L.Cannabis sativa, C. sativa, cannabis species, Cannabaceae
The single botanical species, in the family Cannabaceae, that covers all hemp and drug-type cannabis; "L." credits Linnaeus, who named it in 1753.
Plant biology - Cannflavincannflavins, cannflavin A, cannflavin B, cannflavin C
Cannflavins are prenylated flavones (A, B and C) that are characteristic of cannabis, first isolated in 1985 and found mainly in leaves and bracts at low levels.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Canopyplant canopy, the canopy, canopy level, canopy area
The canopy is the top layer of foliage and buds across a grow, the surface that intercepts most of the light and where yield is mostly made.
Cultivation and training - Capitate-sessile trichomecapitate sessile trichome, sessile trichome, sessile glandular trichome, capitate-sessile
A glandular trichome with a resin head but little or no stalk, sitting close to the surface of leaves and young bracts.
Plant biology - Capitate-stalked trichomecapitate stalked trichome, stalked glandular trichome, capitate-stalked, stalked trichome
The large mushroom-shaped glandular trichome on cannabis bracts, with a multicellular stalk and a resin-filled head; it holds most of the flower's cannabinoids and terpenes.
Plant biology - Carbon filtercharcoal filter, activated carbon filter, odour filter, odor filter
A carbon filter scrubs odour from exhaust air by passing it through activated carbon, which adsorbs aroma compounds such as terpenes.
Environment and light - Carbonate hardnessKH, dKH, carbonate hardness (KH), temporary hardness
Carbonate hardness (KH) is the bicarbonate and carbonate content of water, often given in German degrees (dKH); in practice it is a measure of alkalinity.
pH, EC and water - Caryophyllene oxidebeta-caryophyllene oxide, β-caryophyllene oxide, caryophyllene epoxide, BCPO
Caryophyllene oxide is the oxidation product of beta-caryophyllene, a less aromatic sesquiterpene epoxide that tends to increase as cannabis ages in air.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Case hardeningcase hardened, case-hardened buds, crispy outside wet inside, outer dry inner wet
A drying fault where a bud's surface dries too fast and seals, leaving the core wet; buds feel dry, then rehydrate and risk mould in the jar.
Harvest, drying and curing - Caterpillarcaterpillars, worms, larvae, European corn borer
The larval stage of moths and butterflies (order Lepidoptera); on cannabis, leaf-chewers, stem borers and bud-boring species whose frass seeds bud rot.
Pests and diseases - Cation exchange capacityCEC, cation exchange, exchange capacity, cation-exchange capacity
Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is a medium's ability to hold positively charged nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and potassium on its surfaces and release them later.
Systems and media - CBCcannabichromene, neutral CBC
CBC (cannabichromene) is a minor neutral cannabinoid formed when CBCA decarboxylates; it is usually present at well under 1% w/w in mature drug-type flower.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - CBCACBC-A, cannabichromenic acid
CBCA (cannabichromenic acid) is the acid cannabinoid that CBCA synthase makes from CBGA; it decarboxylates to CBC and is usually a minor component of the profile.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - CBDcannabidiol, C.B.D., neutral CBD
CBD (cannabidiol) is a non-intoxicating neutral cannabinoid formed when CBDA decarboxylates; hemp-type and CBD-dominant cannabis make it mainly as CBDA in their trichomes.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - CBDACBD-A, cannabidiolic acid
CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) is the acid cannabinoid made by CBDA synthase from CBGA; it dominates hemp-type and CBD-type cannabis and decarboxylates to CBD.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - CBDA synthaseCBDAS, CBDA synthase gene, cannabidiolic acid synthase, CBD synthase
CBDA synthase is the trichome enzyme that converts CBGA into CBDA; it competes with THCA synthase, and its alleles largely decide whether a plant is CBD-dominant.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - CBGcannabigerol, neutral CBG
CBG (cannabigerol) is the neutral, decarboxylated form of CBGA, the cannabinoid precursor; most plants convert nearly all of it onward, but some cultivars are bred to accumulate it.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - CBGACBG-A, cannabigerolic acid, mother cannabinoid, precursor cannabinoid
CBGA (cannabigerolic acid) is the precursor cannabinoid that the plant converts into THCA, CBDA or CBCA, formed by joining olivetolic acid to geranyl pyrophosphate.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - CBLcannabicyclol, CBLA, cannabicyclolic acid
CBL (cannabicyclol) is a minor cannabinoid formed when CBC is exposed to light; it is a degradation product rather than something the plant makes by enzyme.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - CBNcannabinol, CBNA, cannabinolic acid
CBN (cannabinol) is a cannabinoid formed mainly when THC or THCA oxidises after harvest, so high CBN readings usually signal age, heat, light or air exposure, not plant ripeness.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Ceramic sensor wateringceramic probe watering, ceramic cone watering, tensiometer valve watering, gravity-fed auto watering
Ceramic sensor watering uses a porous ceramic cone in the medium that opens a small valve when the soil dries, feeding water from a gravity-fed reservoir on demand.
Systems and media - CFconductivity factor, CF units, CF reading, CF scale
CF (conductivity factor) is an EC scale used mainly in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, where 1 CF equals 0.1 mS/cm (100 µS/cm).
pH, EC and water - CFMcubic feet per minute, ft³/min, cfm rating, m³/h
CFM (cubic feet per minute) is the volume of air a fan moves per minute; growers use it to size exhaust fans to their grow space volume.
Environment and light - Charashand-rubbed hash, hand rubbed hash, finger hash, rubbed hash
Charas is hashish made by rubbing the resin off living cannabis flowers by hand and rolling it into balls or sticks, a traditional method of the Himalayan regions.
Processing - Chelatechelated, chelation, chelating agent, chelated micronutrients
A chelate is a metal ion held by an organic molecule at several points, keeping micronutrients such as iron, zinc and manganese dissolved and available across a wider pH range.
Nutrients - Chemotypechemotypes, chemical phenotype, cannabinoid chemotype, chemotype I
A chemotype is a plant's chemical phenotype, in cannabis usually its dominant cannabinoid class: THC-dominant (I), mixed (II), CBD-dominant (III), CBG-dominant (IV) or cannabinoid-free (V).
Genetics and breeding - Chemotype ratioTHC:CBD ratio, THC to CBD ratio, cannabinoid ratio, chemotype I II III
The chemotype ratio is the balance of a plant's main cannabinoids, usually THC to CBD, classing plants as type I (THC-dominant), II (mixed), III (CBD-dominant), IV (CBG) or V (near-zero).
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Chemovarchemovars, chemical variety, chemical cultivar
A chemovar is a cultivar defined and named by its chemical profile, chiefly cannabinoids and terpenes, rather than by its appearance or a market strain name.
Genetics and breeding - Child-resistant packagingCR packaging, child-proof packaging, child resistant, CR container
Child-resistant packaging is a container that most young children cannot open in a standard test while most adults can, required for cannabis in many markets.
Legal and regulatory - Chillerwater chiller, reservoir chiller, aquarium chiller, res chiller
A chiller is a refrigeration unit that cools hydroponic nutrient solution, keeping it around 18-21 °C so it holds more oxygen and root pathogens are discouraged.
Systems and media - Chloraminemonochloramine, chloramines, NH2Cl, chloraminated water
Chloramine (monochloramine) is a long-lasting water disinfectant made from chlorine and ammonia; unlike chlorine, it does not leave water by standing or aerating.
pH, EC and water - Chlorine (nutrient)Cl, Cl-, chloride, chloride nutrient
As a plant nutrient, chlorine is used as the chloride ion (Cl-) in tiny amounts for photosynthesis and osmotic balance; excess from water or salts is the usual problem.
Nutrients - Chlorophyllchlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, chlorophylls, green pigment
The green pigment in chloroplasts that absorbs mainly blue and red light to drive photosynthesis; chlorophyll a and b are the main forms in plants.
Plant biology - Chlorosischlorotic, leaf chlorosis, yellowing of leaves
Yellowing of normally green plant tissue caused by too little chlorophyll, from nutrient shortage, poor root uptake, pH lockout, light damage, pests or normal ageing.
Plant biology - Chopchop day, chopped, chopping, the chop
Chop is grower slang for harvesting, cutting down plants at the end of flower; "chop day" is harvest day.
Grower slang and culture - Chromosomechromosomes, chromosome pair, autosome, autosomes
A chromosome is one long DNA molecule packaged with proteins that carries many genes; cannabis normally has 10 pairs, nine autosome pairs plus an X/Y sex pair.
Genetics and breeding - Chuckchucking, chucked, chuck pollen, chuck a cross
To chuck is to pollinate plants loosely, usually an open or one-off cross, often implying little selection or record keeping.
Grower slang and culture - Clay pebblesLECA, expanded clay, clay balls, expanded clay aggregate
Clay pebbles (LECA) are fired, expanded clay balls used as an inert hydroponic medium that drains freely, holds a little water and anchors roots.
Systems and media - Clone-onlyclone only, clone-only cut, clone-only strain, cut-only
A clone-only is a cultivar that exists only as cuttings from one original plant, with no seed line that reliably reproduces it.
Genetics and breeding - Cloningclone, clones, taking clones, taking cuttings
Cloning is propagating a plant by rooting cuttings from it, producing new plants that are genetically identical to the donor.
Cultivation and training - Cloning domehumidity dome, propagator, propagation dome, clone dome
A cloning dome is a clear lid over a tray that keeps humidity high around unrooted cuttings or seedlings, reducing water loss until roots form.
Cultivation and training - CMHceramic metal halide, LEC, light emitting ceramic, CDM
CMH (ceramic metal halide) is a discharge lamp with a ceramic arc tube giving a broad, sun-like spectrum and better efficacy than standard metal halide.
Environment and light - CO2 enrichmentCO2, carbon dioxide enrichment, CO2 supplementation, CO2 ppm
CO2 enrichment raises carbon dioxide in a sealed grow space from about 420 ppm to roughly 800–1,500 ppm, letting plants use higher light intensities productively.
Environment and light - COAcertificate of analysis, C of A, lab certificate, lab report
A COA (certificate of analysis) is a lab's signed report of what it measured in a specific sample, such as cannabinoids, terpenes, moisture and contaminants, with methods and limits.
Lab testing - CobaltCo, Co2+, cobalt nutrient
Cobalt (Co) is not essential for cannabis; it is needed by nitrogen-fixing bacteria in legume nodules, so it appears only as a trace in some feeds.
Nutrients - Coco coircoco, coir, coconut coir, coco peat
Coco coir is a growing medium made from processed coconut husk, prized for holding water and air at once; it binds calcium and magnesium unless buffered.
Systems and media - Codominantcodominance, co-dominant, co-dominance, incomplete dominance
Codominance is when both alleles at a locus show in a heterozygous plant, as with THCA and CBDA synthase, so a B_T/B_D plant makes both THC and CBD.
Genetics and breeding - Colacolas, main cola, top cola, terminal bud
The dense, elongated cluster of flowers that forms at the end of a stem or branch; the main cola tops the leader.
Plant biology - Cold nightscold night temperatures, night temperature drop, cold snap, cooling for colour
Cold nights are deliberately low night temperatures in late flower; they can bring out purple colour in cultivars that carry it, but don't raise terpenes or resin.
Environment and light - Companion plantingcompanion plants, companion plant, interplanting, polyculture
Companion planting grows other plant species alongside cannabis to attract beneficial insects, repel or trap pests, cover soil or support soil life.
Cultivation and training - Compliance testingtotal THC compliance testing, regulatory testing, mandatory testing, state testing
Compliance testing is mandatory lab analysis of cannabis or hemp for potency (often total THC) and contaminants, required before sale or to prove legal status.
Legal and regulatory - Compost teaaerated compost tea, ACT, AACT, actively aerated compost tea
Compost tea is a liquid made by steeping compost or worm castings in water, often aerated with food sources, to extract and multiply microbes for the root zone.
Systems and media - Concentrateconcentrates, cannabis concentrate, cannabis extract, extracts
A concentrate is any cannabis product in which the trichome resin has been separated from plant material, giving far higher cannabinoid and terpene content than flower.
Processing - Connoisseurconnoisseurs, connoisseur grade, cannasseur, head
A cannabis connoisseur judges flower and hash on aroma, flavour, cure, smoke and genetics history rather than THC percentage or looks.
Grower slang and culture - Contact vs systemiccontact pesticide, systemic pesticide, systemic insecticide, systemic fungicide
Contact products act only where the spray touches the pest; systemic products are absorbed and move inside the plant, which raises residue concerns in cannabis.
Pests and diseases - Conversion factorEC to ppm conversion, TDS factor, ppm conversion factor, k factor
The conversion factor is the multiplier a TDS meter applies to EC to report ppm, commonly 0.5, 0.64 or 0.7; it is why ppm readings differ between meters.
pH, EC and water - CopperCu, Cu2+, copper deficiency, copper toxicity
Copper (Cu) is a micronutrient used in photosynthetic electron transport and lignin formation; plants need only traces, and excess is toxic to roots.
Nutrients - Copper sulfateCuSO4, copper sulphate, blue vitriol, bluestone
Copper sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O), about 25.5% copper, supplies trace copper in micronutrient mixes and is toxic to roots in excess.
Nutrients - Corn earwormbudworm, budworms, bud worm, Helicoverpa zea
Helicoverpa zea, a moth caterpillar that bores into developing cannabis flowers outdoors, leaving frass that triggers bud rot; growers call it budworm.
Pests and diseases - Cotyledoncotyledons, seed leaf, seed leaves, cotys
One of the two rounded seed leaves packed in the embryo that open first after germination and feed the seedling until the true leaves take over.
Plant biology - Crawlercrawlers, mealybug crawler
The mobile first-instar nymph of a mealybug or scale insect; the only stage without protective wax, so the stage contact sprays hit best.
Pests and diseases - Crop steeringcrop-steering, plant steering, generative steering, vegetative steering
Crop steering adjusts irrigation timing, volume and dryback, along with climate, to push plants towards vegetative growth or generative (flowering) growth.
Systems and media - Crosscrosses, crossed, x (as in A x B), crossing
A cross is the offspring of mating two different plants, written female x male, as "A x B"; one cross starts a line but is not one.
Grower slang and culture - Cultivarcultivars, cultivated variety, cv., variety
A cultivar (cultivated variety) is a group of cultivated plants selected for distinct, uniform and stable traits that are kept when propagated, by seed or by cuttings.
Genetics and breeding - Cultural controlcultural controls, cultural practices, prevention, preventive measures
Pest and disease prevention by changing how the crop is grown, such as humidity, airflow, spacing, watering and cultivar choice, so pests and pathogens struggle to establish.
Pests and diseases - Cultured PearlsCultured Pearl, purchased Pearls, store credit Pearls
Cultured Pearls are GenetixBay Pearls bought with money, usable only as store credit in the GenetixBay store; they never transfer between members.
GenetixBay terms - Cured resincured extract, cured BHO, cured-resin, dried-material extract
Cured resin is a solvent-based extract made from dried and cured cannabis rather than fresh frozen material, typically with a more aged, less bright aroma than live resin.
Processing - Curingcure, the cure, jar curing, curing cannabis
Holding dried cannabis in sealed containers so its moisture declines slowly and evenly over weeks, improving smoothness and aroma.
Harvest, drying and curing - Curing jarcure jar, curing jars, mason jar, glass jar
An airtight container, usually wide-mouth glass, used to cure and store dried cannabis; ideally filled about three-quarters and kept dark and cool.
Harvest, drying and curing - Cutcuts, a cut, the cut, cutting (slang)
A cut is slang for a clone of one specific plant, used to mean that individual genotype, as in "the original cut".
Grower slang and culture - Cut tradingtrading cuts, clone trading, cut trade, clone swap
Cut trading is growers exchanging clones of selected plants with each other, a traditional way rare genetics spread and are kept alive.
Grower slang and culture - Cuttingcuttings, clipping, slip, unrooted cutting
A cutting is a piece of shoot, usually a tip with two or three nodes, removed from a plant so it can be rooted into a new, genetically identical plant.
Cultivation and training - Cutwormcutworms, black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon, Agrotis
Moth caterpillars of the family Noctuidae, such as the black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), that hide in soil by day and chew through seedling stems at night.
Pests and diseases - Cyclamen mitecyclamen mites, Phytonemus pallidus, strawberry mite
Phytonemus pallidus, a tarsonemid mite related to the broad mite that distorts new growth on many ornamentals; rarely reported on cannabis and often confused with broad mite.
Pests and diseases - Cystolith trichomecystolith, cystolithic hair, non-glandular trichome, non-glandular trichomes
A non-glandular, claw-shaped hair on cannabis leaves that contains a calcium carbonate crystal (cystolith); it makes no resin.
Plant biology - Cytokinincytokinins, kinetin, zeatin, BAP
A class of plant hormones made mainly in roots that promote cell division, shoot and side-bud growth, and delay leaf ageing.
Plant biology
D
- Damping-offdamping off, dampening off, seedling rot, pre-emergence damping-off
The collapse of seedlings or cuttings when soil-borne pathogens such as Pythium, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium rot the stem at the soil line.
Pests and diseases - Dankdanky, dankness, the dank, dank weed
Dank is slang for strong-smelling, high-quality flower; originally it meant damp and musty, which in real cannabis is a warning sign.
Grower slang and culture - Darkness before harvestdark period before harvest, 48 hours of darkness, 72 hours dark, pre-harvest darkness
The practice of keeping plants in total darkness for 24-72 hours before cutting to boost resin; GenetixBay rates it a Myth and runs a standing challenge against it.
Harvest, drying and curing - Decarboxylationdecarb, decarbing, decarboxylate, decarboxylated
Decarboxylation is the loss of a carboxyl group as CO2 that turns acid cannabinoids such as THCA and CBDA into neutral THC and CBD, quickly with heat, slowly with time.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Decriminalisation vs legalisationdecriminalisation, decriminalization, legalisation, legalization
Decriminalisation removes or reduces criminal penalties for some cannabis offences; legalisation creates a lawful framework for production, sale and use.
Legal and regulatory - Defensive publicationdefensive disclosure, prior art publication, publish to protect, defensive publishing
Defensive publication is publicly disclosing a plant, trait or method so it becomes prior art, preventing others from later patenting it as new.
Legal and regulatory - Defoliationdefoliating, defol, defoliate, leaf stripping
Defoliation is removing fan leaves from a plant to open the canopy to light and air; GenetixBay's house view is to tuck leaves rather than strip them.
Cultivation and training - Degree-daydegree-days, growing degree-day, GDD, heat units
A unit of accumulated heat above a pest's lower developmental threshold; development finishes when a stage's degree-day total is reached, whatever the calendar says.
Pests and diseases - Dehumidifierdehumidifiers, dehu, dehumidification, desiccant dehumidifier
A dehumidifier removes water vapour from grow-room air, usually by condensing it on a cold coil; it is the main tool for controlling humidity in flower.
Environment and light - Delta-8 THCΔ8-THC, delta 8, d8, delta-8
Delta-8 THC is an isomer of THC with the double bond shifted one position; the plant makes only traces, so commercial delta-8 is semi-synthetic, usually converted from CBD.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Developmental thresholdlower developmental threshold, upper developmental threshold, base temperature, lower threshold
The temperatures below which (lower) and above which (upper) a pest's development stops or slows; they bound degree-day models.
Pests and diseases - Dew pointdewpoint, dew-point temperature, Td, condensation point
Dew point is the temperature at which air becomes saturated and water starts condensing; when leaves or buds cool to it, free water forms and mould risk jumps.
Environment and light - Dialled indialed in, dialled-in, dialed-in, dial in
Dialled in describes a grow, room or recipe tuned until results are consistent and near the plant's potential, run after run.
Grower slang and culture - DiamondsTHCA diamonds, THC diamonds, THCA crystals, diamonds and sauce
Diamonds are large crystals of THCA, typically grown out of a solvent extract and sold alone or in terpene-rich sauce; they are nearly pure THCA.
Processing - Diapauseoverwintering diapause, reproductive diapause, diapausing females
A programmed, hormone-controlled dormancy that a pest enters in response to cues such as short days and cool temperatures, ahead of bad conditions.
Pests and diseases - DIFday-night temperature difference, temperature differential, positive DIF, negative DIF
DIF is day temperature minus night temperature; a larger positive DIF lengthens stems, while zero or negative DIF tends to keep plants shorter.
Environment and light - Differential diagnosisdiagnostic differential, rule-out list
The method of listing every cause that could produce a symptom, then ruling causes out with cheap checks and tests until one or two remain.
Cultivation and training - Dioeciousdioecy, dioecism, separate sexes, two-house plant
Having male and female flowers on separate individual plants; drug-type cannabis is naturally dioecious with an XY sex-chromosome system.
Plant biology - Diploiddiploidy, 2n, diploid plant
A diploid organism carries two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent; normal cannabis is diploid with 2n = 20.
Genetics and breeding - Dissolved oxygenDO, DO levels, oxygen in solution, O2 in water
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is the amount of oxygen gas held in water or nutrient solution, measured in mg/L, and roots need it to respire and take up nutrients.
Systems and media - DistillateTHC distillate, cannabis distillate, distilled oil, distillate oil
Distillate is a highly refined cannabis oil in which cannabinoids, usually THC or CBD, have been separated from most other compounds by distillation, leaving a clear, almost odourless oil.
Processing - DLIdaily light integral, daily light sum, mol/m²/day, mol/m2/d
Daily light integral: the total number of PAR photons a square metre of canopy receives in one day, in mol/m²/day; PPFD multiplied by hours of light.
Environment and light - Dominantdominance, dominant allele, complete dominance
A dominant allele is one whose effect shows in the phenotype even when only one copy is present, masking the other (recessive) allele at that locus.
Genetics and breeding - Doubling timepopulation doubling time
The days an unchecked pest population needs to double, equal to ln 2 divided by r_m (0.693 / r_m).
Pests and diseases - Downy mildewPseudoperonospora cannabina, Pseudoperonospora humuli, downy mold, DM
An oomycete leaf disease of cannabis, historically attributed to Pseudoperonospora cannabina, causing yellow patches above and grey-purple fuzz under leaves in cool, wet weather.
Pests and diseases - Drain-to-wastedrain to waste, DTW, run to waste, open system
Drain-to-waste fertigation feeds each plant fresh nutrient solution and lets the runoff leave the system rather than returning it to the reservoir.
Systems and media - Drip irrigationdrip system, drip feed, drip emitters, dripper
Drip irrigation delivers water or nutrient solution through tubing and emitters directly to each plant's medium, in measured amounts on a timer or controller.
Systems and media - Dropseed drop, drops, new drop, limited drop
A drop is a seed or clone release, often limited and announced in advance, especially from popular breeders or seed vendors.
Grower slang and culture - Dry trimdry trimming, trimming dry, dry-trimmed, trim after drying
Trimming sugar leaves after buds have dried, leaving the leaves on during the dry to slow it and protect the bud.
Harvest, drying and curing - Dry weightdried weight, final dry weight, cured weight, dry bud weight
The weight of cannabis after drying (and usually trimming), the basis growers use for yield; it is typically about 20-25% of trimmed wet weight.
Harvest, drying and curing - Dry-weight basisdry weight basis, dry-weight vs as-received, as-received basis, as received
Dry-weight basis reports a result per gram of sample with its water removed, while as-received basis reports it per gram as delivered, water included; dry-weight figures are always higher.
Lab testing - Drybackdry-back, dry back, drybacks, substrate dryback
Dryback is the drop in a substrate's water content between irrigations, usually expressed as a percentage of its content at full saturation.
Systems and media - Drying roomdry room, drying space, drying tent, dry tent
A dark, ventilated space where freshly harvested cannabis is dried under controlled temperature, humidity and gentle airflow, usually for 7-14 days.
Harvest, drying and curing - DTPAdiethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, DTPA chelate, pentetic acid
DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) is a synthetic chelating agent that keeps iron available up to about pH 7.0-7.5, a common choice for coco and hydro.
Nutrients - DWCdeep water culture, deep-water culture, bubble bucket, DWC bucket
DWC (deep water culture) suspends a plant's roots in an aerated nutrient solution, typically in a bucket with a net pot lid and an air stone.
Systems and media
E
- Ebb and flowflood and drain, flood-and-drain, ebb & flow, ebb-and-flow
Ebb and flow (flood and drain) periodically floods a tray of potted plants with nutrient solution, then drains it back to a reservoir, pulling fresh air into the medium.
Systems and media - ECelectrical conductivity, conductivity, EC reading, nutrient strength
EC (electrical conductivity) measures how well a solution conducts electricity, a proxy for total dissolved salts; growers read it in mS/cm to gauge nutrient strength.
pH, EC and water - EC meterEC pen, conductivity meter, TDS pen, ppm meter
An EC meter measures how well a solution conducts electricity, giving nutrient strength in mS/cm or as ppm via a conversion factor.
pH, EC and water - EDDHAEDDHA chelate, ethylenediamine di(o-hydroxyphenylacetic) acid, EDDHA iron, red iron chelate
EDDHA is a strong iron chelate that stays effective up to pH 9 or more, used for alkaline soils and hard water; it colours solutions dark red.
Nutrients - Edibleedibles, cannabis edible, cannabis edibles, infused food
An edible is a food or drink containing cannabinoids from an infused fat, tincture or concentrate; effects are reported to start later and last longer than inhaled cannabis.
Processing - EDTAethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, EDTA chelate, Na2EDTA, edetate
EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is the most common synthetic chelating agent in fertilisers, effective for iron up to about pH 6.0-6.5.
Nutrients - Eighth8th, an eighth, eighths, 3.5
An eighth is one-eighth of an ounce of cannabis, sold as 3.5 grams; it is the standard retail unit for flower in North America.
Grower slang and culture - Elbowpound, lb, elbows, a pound
Elbow is slang for a pound of cannabis, 16 ounces or about 454 grams, from the spoken abbreviation "L-B".
Grower slang and culture - Elite cutelite cuts, elite clone, elite clone-only, clone-only elite
An elite cut is a famous, proven clone-only plant, often held by a few growers and traded rather than sold openly.
Grower slang and culture - Emerson effectEmerson enhancement effect, Emerson enhancement, red drop, Emerson red drop
The Emerson effect is the jump in photosynthesis when far-red light (above 680 nm) is combined with shorter red light, exceeding the sum of each alone.
Environment and light - Entomopathogenic fungiinsect-killing fungi, mycoinsecticide, fungal biopesticide, Metarhizium
Fungi that infect and kill insects and mites through the cuticle; their spores need high humidity at the leaf surface to germinate.
Pests and diseases - Entourage effectentourage, ensemble effect, whole-plant synergy, full-spectrum effect
The entourage effect is the hypothesis that cannabis compounds, especially cannabinoids and terpenes together, produce effects different from any single compound; human evidence remains contested.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Epistasisepistatic, epistatic interaction, gene interaction, gene-gene interaction
Epistasis is an interaction between genes in which the effect of one gene depends on, or is masked by, alleles at another gene.
Genetics and breeding - Equilibrium relative humidityERH, equilibrium RH, equilibrated RH, jar RH
The relative humidity of the air in a sealed container once it has stopped exchanging moisture with the material inside; ERH / 100 equals the material's water activity.
Harvest, drying and curing - Eriophyid miteeriophyid, eriophyid mites, Eriophyidae
A family of microscopic, carrot-shaped mites with only two pairs of legs; includes the hemp russet mite, invisible without about 40-60x magnification.
Pests and diseases - Ethyleneethene, C2H4, ripening hormone, ethylene gas
A gaseous plant hormone that regulates ripening, senescence, stress responses and, in cannabis, female flower expression; blocking it makes females produce pollen.
Plant biology - Eucalyptol1,8-cineole, cineole, cineol, 1,8-cineol
Eucalyptol (1,8-cineole) is a monoterpenoid ether with a cool, minty, camphor-like smell, the main compound in eucalyptus oil and a minor terpene in cannabis.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Even canopyflat canopy, level canopy, uniform canopy, canopy uniformity
An even canopy is one where all main tops sit at roughly the same height, so each receives similar light intensity and buds develop more uniformly.
Cultivation and training - Evidence ladderEstablished, Supported, Grower practice, Contested
The GenetixBay evidence ladder labels every growing claim as Established, Supported, Grower practice, Contested or Myth, according to how strong the evidence is.
GenetixBay terms - Evidence levels L0-L4L0, L1, L2, L3
GenetixBay evidence levels rate lineage claims from L0 (unverified) through L1 community reported, L2 breeder reported and L3 documented to L4 lab-confirmed.
GenetixBay terms - Exhaust faninline fan, extraction fan, extractor fan, duct fan
An exhaust fan pulls air out of the grow space through ducting, removing heat, humidity and odour and drawing in fresh air.
Environment and light - Exoticexotics, exotic strain, exotic flower, exotic genetics
Exotic is retail slang for fashionable, high-priced cultivars with unusual flavours or colours; it describes marketing, not origin or proven genetics.
Grower slang and culture
F
- F1F1 hybrid, first filial generation, F1 seed, F1 hybrid seed
F1 is the first generation of offspring from crossing two parents; if the parents are inbred and different, F1 plants are uniform and often show hybrid vigour.
Genetics and breeding - F2second filial generation, F2 generation, F2s, F2 seed
F2 is the second filial generation, made by crossing or selfing F1 plants; it shows the widest segregation, bringing back hidden recessives and new combinations.
Genetics and breeding - Fabric potfabric pots, grow bag, grow bags, smart pot
A fabric pot is a breathable, sewn felt or non-woven container that lets air and water through its walls, drying the medium faster and air-pruning roots.
Cultivation and training - Fan leaffan leaves, fans, water leaves, shade leaves
A large palmate cannabis leaf with several long leaflets on a long petiole; fan leaves do most of the plant's photosynthesis and carry few trichomes.
Plant biology - Far-redfar red, FR, far-red light, 730 nm
Far-red is light from about 700 to 750 nm, just beyond visible red; it adds to canopy photosynthesis when mixed with other light and triggers shade responses like stretch.
Environment and light - Fecunditylifetime fecundity, eggs per female, oviposition rate
The number of eggs or live young a female produces, per day or in her lifetime; a key life-table input.
Pests and diseases - Feed chartfeeding chart, feeding schedule, nutrient schedule, feed schedule
A feed chart is a manufacturer's or grower's schedule of nutrient doses by week or stage; treat it as a ceiling to test against, not a rule.
Nutrients - Feminised seedfeminized seed, feminised seeds, feminized seeds, feminised
Feminised seed is seed made by pollinating a female with pollen from another female (or itself) that was chemically reversed, so nearly every seed grows into a female.
Genetics and breeding - Femsfemmed seed, fem seeds, femmies, fem
Fems is slang for feminised seed, made with pollen from a chemically sex-reversed female so nearly every plant grows female.
Grower slang and culture - Fertigationfertigate, fertigating, feed and water, nutrient irrigation
Fertigation is delivering fertiliser dissolved in irrigation water, so plants are fed every time they are watered rather than through solid amendments.
Systems and media - Field capacitycontainer capacity, pot capacity, water holding capacity, drained upper limit
Field capacity is the amount of water a medium holds after it has been saturated and allowed to drain freely; in pots it is called container capacity.
Systems and media - Filial generationfilial, F-generation, F3, F4
Filial generations (F1, F2, F3 and on) count generations of offspring from an original cross, each made by crossing plants of the previous generation together.
Genetics and breeding - FIMFIMing, FIM'ing, fimming, F.I.M.
FIM is a training cut that pinches off most, but not all, of a plant's newest growing tip, often producing three or four new main shoots instead of one.
Cultivation and training - Firefire weed, straight fire, flames, heat
Fire is slang for excellent cannabis; it is enthusiasm, not a description of any measurable trait.
Grower slang and culture - Flavonoidflavonoids, flavonols, flavones, plant flavonoids
Flavonoids are polyphenolic plant compounds, including flavones, flavonols and anthocyanins, that colour and protect plant tissue; cannabis contains common ones plus cannabis-specific cannflavins.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Flipflipping, flip to flower, flipping to 12/12, switch to flower
The flip is switching a photoperiod plant from long vegetative days to a flowering light schedule, usually around 12 hours of light, to start flowering.
Cultivation and training - Flowering stageflowering phase, flower stage, bloom, bloom phase
The reproductive phase of the cannabis life cycle, from the switch to flowering until harvest, during which the plant stretches, builds buds and ripens resin.
Plant biology - Flushingflush, pre-harvest flush, preharvest flush, flushing before harvest
Feeding only plain water for days or weeks before harvest to "clean" the plant; GenetixBay rates it a Myth that harms yield, unlike a root-zone salt flush.
Harvest, drying and curing - Fogponicsfog-ponics, fogponic, ultrasonic aeroponics, fogger system
Fogponics is a form of aeroponics that bathes roots in a fog of nutrient solution made by ultrasonic foggers, with droplets far smaller than spray systems.
Systems and media - Foliar feedingfoliar feed, foliar spray, foliar application, foliar
Foliar feeding is spraying a dilute nutrient solution onto leaves for quick uptake through the leaf surface; it suits micronutrient fixes but cannot replace root feeding.
Nutrients - Foot-candlefc, foot candle, footcandle, ft-c
A foot-candle is an imperial unit of illuminance (one lumen per square foot, about 10.76 lux); like lux, it measures eye brightness, not plant-usable light.
Environment and light - Founder effectfounder population, founder effects, founder event
The founder effect is the loss of genetic diversity when a new population is started from a few individuals, so it carries only a sample of the source population's alleles.
Genetics and breeding - Founding MemberFounding Members, founding membership, founding cohort, Founding Member badge
A Founding Member is an early backer of GenetixBay who joins before launch, getting first access, a permanent badge and among the lowest numbers in the archive.
GenetixBay terms - Foxtailingfoxtails, foxtail, foxtailed buds, spiky buds
Foxtailing is the growth of new, elongated calyx spires on top of existing buds; it can be genetic, or a stress response to excess heat or light.
Environment and light - Frassinsect frass, caterpillar droppings, insect droppings
Insect excrement: the dark pellets left by caterpillars, the tiny black specks left by thrips, and the fine debris left by other feeders; finding it is a key sign of a hidden pest.
Pests and diseases - Free chlorinechlorine (water treatment), residual chlorine, hypochlorite, hypochlorous acid
Free chlorine is the disinfectant (hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite) added to many tap waters; it dissipates from standing or aerated water within about a day.
pH, EC and water - Freeze dryingfreeze-dried, freeze dried cannabis, lyophilisation, lyophilization
Drying fresh cannabis by freezing it and then removing ice under vacuum (sublimation) in hours or days; GenetixBay labels it Contested and does not recommend it.
Harvest, drying and curing - Fresh frozenfresh-frozen, FF, fresh frozen material, frozen whole plant
Fresh frozen is cannabis frozen immediately after harvest without drying or curing, used as starting material for live resin and live rosin to keep more volatile aroma.
Processing - Frostyfrost, frosted, frosty buds, caked
Frosty describes flower densely covered in glandular trichomes, so it looks sugared or snow-dusted; it signals resin coverage, not exact potency.
Grower slang and culture - Full meltfull-melt, full melt hash, FMH, six-star hash
Full melt is the highest grade of solventless hash, so pure in trichome heads that it melts almost completely with little or no residue when heated.
Processing - Full spectrumfull-spectrum LED, full spectrum light, broad spectrum, white LED spectrum
Full spectrum is a marketing term for a grow light with broad output across the visible range, usually a white LED, sometimes with added red, far-red or UV.
Environment and light - Fulvic acidfulvic acids, fulvates, fulvic
Fulvic acid is the small, soluble fraction of humic substances that stays dissolved at any pH and binds metal ions; its benefit in cannabis is largely unproven.
Nutrients - Fungus gnatfungus gnats, Bradysia, sciarid fly, sciarid
Small dark flies of the genus Bradysia (family Sciaridae) whose larvae live in wet growing media, feeding on fungi, organic matter and young roots.
Pests and diseases - Fusarium wiltFusarium, Fusarium oxysporum, fusarium root rot, Fusarium crown rot
A soil-borne fungal disease, chiefly Fusarium oxysporum, that blocks water-conducting tissue, causing one-sided yellowing, wilting and brown streaks inside the stem.
Pests and diseases
G
- Gasgassy, gas terps, fuel, fuely
Gas is slang for a sharp fuel, diesel or solvent-like aroma in cannabis, and by extension for any flower people rate highly.
Grower slang and culture - Gas chromatographyGC, GC-FID, GC-MS, gas chromatograph
Gas chromatography (GC) separates volatile compounds in a heated gas stream; it is used for terpenes and residual solvents and decarboxylates acid cannabinoids in its hot inlet.
Lab testing - GB-IDGB ID, GBID, GenetixBay ID, GB-IDs
A GB-ID is GenetixBay's permanent identifier, such as GB-GEN-0001842-6, for a genetic line, landrace, seed batch, plant, cut, grow, harvest, trial or document, so records never get lost or renamed.
GenetixBay terms - Genegenes, genetic factor, hereditary unit
A gene is a stretch of DNA that carries the instructions for one functional product, usually a protein such as an enzyme, and is the basic unit of inheritance.
Genetics and breeding - Gene poolgene pools, genetic diversity, allelic diversity, shrinking gene pool
The gene pool is the total set of alleles present in a population, cultivar group or species; a narrow gene pool limits what breeders can select from.
Genetics and breeding - General hardnessGH, dGH, total hardness, water hardness
General hardness (GH) is the calcium and magnesium dissolved in water, expressed as mg/L CaCO3 or German degrees (dGH); hard water supplies some Ca and Mg.
pH, EC and water - Generation timemean generation time, generation length
The average time from a female's birth to the birth of her offspring; at a set temperature it fixes how often a pest population multiplies.
Pests and diseases - Genetic bottleneckbottleneck, population bottleneck, bottlenecked, bottleneck effect
A genetic bottleneck is a sharp drop in the number of breeding plants, after which the population carries only a fraction of its former genetic diversity.
Genetics and breeding - Genetic driftclone drift, random genetic drift, allele drift, clone decline
Genetic drift is random change in allele frequencies between generations of a seed population, strongest in small populations; clones do not drift this way.
Genetics and breeding - Genotypegenotypes, genetic make-up, genetic makeup, genome type
The genotype is the set of alleles a plant actually carries, either at one locus or across its whole genome, as opposed to the traits you can see.
Genetics and breeding - Genotype by environment interactionGxE, G×E, GxE interaction, genotype-environment interaction
Genotype by environment interaction (GxE) is when different genotypes respond differently to the same change in conditions, so the best cultivar in one room may not be best in another.
Genetics and breeding - GenotypingDNA test, DNA testing, genetic testing, DNA fingerprinting
Genotyping is reading a plant's DNA at selected markers to identify it, compare it with other plants, check sex or chemotype, or estimate its ancestry.
Genetics and breeding - Geraniolgeranyl alcohol, trans-geraniol, lemonol
Geraniol is a rosy, floral monoterpene alcohol made from geranyl pyrophosphate, found in rose and geranium oils and as a minor terpene in cannabis.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Geranyl pyrophosphateGPP, geranyl diphosphate, GDP (geranyl diphosphate), geranyl-PP
Geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP) is a ten-carbon terpene precursor that cannabis uses both to build monoterpenes and, joined to olivetolic acid, to make the cannabinoid precursor CBGA.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Germinationgerminate, germinating, germ, popping seeds
Germination is the stage where a viable seed absorbs water, splits its shell and pushes out a root (radicle), usually within 1-7 days at 20-30 °C.
Cultivation and training - Germplasmgerm plasm, genetic resources, plant genetic resources, breeding material
Germplasm is living genetic material (seeds, pollen, tissue or plants) kept for breeding, research or conservation, representing the genetic diversity of a crop.
Genetics and breeding - Gibberellingibberellins, GA, GA3, gibberellic acid
A family of plant hormones (gibberellins, GA) that promote stem elongation, seed germination and, in cannabis, can shift sex expression toward male flowers.
Plant biology - Gramg, grams, a g, gs
A gram (g) is the base metric unit for weighing cannabis flower and concentrates; 28 g make a retail ounce and 3.5 g an eighth.
Grower slang and culture - Grams per wattg/w, gpw, grams/watt, gram per watt
Grams per watt (g/W) is dry flower yield divided by the electrical wattage of the grow lights, a rough measure of how efficiently a grow turns power into product.
Cultivation and training - Grasshoppergrasshoppers, Melanoplus, Acrididae, locust
Plant-chewing insects of the family Acrididae, often Melanoplus species in North America, that strip leaves of outdoor cannabis in dry summers.
Pests and diseases - Greenhouse growinggreenhouse, greenhouse grow, hoop house, polytunnel
Greenhouse growing uses sunlight under a covered structure, adding varying degrees of control over temperature, humidity, light deprivation and supplemental lighting.
Cultivation and training - Grey marketgray market, grey-market, gray-market, unregulated market
The grey market is cannabis supply outside the licensed system where use is legal or tolerated, or in a legal gap; it carries legal risk and no product oversight.
Legal and regulatory - Grow journalgrow diary, grow log, grow journals, grow diaries
A grow journal is a dated record of a grow, with photos, environment, feeding, problems and results, used to learn, share and prove what happened.
Grower slang and culture - Growing mediummedia, medium, substrate, grow media
A growing medium (plural media) is the material roots grow in, such as soil, coco, rockwool or clay pebbles, which anchors the plant and holds water, air and sometimes nutrients.
Systems and media - Guaiolguaiac alcohol, champacol, guajol
Guaiol is a sesquiterpene alcohol with a woody, piney, slightly rosy smell, named for guaiacum wood and present as a minor terpene in some cannabis cultivars.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Guaranteed analysisguaranteed minimum analysis, label analysis, fertiliser label, oxide analysis
The guaranteed analysis is the legally required label statement of minimum nutrient content, giving P as P2O5 and K as K2O; multiply by 0.436 and 0.830 for elements.
Nutrients - Guerrilla growguerilla grow, guerrilla growing, guerilla growing, guerrilla grower
A guerrilla grow is cannabis planted on land the grower does not own or control, typically wild or remote ground, a practice that is illegal in most places.
Cultivation and training
H
- Hang dryhang drying, hanging to dry, branch hang, hanging buds
Drying harvested cannabis by hanging branches upside down in a dark, controlled room so buds dry slowly with even airflow around them.
Harvest, drying and curing - Haplodiploidyhaplodiploid, haplo-diploid
A sex-determination system where males develop from unfertilised eggs with one chromosome set and females from fertilised eggs with two; found in mites, thrips and whiteflies.
Pests and diseases - Hardening offharden off, hardening, acclimatising, acclimatizing
Hardening off is gradually exposing plants raised indoors or under a dome to harsher conditions, such as sun, wind and lower humidity, so they adapt without shock.
Cultivation and training - Harvest windowharvest time, harvest timing, when to harvest, ripeness window
The span of days, often one to two weeks, in which a cannabis plant is ripe enough to cut, judged mainly by trichome head colour and bud development.
Harvest, drying and curing - Hashhash concentrate, trichome concentrate, resin concentrate, hasj
Hash is any concentrate made by separating trichome heads from cannabis and collecting or pressing them, from dry sift and ice water hash to hand-rubbed charas.
Processing - Hash rosinflower rosin vs hash rosin, flower rosin, bubble hash rosin, ice water hash rosin
Hash rosin is rosin pressed from hash, usually ice water hash, rather than from flower; it is cleaner and typically higher in quality than flower rosin.
Processing - Hashishhaschisch, haschich, traditional hashish, traditional hash
Hashish is the traditional pressed resin concentrate of cannabis, made for centuries by sieving or rubbing trichome heads from plants and compressing them into blocks or balls.
Processing - Hay smellsmells like hay, grassy smell, hay-like smell, smells like cut grass
A grassy, hay-like aroma in dried cannabis caused by drying too fast, over-drying or bacterial activity; in GenetixBay's view it never fully cures out.
Harvest, drying and curing - Hazehazes, haze strains, hazy, haze family
Haze is a generic name for a family of long-flowering, narrow-leaflet hybrids built from tropical landrace material, known for sharp, spicy, incense-like aroma.
Grower slang and culture - Headyheady glass, heady culture, heady weed, heady shit
Heady is slang for things made with exceptional craft and care, from hand-blown glass to small-batch flower; it signals artisan quality and insider culture.
Grower slang and culture - Heat stressheat stressed, heat damage, high temperature stress, heat burn
Heat stress is damage or slowed growth when leaf or canopy temperature rises above what the plant can handle, typically above about 30–32 °C (86–90 °F) in cannabis.
Environment and light - Heavy metals panelheavy metals test, heavy metal testing, metals panel, ICP-MS
A heavy metals panel measures toxic elements, usually lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, in a cannabis sample, typically by ICP-MS, against regulatory action limits.
Lab testing - Heirloomheirloom line, heirloom seed, heritage line, heritage seed
An heirloom is a seed line kept and passed down by growers for decades, usually outside its region of origin, preserving an older type rather than a recent hybrid.
Genetics and breeding - Hempindustrial hemp, hemp plant, hemp cultivar, fibre hemp
Hemp is cannabis grown for fibre, seed or other uses and, in many laws, defined as Cannabis sativa with no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight.
Legal and regulatory - Hemp russet miterusset mite, russet mites, Aculops cannabicola, HRM
Aculops cannabicola, a microscopic eriophyid mite specific to cannabis that causes upward leaf curl, bronzing and dull, greasy-looking trichomes.
Pests and diseases - Heritabilityheritable, h2, broad-sense heritability, narrow-sense heritability
Heritability is the share of a trait's variation within a population that is due to genetic differences rather than environment, on a scale from 0 to 1.
Genetics and breeding - Herm threshold2% herm threshold, Verified under 2% herm rate, herm screening, herm rate threshold
The herm threshold is GenetixBay's two-tier herm standard: a 10-plant screening grow with zero herms to be featured, then about 150 or more community-grown plants before a line can be Verified under 2% herm rate.
GenetixBay terms - Herm-proneherm prone, hermy, hermie-prone, herm tendency
Herm-prone describes a line whose plants often produce intersex flowers; GenetixBay treats this as a breeding fault and a reason not to breed from it.
Grower slang and culture - Hermaphroditehermie, herm, hermaphroditic, intersex
In cannabis growing, a plant (usually female) that develops both pistillate and staminate flowers or anthers; botanists call it intersex or monoecious expression.
Plant biology - Heterosishybrid vigour, hybrid vigor, heterotic, F1 vigour
Heterosis (hybrid vigour) is the tendency of offspring from genetically different parents to outgrow or outperform both parents in traits such as vigour and yield.
Genetics and breeding - Heterozygousheterozygote, heterozygosity, heterozygotes, het
A plant is heterozygous at a locus when it carries two different alleles there (Aa), so its offspring can inherit either one and segregate.
Genetics and breeding - HHChexahydrocannabinol, hydrogenated THC, HHC-O
HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) is a hydrogenated derivative of THC, found only in traces in the plant; products sold as HHC are semi-synthetic, made by chemically converting other cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - High-frequency fertigationHFF, high frequency fertigation, high-frequency feeding, pulse feeding
High-frequency fertigation feeds small volumes of nutrient solution many times a day, keeping the root zone consistently moist and fed so small pots can produce large plants.
Systems and media - Hoagland solutionHoagland's solution, Hoagland nutrient solution, Hoagland and Arnon solution, half-strength Hoagland
Hoagland solution is a classic 1950 hydroponic recipe by Hoagland and Arnon, still used as a research baseline: about 210 ppm N, 31 P, 235 K and 200 Ca.
Nutrients - Holocyclic and anholocyclicholocyclic, anholocyclic, holocycle, anholocycle
Aphid life cycles with (holocyclic) or without (anholocyclic) a yearly sexual generation that lays overwintering eggs.
Pests and diseases - Home growhome cultivation, homegrow, growing at home, home growing
Home grow is growing cannabis for personal use at your residence, permitted in some jurisdictions within plant-count, location and security limits.
Legal and regulatory - Homogenisation (sampling)homogenization, sample homogenisation, sample homogenization, sampling
Homogenisation is grinding and mixing a sample so every portion the lab tests represents the whole; together with representative sampling it often matters more than the instrument.
Lab testing - Homozygoushomozygote, homozygosity, homozygotes
A plant is homozygous at a locus when it carries two identical alleles there (AA or aa), so it passes the same allele to every offspring.
Genetics and breeding - Honeydewhoney dew
The sugary liquid excreted by sap-feeding insects such as aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs and soft scales; it makes leaves sticky and feeds sooty mould.
Pests and diseases - Hop latent viroidHLVd, hop latent viroid disease, dudding, dudding disease
HLVd, a small infectious RNA that spreads through sap and tools, causing stunting, brittle stems, small loose buds and reduced resin in cannabis; called dudding.
Pests and diseases - Hopperburnhopper burn, leafhopper burn
Yellowing and browning that starts at leaf tips and margins in a V shape, caused by potato leafhopper feeding blocking leaf veins.
Pests and diseases - Horticultural oilhorticultural oils, mineral oil, paraffinic oil, summer oil
A refined petroleum or plant oil sprayed to smother soft-bodied pests and eggs and suppress powdery mildew on contact; used only on foliage, never on flowers.
Pests and diseases - HPAhigh-pressure aeroponics, high pressure aeroponics, HP aero, true aeroponics
HPA (high-pressure aeroponics) mists roots with very fine droplets from a high-pressure pump and accumulator, giving maximum aeration but little margin for failure.
Systems and media - HPLChigh-performance liquid chromatography, high pressure liquid chromatography, HPLC-UV, HPLC-DAD
HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) separates compounds dissolved in a liquid under pressure; it is the standard cannabis potency method because it measures acid cannabinoids without heating them.
Lab testing - HPShigh-pressure sodium, high pressure sodium, sodium lamp, DE HPS
HPS (high-pressure sodium) is a gas-discharge lamp with orange-yellow light peaking near 589 nm; it was the standard flowering light before LEDs.
Environment and light - HSThigh-stress training, high stress training, high stress techniques
HST (high-stress training) covers training methods that deliberately cut, crush or break plant tissue, such as topping, FIM and supercropping, to reshape growth.
Cultivation and training - Humic acidhumic acids, humates, humic substances, potassium humate
Humic acid is a large, dark organic fraction of decomposed matter that binds nutrients and may modestly aid root growth; effects in cannabis are small and inconsistent.
Nutrients - Humidifierhumidifiers, ultrasonic humidifier, evaporative humidifier, mister
A humidifier adds water vapour to the air to raise relative humidity, used mostly for clones, seedlings and veg, or dry climates.
Environment and light - Humidity packhumidity packs, two-way humidity pack, two-way humidity control, humidity sachet
A salt-solution sachet sold to hold a sealed container at a fixed relative humidity; GenetixBay regards them as a marketing gimmick that robs terpenes.
Harvest, drying and curing - Humulenealpha-humulene, α-humulene, alpha-caryophyllene, α-caryophyllene
Humulene (alpha-humulene) is a woody, earthy, hop-like sesquiterpene, an isomer of beta-caryophyllene that usually appears alongside it in cannabis profiles.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Hybridhybrids, hybrid strain, hybridisation, hybridization
A hybrid is the offspring of two genetically different parents; almost all modern cannabis is hybrid, built from crosses between landrace-derived and other lines.
Genetics and breeding - Hydrogen peroxideH2O2, H₂O₂, peroxide, food-grade peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is an oxidising sanitiser used to clean hydroponic equipment and reservoirs; it breaks down quickly into water and oxygen and kills beneficial microbes too.
Systems and media - Hydroponicshydro, hydroponic, hydroponic growing, water culture
Hydroponics is growing plants without soil, feeding roots a complete mineral nutrient solution either directly in water or through an inert medium.
Systems and media - Hype strainhype strains, hyped strain, flavour of the month, fotm strain
A hype strain is a cultivar name in heavy demand because of marketing or social media, regardless of how stable or distinctive the genetics are.
Grower slang and culture - Hypocotylseedling stem, hypocotyl stem, stem below the cotyledons
The section of seedling stem between the root and the cotyledons; it elongates to lift the seed leaves above the medium.
Plant biology
I
- IBLIBLs, in-bred line, stabilised line, stabilized line
An IBL (inbred line) is a seed line that has been inbred and selected over many generations until it breeds true for its main traits, giving uniform offspring.
Genetics and breeding - Immobile nutrientimmobile nutrients, immobile elements, non-mobile nutrient, phloem-immobile nutrient
An immobile nutrient stays where it is first deposited, so its deficiency shows on young leaves and growing tips first: Ca, S, Fe, Mn, B, Cu.
Nutrients - Inbred lineinbred lines, inbreeding, inbred population, inbreeding coefficient
Inbreeding is mating between related plants, which raises homozygosity; an inbred line is the resulting population, measured by the inbreeding coefficient F.
Genetics and breeding - Inbreeding depressioninbreeding decline, inbred depression, loss of vigour from inbreeding
Inbreeding depression is the loss of vigour, fertility, yield or survival that follows mating between relatives, mainly because harmful recessive alleles become homozygous.
Genetics and breeding - Independent assortmentlaw of independent assortment, Mendel's second law, free assortment
Independent assortment is Mendel's rule that alleles of genes on different chromosomes are passed to gametes independently of each other, creating new trait combinations.
Genetics and breeding - IndicaCannabis indica, C. indica, indica-dominant, indicas
Indica is a popular label for broad-leaflet, compact, faster-flowering cannabis plants; it describes plant shape at most, not a separate species or a predictable effect.
Genetics and breeding - Indoor growingindoor, indoor grow, grow room, indoors
Indoor growing is cultivating cannabis entirely under artificial light in a tent or room, giving full control over light, climate and photoperiod.
Cultivation and training - Input ECfeed EC, EC in, inflow EC, reservoir EC
Input EC is the electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution going into the pot or system, in mS/cm, including the base EC of the source water.
pH, EC and water - Insecticidal soapinsecticidal soaps, potassium salts of fatty acids, soap spray, potassium soap
Potassium salts of fatty acids sprayed to kill soft-bodied pests such as aphids, mites and whitefly nymphs on contact by disrupting their cell membranes.
Pests and diseases - Instarinstars, larval instar, nymphal instar, first instar
A developmental stage between two moults of an insect larva or nymph; control tactics often work only on early instars.
Pests and diseases - Internodeinternodes, internodal spacing, internode length, node spacing
The length of stem between two adjacent nodes; short internodes mean compact plants and tight bud stacking, long ones mean stretch.
Plant biology - Interveinal chlorosisinterveinal yellowing, green veins yellow leaf, yellow between the veins
Yellowing of the leaf tissue between the veins while the veins themselves stay green; on old leaves it points to magnesium, on new leaves to iron or manganese.
Plant biology - Intrinsic rate of increase (r_m)r_m, rm, intrinsic rate of natural increase, per-capita growth rate
The per-day rate at which an unchecked pest population multiplies under set conditions, from a life table; N(t) = N0 x e^(r_m x t).
Pests and diseases - Introgressionintrogressed, introgressive hybridisation, introgressive hybridization, gene flow
Introgression is the movement of genes from one population or type into another through hybridisation followed by repeated backcrossing.
Genetics and breeding - Inverse square lawinverse-square law, inverse square rule, 1/r² law, light distance rule
The inverse square law says light from a point source falls with the square of distance; grow fixtures are not point sources, so it only roughly predicts PPFD.
Environment and light - IPMintegrated pest management, integrated pest and disease management, IPDM, integrated pest control
Integrated pest management: preventing and controlling pests by combining monitoring, prevention, cultural, biological and, as a last resort, chemical tools against set action thresholds.
Pests and diseases - IR thermometerinfrared thermometer, IR gun, temp gun, laser thermometer
An IR (infrared) thermometer reads surface temperature from emitted infrared radiation; growers use it to measure leaf temperature for leaf VPD.
Environment and light - IronFe, Fe2+, Fe3+, iron deficiency
Iron (Fe) is an immobile micronutrient needed to make chlorophyll and run electron transport; deficiency yellows new leaves between green veins.
Nutrients - Iron chelatechelated iron, Fe chelate, Fe-EDTA, Fe-DTPA
An iron chelate is iron bound to an organic molecule (EDTA, DTPA or EDDHA) that keeps it dissolved and available; each type holds up to a different pH.
Nutrients - ISO/IEC 17025ISO 17025, ISO/IEC 17025:2017, 17025 accreditation, lab accreditation
ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories; accreditation to it shows a lab's specific methods have been independently assessed.
Lab testing - IsolateCBD isolate, THCA isolate, cannabinoid isolate, crystalline isolate
An isolate is a concentrate refined to one cannabinoid at very high purity, often 99% or more, usually a white crystalline powder such as CBD or THCA isolate.
Processing
J
- JardinJardin grow system, GenetixBay Jardin, Jardin controller, Jardin hub
Jardin is GenetixBay's grow system in development: a controller and sensor kit for logging and climate control, with per-element custom nutrient dosing.
GenetixBay terms - Jeweler's loupejewellers loupe, jeweller's loupe, loupe, jewelers loupe
A small handheld magnifier, typically 30-60x for cannabis use, used to inspect trichome heads and spot pests and male flowers.
Harvest, drying and curing
K
- Keeperkeepers, keeper pheno, keeper plant, keeper cut
A keeper is a plant from a seed hunt good enough to be kept alive as a clone or mother for future runs or breeding.
Grower slang and culture - Kiefdry sift, keef, kif, dry-sift
Kief is the loose, powdery collection of trichome heads that falls or is sifted off dried cannabis through fine screens; it is the simplest solventless concentrate.
Processing - Kratky methodkratky, Kratky hydroponics, passive hydroponics, non-circulating hydroponics
The Kratky method is a passive hydroponic system with no pumps: plants sit above a container of solution, and a growing air gap forms as the level drops.
Systems and media - Kushkushes, Hindu Kush, kush strains, kushy
Kush is a generic name for cannabis tied to landrace material from the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and now for its many hybrid descendants.
Grower slang and culture
L
- Lab shoppinglab-shopping, shopping for labs, potency shopping, lab hopping
Lab shopping is the practice of choosing testing labs because they report higher potency or more passing results, rather than because they are most accurate.
Lab testing - Label inflationinflated labels, THC inflation, potency inflation, inflated THC
Label inflation is the gap between the potency printed on cannabis packaging and what independent testing finds, a documented, mostly upward bias in retail THC claims.
Lab testing - Labelling requirementslabeling requirements, cannabis labels, label rules, product labelling
Labelling requirements are the legal rules on what cannabis packages must and must not show, such as potency, warnings, lot number and dates.
Legal and regulatory - Lacewinglacewings, green lacewing, Chrysoperla, Chrysoperla carnea
Insects of the family Chrysopidae, mainly Chrysoperla species, whose larvae are general predators of aphids, thrips, mite eggs and young caterpillars.
Pests and diseases - Ladybirdladybug, ladybugs, ladybirds, lady beetle
Predatory beetles of the family Coccinellidae, such as Hippodamia convergens, whose adults and larvae eat aphids and other soft-bodied pests.
Pests and diseases - Landracelandraces, land race, landrace strain, landrace variety
A landrace is a traditional, locally adapted cannabis population kept by farmers in one region over many generations, with its own type and plenty of internal variation.
Genetics and breeding - Landrace hunterlandrace hunting, landrace hunters, seed hunter, genetics hunter
A landrace hunter travels to cannabis-growing regions to collect seed from local farmer populations, ideally with consent, credit and benefit-sharing for source communities.
Grower slang and culture - Larflarfy, larf buds, lurf, fluff
Larf is small, airy, underdeveloped buds from the lower, shaded parts of a plant, usually low in density and weight.
Grower slang and culture - LC-MSLC-MS/MS, LCMS, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, LC-QQQ
LC-MS couples liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry, identifying compounds by mass as well as retention time; it is used for pesticides, mycotoxins and detailed cannabinoid profiling.
Lab testing - Leaf clawingthe claw, claw leaves, clawed leaves, eagle claw
Leaves whose tips hook sharply downward like a claw, usually on dark green leaves; a classic sign of excess nitrogen, and also seen with waterlogged roots.
Plant biology - Leaf spotleaf spots, leaf spot disease, Alternaria, brown leaf spot
Any disease that causes discrete dead spots on leaves; on cannabis, mainly fungi such as Septoria cannabis and Alternaria, plus some bacteria.
Pests and diseases - Leaf temperatureleaf temp, leaf surface temperature, canopy temperature, leaf temperature offset
Leaf temperature is the actual surface temperature of a leaf, which often differs from air temperature by 1–3 °C depending on light source and transpiration.
Environment and light - Leaf VPDLVPD, leaf vapor pressure deficit, leaf vapour pressure deficit, leaf-to-air VPD
Leaf VPD is the vapour pressure deficit between the inside of a leaf, at leaf temperature, and the surrounding air; it is what actually drives transpiration.
Environment and light - Leafhopperleafhoppers, Cicadellidae, beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus
Small wedge-shaped jumping insects of the family Cicadellidae that suck plant sap; the beet leafhopper (Circulifer tenellus) spreads beet curly top virus to hemp.
Pests and diseases - Leafletleaflets, leaf blade, finger, fingers
One of the separate serrated blades that make up a palmate cannabis leaf; a mature fan leaf typically has five to eleven leaflets.
Plant biology - Leafminerleafminers, leaf miner, leaf miners, Liriomyza
Insect larvae, on cannabis mainly Liriomyza fly maggots (family Agromyzidae), that tunnel between the leaf surfaces, leaving pale winding trails.
Pests and diseases - LEDLEDs, light-emitting diode, LED grow light, LED fixture
An LED (light-emitting diode) grow light uses solid-state diodes to produce light; modern fixtures are the most efficient grow lights, at roughly 2.5–3 µmol/J.
Environment and light - LED vs HPSLED versus HPS, HPS vs LED, LED or HPS, LED vs HID
LED vs HPS is the debate over whether LED or high-pressure sodium lights grow better cannabis; LEDs are clearly more efficient, while final-quality differences remain an open question.
Environment and light - Licensed producerLP, LPs, licensed grower, licensed cultivator
A licensed producer is a business authorised by a regulator to grow, process or sell cannabis commercially, subject to security, tracking, testing and labelling rules.
Legal and regulatory - Life tablelife tables, fertility life table, age-stage life table, demographic parameters
A record of survival and egg-laying at each age for a cohort of pests at set conditions, from which development time, fecundity and r_m are calculated.
Pests and diseases - Light compensation pointcompensation point, LCP, light compensation
The light compensation point is the PPFD at which a leaf's photosynthesis exactly balances its respiration, so net carbon gain is zero.
Environment and light - Light deprivationlight dep, light-dep, dep, blackout
Light deprivation (light dep) covers greenhouse or outdoor plants with blackout material to give long nights, forcing photoperiod plants to flower earlier than the natural season.
Cultivation and training - Light intensityintensity, light level, light strength, how much light
Light intensity is how much photosynthetic light reaches the plants per unit area and time, measured as PPFD in µmol/m²/s; it is the biggest light lever on yield.
Environment and light - Light leaklight leaks, light pollution, dark period interruption, night interruption
A light leak is unwanted light entering the grow space during the dark period; in flower it can delay or disrupt flowering in photoperiod cannabis.
Environment and light - Light saturation pointsaturation point, LSP, light saturation, photosynthetic saturation
The light saturation point is the PPFD above which photosynthesis stops rising; for cannabis it is unusually high and moves upwards with CO2 and temperature.
Environment and light - Light stresslight burn, light bleaching, bleaching, photobleaching
Light stress is damage when leaves or buds absorb more light than they can use or dissipate, showing as bleached white or yellow tops nearest the fixture.
Environment and light - Limonened-limonene, (+)-limonene, limonine, lemonene
Limonene is a monoterpene with a citrus aroma, found in citrus peel and many cannabis cultivars, where it is often among the top three terpenes.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Linaloollinalol, linolool, beta-linalool, linalyl alcohol
Linalool is a floral, lavender-scented monoterpene alcohol found in lavender and some cannabis cultivars, usually at low levels below 0.3% w/w.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Linelines, seed line, genetic line, breeding line
A line is a population of plants descended from chosen parents and maintained over generations under one name, with recorded lineage.
Grower slang and culture - Line breedinglinebreeding, line-bred, line breed, line work
Line breeding is a mild form of inbreeding in which plants are mated within a family, often back towards one outstanding ancestor, to concentrate its traits while limiting inbreeding.
Genetics and breeding - Linkagegenetic linkage, linked genes, linkage drag, linked traits
Linkage is the tendency of genes that sit close together on the same chromosome to be inherited together, rather than independently.
Genetics and breeding - Live resinlive extract, live hydrocarbon extract, live BHO, live-resin
Live resin is a solvent-based cannabis extract made from fresh frozen plant material instead of dried and cured flower, to retain more volatile aroma compounds.
Processing - Live rosinlive hash rosin, LHR, fresh frozen rosin, live-rosin
Live rosin is rosin pressed from ice water hash made from fresh frozen plants, preserving more of the volatile aroma of the living plant; it is solventless.
Processing - Living soilliving organic soil, LOS, living soil bed, soil food web
Living soil is an organic growing medium managed to sustain an active soil food web, so microbes and invertebrates release nutrients and the soil is reused across cycles.
Systems and media - Locusloci, gene locus, genetic locus
A locus is the fixed position on a chromosome where a particular gene or DNA marker sits; the plural is loci.
Genetics and breeding - LODlimit of detection, detection limit, MDL, method detection limit
The LOD (limit of detection) is the lowest amount of a compound a method can reliably tell apart from zero, but not necessarily measure accurately.
Lab testing - Lollipoppinglollipop, lollipopped, lolli-popping, under-canopy pruning
Lollipopping removes the lower branches and small shoots on a plant, usually around the flip, so energy goes to the top buds and airflow improves underneath.
Cultivation and training - Long-term storagecannabis storage, storing cannabis, stash storage, storing buds
Keeping cured cannabis for months or years with minimal loss, by holding it cool, dark, airtight and at a stable water activity of about 0.55-0.65.
Harvest, drying and curing - LOQlimit of quantitation, limit of quantification, quantitation limit, reporting limit
The LOQ (limit of quantitation) is the lowest concentration a method can measure with acceptable accuracy and precision; below it a result is reported as <LOQ.
Lab testing - Loudloud pack, loudpack, so loud, loud weed
Loud is slang for flower with a very strong, room-filling aroma, often implying high quality.
Grower slang and culture - LSTlow-stress training, low stress training, tie-down, tying down
LST (low-stress training) bends and ties stems so the plant grows wide and flat, exposing more bud sites to light without cutting or breaking tissue.
Cultivation and training - Luxlx, lux meter, lux reading, illuminance
Lux is illuminance weighted to human eye sensitivity (lumens per square metre); it misreads grow lights because plants use red and blue light the eye underweights.
Environment and light
M
- Macronutrientmacronutrients, macro nutrients, macros, primary nutrients
A macronutrient is an essential element plants need in large amounts, measured in tens to hundreds of mg/L: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, plus calcium, magnesium and sulfur.
Nutrients - MagnesiumMg, Mg2+, magnesium deficiency, Mg deficiency
Magnesium (Mg) is a mobile secondary nutrient at the centre of every chlorophyll molecule; deficiency causes interveinal yellowing on older leaves.
Nutrients - Magnesium nitrateMg(NO3)2, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, 11-0-0 magnesium, mag nitrate
Magnesium nitrate supplies about 9.5% magnesium and 11% nitrogen as nitrate, and unlike Epsom salt it can share a concentrated stock with calcium nitrate.
Nutrients - Magnesium sulfateEpsom salt, Epsom salts, MgSO4, magnesium sulphate
Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, sold as Epsom salt, is the common hydro magnesium source, supplying about 9.9% magnesium and 13% sulfur.
Nutrients - Mainliningmain-lining, main lining, mainline
Mainlining is a training method that tops a plant low, removes lower growth and splits it symmetrically into a set number of evenly sized main colas.
Cultivation and training - Male selectionselecting males, male choice, picking a male, male hunting
Male selection is the choice of which male plants become parents, judged by their vigour, structure, early aroma and above all by the quality of their offspring.
Genetics and breeding - ManganeseMn, Mn2+, manganese deficiency, manganese toxicity
Manganese (Mn) is a micronutrient that splits water in photosynthesis and activates many enzymes; low pH can raise it to toxic levels.
Nutrients - Manganese sulfateMnSO4, manganese sulphate, MnSO4·H2O, manganous sulfate
Manganese sulfate (MnSO4) is the common soluble manganese source for DIY micronutrient mixes, about 32% Mn in the monohydrate form.
Nutrients - Manifoldingmanifold, manifold training, building a manifold, hub training
Manifolding builds a plant's structure as a central hub with symmetrical horizontal arms, so every top receives equal sap flow and grows to similar size.
Cultivation and training - Marijuanamarihuana, weed, pot, ganja
Marijuana is a common name for drug-type cannabis flower; the word entered US English from Mexican Spanish and became the standard term in 20th-century law.
Grower slang and culture - Marker-assisted selectionMAS, marker assisted selection, marker-assisted breeding, molecular breeding
Marker-assisted selection is choosing seedlings or parents by testing DNA markers linked to wanted traits, so plants can be selected before they flower.
Genetics and breeding - Mealybugmealybugs, mealy bug, Pseudococcidae, citrus mealybug
Soft-bodied sap-sucking insects of the family Pseudococcidae, covered in white waxy filaments, that hide in stem joints and roots and excrete honeydew.
Pests and diseases - Measurement uncertaintyuncertainty of measurement, MU, measurement error, ± uncertainty
Measurement uncertainty is the quantified range around a lab result within which the true value is expected to lie, typically stated as ± a value at about 95% confidence.
Lab testing - Medical vs adult-usemedical cannabis, adult-use cannabis, recreational cannabis, rec vs med
Medical and adult-use cannabis are separate legal channels: medical access depends on authorisation by a health professional, adult-use on age alone.
Legal and regulatory - Mendelian inheritanceMendelian genetics, Mendel's laws, Mendelian ratios, Mendelism
Mendelian inheritance is the pattern in which single genes pass from parents to offspring in predictable ratios, following Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment.
Genetics and breeding - Meristem culturemeristem tip culture, shoot tip culture, meristem cleaning, meristem propagation
Meristem culture is tissue culture from the tiny dome of dividing cells at a shoot tip, used to regenerate plants free of viroids and viruses.
Genetics and breeding - Metal halideMH, MH lamp, metal-halide lamp, halide
A metal halide (MH) lamp is a gas-discharge grow light with a bluish-white spectrum, traditionally used in the vegetative stage before switching to HPS.
Environment and light - Microbial testingmicro testing, microbial panel, TYMC, TAMC
Microbial testing counts or detects bacteria and fungi in a cannabis sample, including total aerobic count (TAMC), total yeast and mould count (TYMC) and specific pathogens.
Lab testing - Microclimatemicro-climate, micro climate, canopy microclimate, hot spots
A microclimate is a small zone within the grow space whose temperature, humidity or airflow differs from the room average, such as inside a dense cola or a corner.
Environment and light - Micron bagsbubble bags, wash bags, hash bags, ice water bags
Micron bags are fine-mesh filter bags graded by opening size in microns, used to separate and size trichome heads in ice water hash making and to filter rosin.
Processing - Micronutrientmicronutrients, micros, trace elements, trace minerals
A micronutrient is an essential element plants need only in trace amounts, below a few mg/L: iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, chlorine and nickel.
Nutrients - Midsmid, mid-grade, middies, midgrade
Mids is slang for middle-grade flower: not bad, not great, priced between budget and top-shelf, and often used as a put-down.
Grower slang and culture - Mineral fertilisersynthetic fertiliser, synthetic fertilizer, mineral fertilizer, synthetic nutrients
A mineral (synthetic) fertiliser supplies nutrients as soluble salts that dissolve straight into plant-available ions; chemically, the plant takes up the same ions as from organic sources.
Nutrients - Mobile nutrientmobile nutrients, mobile elements, phloem-mobile nutrient
A mobile nutrient is one the plant can move from older leaves to new growth, so its deficiency shows first on lower, older leaves: N, P, K, Mg, Cl, Mo.
Nutrients - Mode of actionMoA, IRAC group, mode of action group
How a pesticide kills its target, grouped by IRAC into numbered classes; rotating between groups across pest generations slows resistance.
Pests and diseases - Moisture contentMC, water content, moisture percentage, % moisture
The amount of water in a material as a percentage of its weight; cured cannabis flower usually sits around 10-12% w/w, though measurement method matters.
Harvest, drying and curing - Moisture correctionmoisture-corrected, moisture adjustment, loss on drying, LOD (loss on drying)
Moisture correction converts a lab result from as-received to dry-weight basis using the sample's measured water content, usually from a loss-on-drying test.
Lab testing - Molassesblackstrap molasses, unsulphured molasses, carbs (additive), carbohydrate additive
Molasses is a sugar-rich by-product of sugar refining added to soil feeds; its sugars feed soil microbes, not the plant, and do not sweeten buds.
Nutrients - Moldmould, moldy buds, mouldy, mildew
The everyday word for visible fungal growth; on cannabis it covers several distinct diseases, mainly bud rot (Botrytis cinerea) and powdery mildew (Golovinomyces ambrosiae).
Pests and diseases - MolybdenumMo, molybdate, MoO4 2-, molybdenum deficiency
Molybdenum (Mo) is the micronutrient needed in the smallest amount; plants need it to convert nitrate into usable nitrogen.
Nutrients - Mommoms, mum, momma, mommy plant
Mom is grower slang for a plant kept in vegetative growth only to supply clones, as in "I keep a mom of every keeper".
Grower slang and culture - Monoammonium phosphateMAP, NH4H2PO4, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, 12-61-0
Monoammonium phosphate (MAP, NH4H2PO4) supplies about 12% nitrogen as ammonium and 26.6% phosphorus, adding P while gently acidifying the root zone.
Nutrients - Monoeciousmonoecy, monoecism, monoecious hemp, co-sexual
Having both male and female flowers on the same individual plant; in cannabis, a trait deliberately bred into some hemp cultivars, not the natural norm.
Plant biology - Monopotassium phosphateMKP, KH2PO4, mono potassium phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate
Monopotassium phosphate (MKP, KH2PO4) supplies about 22.7% phosphorus and 28.7% potassium with no nitrogen, and is the base of most PK boosters.
Nutrients - Monoterpenemonoterpenes, C10 terpene, monoterpenoid, monoterpenoids
A monoterpene is a ten-carbon terpene made from geranyl pyrophosphate, such as myrcene, limonene, pinene or terpinolene; they are the most volatile terpenes and the first lost in drying.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Monster croppingmonster crop, monstercropping, cloning from flower, flowering clones
Monster cropping is taking cuttings from a plant in flower and re-vegging them, which tends to produce bushy plants with many tops after an initial slow phase.
Cultivation and training - Mother plantmother, mothers, stock plant, donor plant
A mother plant is a female kept permanently in vegetative growth to supply cuttings, so a selected genotype can be propagated as clones indefinitely.
Cultivation and training - mS/cmmillisiemens per centimetre, millisiemens per centimeter, mS, millisiemens
mS/cm (millisiemens per centimetre) is the standard unit of EC for nutrient solutions; 1 mS/cm equals 1 dS/m and 1,000 µS/cm.
pH, EC and water - Mulder's chartMulders chart, Mulder chart, nutrient interaction chart, Mulder's wheel
Mulder's chart is a diagram showing antagonistic and synergistic interactions between plant nutrients, used as a rough guide to which excesses cause which deficiencies.
Nutrients - Mutationmutations, mutant, somatic mutation, bud sport
A mutation is a change in a plant's DNA sequence, arising in seed or in one branch (a somatic mutation); mutations are rare and usually neutral.
Genetics and breeding - Mycorrhizaemycorrhiza, mycorrhizal fungi, myco, AMF
Mycorrhizae are symbioses in which fungi colonise plant roots and extend hyphae into the soil, trading water and nutrients such as phosphorus for the plant's sugars.
Systems and media - Mycotoxinsmycotoxin, aflatoxins, aflatoxin, ochratoxin A
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds made by certain moulds, such as aflatoxins and ochratoxin A from Aspergillus and Penicillium species; cannabis labs test for them at parts-per-billion levels.
Lab testing - Myrcenebeta-myrcene, β-myrcene, mercene, myrcine
Myrcene (beta-myrcene) is a monoterpene with a musky, earthy, ripe-fruit aroma and is the most common dominant terpene in commercial cannabis flower.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - MythbustersGenetixBay Mythbusters, Mythbusters page, myth busting, busted myths
Mythbusters is GenetixBay's page of growing myths and their verdicts, with open Bay Trials and finished results marked Busted, Confirmed or Inconclusive.
GenetixBay terms
N
- N-P-K ratioNPK, N-P-K, NPK ratio, fertiliser ratio
The N-P-K ratio is the three numbers on a fertiliser label giving percent nitrogen, phosphate (P2O5) and potash (K2O) by weight, not elemental P and K.
Nutrients - Nagoya ProtocolNagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing, ABS protocol, Nagoya
The Nagoya Protocol is a 2010 international treaty under the Convention on Biological Diversity governing access to genetic resources and fair sharing of their benefits.
Legal and regulatory - Nannersbananas, nanner, banana, late-flower bananas
Nanners (bananas) are exposed, banana-shaped anthers on a female flower: a hermaphrodite trait, not a normal part of late flowering, and a reason to cull.
Grower slang and culture - ND (non-detect)ND, non-detect, not detected, nondetect
ND (non-detect) on a COA means the compound was not found at or above the method's limit of detection; it does not mean the amount is zero.
Lab testing - Necrosisnecrotic, necrotic spots, dead tissue, leaf necrosis
Death of plant tissue, seen as brown, tan or black patches, spots, tips or margins; it is permanent and the end point of many nutrient, salt, pest, disease and environmental problems.
Plant biology - Neem oilneem, azadirachtin, cold-pressed neem oil, clarified hydrophobic neem oil
An oil pressed from seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) that smothers soft-bodied pests and, in crude forms, contains azadirachtin, an insect growth disruptor.
Pests and diseases - Negative pressurenegative air pressure, neg pressure, sucked-in tent, slight vacuum
Negative pressure means the grow space is held slightly below surrounding air pressure by exhausting more air than comes in, so air and odour leak inwards, not out.
Environment and light - Neoseiulus californicuscalifornicus, N. californicus, Amblyseius californicus
A generalist-leaning predatory mite that eats spider mites and broad mites, survives on low prey or pollen, and tolerates warmer, drier rooms than Phytoseiulus.
Pests and diseases - Neoseiulus cucumeriscucumeris, N. cucumeris, Amblyseius cucumeris
A predatory mite that eats first-stage thrips larvae and some broad and cyclamen mites; tolerant of cooler rooms and widely used in sachets as a preventive.
Pests and diseases - Nerolidoltrans-nerolidol, cis-nerolidol, peruviol, nerolidal
Nerolidol is a woody, floral, slightly citrus sesquiterpene alcohol found in neroli, jasmine and tea, and as a minor terpene in some cannabis cultivars.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Net potnet pots, net cup, mesh pot, netpot
A net pot is a plastic cup with slotted or mesh walls that holds a plant and its medium in a hydroponic lid, letting roots grow through into solution.
Systems and media - Net reproductive rate (R0)R0, net reproduction rate
The average number of female offspring a female produces in her lifetime after mortality: the population's multiplication per generation.
Pests and diseases - NFTnutrient film technique, nutrient film, NFT channel, NFT gully
NFT (nutrient film technique) runs a thin, continuous film of nutrient solution along sloped channels, with roots resting in the stream and exposed to air above.
Systems and media - NickelNi, Ni2+, nickel deficiency
Nickel (Ni) is a micronutrient required for urease, the enzyme that breaks down urea; plants need only traces, which most feeds and waters already contain.
Nutrients - NitrateNO3-, NO3, nitrate nitrogen, NO3-N
Nitrate (NO3-) is the main form of nitrogen in hydroponic and soilless feeds; its uptake tends to push root-zone pH upward.
Nutrients - Nitric acidHNO3, nitric pH down, pH down (nitric)
Nitric acid (HNO3) lowers pH while adding nitrate nitrogen; growers use it to neutralise hard-water alkalinity, often alongside or instead of phosphoric acid.
Nutrients - NitrogenN, nitrogen deficiency, N deficiency, nitrogen toxicity
Nitrogen (N) is the macronutrient plants use most, built into proteins, chlorophyll and nucleic acids; it drives leaf and stem growth and is fully mobile.
Nutrients - Nitrogen taperN taper, tapering nitrogen, taper nitrogen, late-flower nitrogen reduction
Gradually cutting nitrogen in late flower, toward zero near the finish, while still feeding phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and micronutrients; GenetixBay's alternative to flushing.
Harvest, drying and curing - No-tillno till, notill, no-till growing, no-till bed
No-till growing reuses living soil from cycle to cycle without turning or replacing it, cutting out the old root ball and replenishing with top-dressed amendments.
Systems and media - Nodenodes, nodal site, leaf node, growth node
The point on a stem where a leaf (petiole) and its axillary bud attach; branches, flowers and clone roots all originate at nodes.
Plant biology - Node stackingtight node spacing, short internodes, stacked nodes, tight nodes
Node stacking describes short internodes, so nodes and bud sites sit close together along a stem, giving dense colas and a compact plant.
Cultivation and training - Nugsnug, nuggets, buds, nuggs
Nugs is slang for whole, trimmed buds of dried cannabis flower, as opposed to shake or trim.
Grower slang and culture - Nutrient antagonismantagonism, ion antagonism, nutrient interaction, ion competition
Nutrient antagonism is when an excess of one element reduces the uptake or use of another, such as high potassium suppressing magnesium and calcium.
Nutrients - Nutrient burnnute burn, nute-burn, tip burn, burnt tips
Nutrient burn is browning and crisping of leaf tips, then margins, caused by a root-zone salt concentration (EC) higher than the plant can handle.
Nutrients - Nutrient deficiencydeficiency, deficiencies, nutrient deficiencies, def
A nutrient deficiency is a shortage of an essential element in the plant tissue, causing characteristic symptoms; the cause is often pH or uptake rather than an empty feed.
Nutrients - Nutrient lockoutlockout, locked out, nutrient lock, pH lockout
Nutrient lockout is when plants show deficiency symptoms although nutrients are present, because pH, salt build-up, ion antagonism or damaged roots stop uptake.
pH, EC and water - Nutrient toxicitytoxicity, nutrient excess, element toxicity, overfeeding
Nutrient toxicity is damage from an excess of an element in the plant, either directly or by blocking uptake of others; boron, manganese, copper and chloride are common culprits.
Nutrients
O
- Ocimenebeta-ocimene, β-ocimene, trans-ocimene, cis-ocimene
Ocimene is a sweet, green, herbal monoterpene, usually reported as beta-ocimene isomers, that often accompanies terpinolene in cannabis profiles.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Oedemaedema, leaf edema, leaf oedema, intumescence
Small blisters or corky bumps on leaf undersides caused by cells swelling with water and bursting when roots take up more water than the leaves can transpire, typically in cool, humid, wet conditions.
Plant biology - OGOGs, OG Kush family, O.G.
OG is a cannabis family name tied to a group of influential clone-only cultivars from the 1990s, and general slang for "original" or long-established.
Grower slang and culture - Olivetolic acidOA, olivetolate, olivetolic
Olivetolic acid is the phenolic building block of cannabinoids; joined to geranyl pyrophosphate it forms CBGA, and its five-carbon chain becomes the pentyl tail of THC and CBD.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - One-part nutrientsingle-part nutrient, 1-part nutrient, one-part feed, complete one-part
A one-part nutrient is a complete mineral feed in a single concentrate or powder, formulated to avoid the calcium-sulfate and calcium-phosphate precipitation that forces most feeds into two parts.
Nutrients - Open researchopen science, GenetixBay open research, citizen science, community research
Open research is GenetixBay's approach of settling growing questions with member-run controlled trials and publishing protocols, data and verdicts for anyone to see.
GenetixBay terms - Open-pollinatedOP, open pollination, open-pollinated seed, OP seed
Open-pollinated seed comes from a population left to cross freely among its own plants, without controlled pairs, which keeps a line's variation and type over generations.
Genetics and breeding - Open-source seedopen source seed, OSSI pledge, open-source seed pledge, free seed
Open-source seed is seed shared under a pledge that anyone may use, breed and share it, provided they do not restrict others' use through patents or licences.
Legal and regulatory - Organic fertiliserorganic fertilizer, organic nutrients, organic nutes, organic amendments
An organic fertiliser supplies nutrients from plant, animal or mineral-rock sources that soil microbes must break down into ions before roots can absorb them.
Nutrients - Oriusminute pirate bug, minute pirate bugs, Orius insidiosus, Orius laevigatus
Minute pirate bugs of the genus Orius, such as Orius insidiosus, that hunt adult and larval thrips plus mites and aphids; some strains pause breeding under short days.
Pests and diseases - Oscillating fanclip fan, circulation fan, wall fan, oscillating clip fan
An oscillating fan sweeps back and forth to circulate air over and through the canopy, mixing the room and preventing still, humid pockets.
Environment and light - Osmotic stresssalinity stress, osmotic shock, high EC stress, physiological drought
Osmotic stress occurs when root-zone salt concentration is so high that roots struggle to draw in water, slowing growth and burning leaf tips even in wet media.
pH, EC and water - Ounceoz, zip, an O, onion
An ounce of cannabis is 28.35 grams, rounded to 28 g in retail; slang includes zip, O and onion.
Grower slang and culture - Outcrossoutcrossing, outcrossed, out-cross, wide cross
An outcross is a cross to an unrelated plant from outside the line, used to bring in new traits or vigour, or to rescue a line suffering inbreeding depression.
Genetics and breeding - Outdoor growingoutdoor, outdoor grow, growing outdoors, full sun
Outdoor growing is cultivating cannabis in the ground or containers under natural sunlight, where the season's day length controls when photoperiod plants flower.
Cultivation and training - Over-dryingoverdried, over dried, too dry, bone dry
Drying cannabis below the target water activity (under about 0.55), leaving buds brittle and harsh, with lost terpenes; rehydrating does not restore them.
Harvest, drying and curing - Overwateringover-watering, overwatered, drowning, too much water
Overwatering is watering so often that the medium stays saturated, starving roots of oxygen, which causes drooping, slow growth and root disease.
Cultivation and training
P
- P1P1 generation, parental generation, P generation, parental line
P1 is the parental generation: the two original plants crossed to start a breeding project, whose offspring are the F1.
Genetics and breeding - Paper towel methodpaper towel germination, paper towel method germination, towel method, wet paper towel
The paper towel method germinates seeds between damp paper towels in a covered container until the root shows, then moves them to a medium.
Cultivation and training - PARphotosynthetically active radiation, PAR range, ePAR, extended PAR
Photosynthetically active radiation: light in the 400–700 nm waveband that plants use for photosynthesis, counted in photons rather than brightness.
Environment and light - Parasitoidparasitoids
An insect, usually a tiny wasp, whose larva develops inside or on a single host pest and kills it, often leaving a 'mummy'.
Pests and diseases - Parthenogenesisasexual reproduction, viviparous parthenogenesis, thelytoky, telescoping generations
Reproduction without mating. Indoor aphids are all-female and give live birth to daughters that already carry developing embryos.
Pests and diseases - PearlsPearl, GenetixBay Pearls, Bay Pearls, Pearl balance
Pearls are GenetixBay's community points, in two kinds: Wild Pearls earned by contributing, and Cultured Pearls bought as store credit; neither has cash value.
GenetixBay terms - Peatpeat moss, sphagnum peat, sphagnum peat moss, peat-based mix
Peat is partially decomposed sphagnum moss from bogs, the base of most potting mixes; it holds water and nutrients well but is acidic and needs lime.
Systems and media - Per-element dosingsingle-element dosing, per-element feeding, custom dosing, salt-based dosing
Per-element dosing builds a feed from individual salts or single-element stocks so each nutrient can be set independently, such as cutting nitrogen without cutting potassium.
Nutrients - Perliteperlite rock, expanded perlite, sponge rock
Perlite is a light, white, puffed volcanic glass added to growing mixes to increase drainage and air space; it is chemically inert and holds no nutrients.
Systems and media - Perpetual harvestperpetual grow, perpetual, staggered harvest, continuous harvest
A perpetual harvest staggers plants at different stages, usually with separate veg and flower spaces, so that harvests come every few weeks instead of once per cycle.
Cultivation and training - Personal cultivation limitpersonal grow limit, cultivation limit, home grow limit, personal cultivation allowance
A personal cultivation limit is the legal maximum a person or household may grow for personal use, usually counted in plants, sometimes in canopy area.
Legal and regulatory - Pesticide panelpesticide test, pesticide testing, pesticide screen, pesticide residue test
A pesticide panel screens a cannabis sample for a defined list of pesticide residues, typically by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS, reporting each against its action limit.
Lab testing - Pesticide resistanceresistance, insecticide resistance, miticide resistance, fungicide resistance
The inherited ability of a pest population to survive doses of a pesticide that once controlled it, selected by repeated use of one mode of action.
Pests and diseases - Petioleleaf stalk, leaf stem, petioles, leafstalk
The stalk that attaches a leaf to the stem at a node; in cannabis it carries all the leaflets of a palmate leaf.
Plant biology - pHph level, potential of hydrogen, acidity, pH value
pH measures how acidic or alkaline a solution is on a 0–14 scale; in growing it controls nutrient uptake, with soil best near 6.0–7.0 and hydro 5.5–6.5.
pH, EC and water - pH bufferbuffer solution, buffer, pH buffering agent, pH stabiliser
A pH buffer is a solution containing a weak acid and its conjugate base that resists pH change; in growing it means calibration buffers or water chemistry that stabilises pH.
pH, EC and water - pH DownpH decreaser, pH minus, pH-, acid adjuster
pH Down is any acid used to lower solution pH, commonly phosphoric, nitric or sulfuric acid; each adds a nutrient, and all need gloves and eye protection.
pH, EC and water - pH driftpH swing, pH creep, drifting pH, pH rising
pH drift is the gradual rise or fall of a nutrient solution's pH between adjustments, driven mainly by which ions the roots take up.
pH, EC and water - pH meterpH pen, pH probe, pH tester, pH electrode
A pH meter measures solution pH with a glass electrode whose voltage changes with hydrogen ion activity; it needs regular calibration and a moist probe.
pH, EC and water - pH scalepH range, 0-14 scale, acid-base scale, logarithmic pH scale
The pH scale runs from 0 (strongly acidic) to 14 (strongly alkaline) with 7 neutral; it is logarithmic, so each whole unit is a tenfold change in acidity.
pH, EC and water - pH UppH increaser, pH plus, pH+, alkaline adjuster
pH Up is any alkaline additive used to raise solution pH, commonly potassium hydroxide or potassium carbonate; it is caustic and needs gloves and eye protection.
pH, EC and water - Phenophenos, the #4 pheno, pheno #, keeper pheno number
In grower slang, a pheno is one individual plant from a seed lot, usually numbered during a hunt, as in "the #4 pheno".
Grower slang and culture - Pheno huntpheno hunting, phenotype hunt, phenotype hunting, pheno-hunting
A pheno hunt is growing many seeds of one line side by side and evaluating them to select the best individual plants, which are then kept as clones.
Genetics and breeding - Phenotypephenotypes, phenotypic expression, observable traits
The phenotype is what a plant visibly and measurably is (shape, colour, smell, chemistry, timing), the result of its genotype acting in a particular environment.
Genetics and breeding - Pheromone trappheromone traps, sex pheromone trap, moth trap, lure trap
A trap baited with a synthetic sex pheromone that catches males of one moth species; used to time scouting and sprays, not to control the pest.
Pests and diseases - Phloemphloem tissue, sieve tubes, sugar transport tissue, phloem sap
The plant's living transport tissue that carries sugars, amino acids, hormones and mobile nutrients from leaves to roots, buds and other growing parts.
Plant biology - Phoresyphoretic, phoretic dispersal, hitchhiking mites
One animal riding on another to disperse without feeding on it, as broad mites do on whiteflies and aphids.
Pests and diseases - PhosphateH2PO4-, HPO4 2-, PO4, orthophosphate
Phosphate is the ionic form in which plants absorb phosphorus, mainly H2PO4- at the normal root-zone pH of 5.5-6.5.
Nutrients - Phosphoric acidH3PO4, orthophosphoric acid, pH down (phosphoric)
Phosphoric acid (H3PO4) is the most common pH-down acid; it lowers pH while adding phosphorus, about 27% P in the usual 85% grade.
Nutrients - PhosphorusP, phosphorous, phosphorus deficiency, P deficiency
Phosphorus (P) is a mobile macronutrient used in energy transfer (ATP), DNA and cell membranes; cannabis needs moderate amounts and gains nothing from excess.
Nutrients - Photon efficacyPPE, photosynthetic photon efficacy, µmol/J, umol/J
Photon efficacy is how many micromoles of PAR photons a fixture produces per joule of electricity (µmol/J); higher means more light for the same power bill and heat.
Environment and light - Photoperiodphotoperiodism, photoperiodic, day length, photoperiod plant
The daily length of light versus dark; photoperiod cannabis flowers when nights grow long enough, rather than at a fixed age.
Plant biology - Photosynthesisphotosynthetic, carbon fixation, C3 photosynthesis, light reactions
The process in chloroplasts that uses light energy to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugars and oxygen; cannabis uses the C3 pathway.
Plant biology - Phytocannabinoidphytocannabinoids, plant cannabinoid, plant cannabinoids
A phytocannabinoid is a cannabinoid made by a plant, chiefly the terpenophenolic compounds cannabis builds in its glandular trichomes, such as THCA, CBDA and CBGA.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Phytochromephytochromes, Pr, Pfr, red/far-red receptor
A family of plant photoreceptors that sense red and far-red light, measuring night length for flowering and shade for stem elongation.
Plant biology - Phytoseiulus persimilispersimilis, P. persimilis, Chilean predatory mite
A specialist predatory mite that eats almost only Tetranychus spider mites, eggs to adults; fast-acting on hot spots but starves once prey runs out.
Pests and diseases - Pistilpistils, hairs, pistillate organ, gynoecium
The female reproductive organ of a flower (ovary, style and stigmas); in cannabis growers loosely call the visible white stigmas "pistils".
Plant biology - Pistillate flowerfemale flower, female flowers, pistillate flowers, carpellate flower
A female flower with a pistil but no functional stamens; in cannabis, a bract-wrapped ovary topped by two stigmas.
Plant biology - Plant count limitplant count, plant limit, plant-count rule, plant numbers limit
A plant count limit caps how many cannabis plants a person, household, patient or licence holder may have, and defines what counts as a plant.
Legal and regulatory - Plant densityplanting density, plants per square metre, plants per square meter, plants per m²
Plant density is the number of plants per unit of canopy area; more plants raise yield per area up to a point but shorten veg and reduce uniformity.
Cultivation and training - Plant patentplant patents, PP, US plant patent
A plant patent, in the US, protects a new and distinct asexually reproduced plant variety, such as a clone, for about 20 years from filing.
Legal and regulatory - Plant tiestraining wire, plant tie, soft ties, garden wire
Plant ties are soft wire, rubber-coated twist ties or clips used to bend stems and anchor them during low-stress training or support.
Cultivation and training - Plant variety protectionPVP, plant breeders' rights, PBR, PVP certificate
Plant variety protection (plant breeders' rights) is an intellectual property right for a new plant variety that is distinct, uniform and stable, typically 20-25 years.
Legal and regulatory - Plant virusplant viruses, virus, viral disease, mosaic virus
An infectious particle of nucleic acid in a protein coat that replicates inside plant cells; on cannabis, often insect-spread and incurable once infected.
Pests and diseases - Pleiotropypleiotropic, pleiotropic gene, pleiotropic effect
Pleiotropy is when a single gene affects two or more apparently unrelated traits, so selecting on one trait changes the others too.
Genetics and breeding - Pollenpollen grains, cannabis pollen, male pollen, pollen dust
Pollen is the fine powder released by male flowers that carries the male gametes; when it lands on a female's stigmas it fertilises the ovules and produces seed.
Genetics and breeding - Pollen chuckerpollen chuckers, chucker, pollen-chucker, chuckers
A pollen chucker is someone who crosses two popular plants, skips selection and testing, and sells or spreads the seed as a new line.
Grower slang and culture - Pollinationpollinating, pollinate, pollinated, hand pollination
Pollination is the transfer of pollen onto a female flower's stigmas; in cannabis it is usually by wind, or by hand when breeders pollinate chosen branches to make seed.
Genetics and breeding - Polyhybridpolyhybrids, poly-hybrid, multi-hybrid, complex hybrid
A polyhybrid is a cultivar whose recent ancestry mixes many different lines, so its seed segregates widely and rarely breeds true.
Genetics and breeding - Polyploidpolyploidy, triploid, tetraploid, polyploids
A polyploid plant carries more than two full sets of chromosomes, such as a triploid (three) or tetraploid (four); in cannabis these are almost always bred deliberately.
Genetics and breeding - Popcorn budspopcorn, popcorn nugs, popcorns, smalls
Popcorn buds are small, separate buds, usually from lower branches, often sold cheaper as "smalls" though they can be the same quality as the tops.
Grower slang and culture - Possession limitpossession limits, possession cap, public possession limit, legal limit (possession)
A possession limit is the maximum amount of cannabis a person may legally carry or keep, usually set by weight of dried flower or an equivalent.
Legal and regulatory - Pot sizecontainer size, pot volume, root volume, rooting volume
Pot size is the volume of medium a plant roots into; bigger pots give bigger plants within reason, but feeding frequency can let small pots punch well above their size.
Cultivation and training - PotassiumK, K+, kalium, potassium deficiency
Potassium (K) is a mobile macronutrient that controls water balance, stomata and enzyme activity; deficiency scorches the edges of older leaves.
Nutrients - Potassium nitrateKNO3, saltpetre, saltpeter, 13-0-46
Potassium nitrate (KNO3) is a soluble fertiliser salt supplying about 13% nitrogen as nitrate and 38% potassium, used in both veg and flower feeds.
Nutrients - Potassium silicateK2SiO3, liquid silica, potassium silicate solution, water glass (potassium)
Potassium silicate is a strongly alkaline liquid or powder used to add silicon (and some potassium) to feeds; it goes into the water first, before other nutrients.
Nutrients - Potassium sulfateK2SO4, sulfate of potash, SOP, potassium sulphate
Potassium sulfate (K2SO4) supplies roughly 41-45% potassium and 17-18% sulfur with no nitrogen, useful for adding K while tapering N in late flower.
Nutrients - Potency ceilingTHC ceiling, potency limit, max THC flower, 35% limit
The potency ceiling is the practical upper limit of cannabinoid content in dried flower; GenetixBay holds that flower labelled above about 35% total cannabinoids is not credible.
Lab testing - Potency testingpotency test, cannabinoid testing, cannabinoid profile test, THC test
Potency testing is laboratory measurement of a sample's cannabinoid content, normally by HPLC, reported as % w/w or mg/g for each cannabinoid plus calculated totals.
Lab testing - Potting mixpotting soil, potting compost, container mix, bagged soil
Potting mix is a manufactured container medium, usually peat or coco with perlite, lime and starter fertiliser, designed to drain and hold air better than garden soil.
Systems and media - Pour-throughpour-through test, pour-through method, pourthru, leachate test
A standard way to sample root-zone pH and EC: water the pot to saturation, wait 30 minutes to 2 hours, then pour a set volume of distilled water on top and measure the first liquid that drains out.
pH, EC and water - Powdery mildewPM, WPM, white powdery mildew, Golovinomyces ambrosiae
A fungal disease, on cannabis caused mainly by Golovinomyces ambrosiae, that grows as white powdery patches on leaves and buds and thrives in moderate humidity.
Pests and diseases - PPFphotosynthetic photon flux, fixture PPF, total PPF, µmol/s output
Photosynthetic photon flux: the total number of PAR photons a light fixture emits each second, in µmol/s, regardless of where they land.
Environment and light - PPFDphotosynthetic photon flux density, PAR reading, µmol/m²/s, umol/m2/s
Photosynthetic photon flux density: the number of PAR photons landing on one square metre each second, in µmol/m²/s; the standard measure of light intensity at the canopy.
Environment and light - ppm of an elementelemental ppm, mg/L of an element, ppm N, ppm per element
Ppm of an element means milligrams of that element per litre of solution (mg/L), the unit nutrient recipes use; it is not the ppm shown on an EC meter.
Nutrients - ppm500500 scale, ppm 500, NaCl scale, TDS 500
ppm500 is the TDS scale that converts EC to ppm with a factor of 0.5 (based on sodium chloride), so 1.0 mS/cm reads 500 ppm.
pH, EC and water - ppm700700 scale, ppm 700, 442 scale, TDS 700
ppm700 is the TDS scale that converts EC to ppm with a factor of 0.7 (the 442 natural-water standard), so 1.0 mS/cm reads 700 ppm.
pH, EC and water - Pre-flowerpreflower, pre-flowers, preflowers, pre flower
The first individual flowers that form at stem nodes during late vegetative growth, letting a grower tell male from female before full flowering.
Plant biology - Pre-harvest intervalPHI, pre harvest interval, preharvest interval, days to harvest
The minimum time, set on a pesticide label, that must pass between the last application and harvest so residues fall to permitted levels.
Pests and diseases - Predator:prey ratiopredator to prey ratio, predator-prey ratio, release ratio
The number of predators per pest at release or on scouting, used to judge whether biological control will catch up; spider mite guides often cite 1:10 to 1:20.
Pests and diseases - Predatory mitepredatory mites, predator mites, phytoseiid mites, Phytoseiidae
Mites, mostly of the family Phytoseiidae, released as biological control to eat pest mites, thrips larvae, whitefly eggs or fungus gnat larvae.
Pests and diseases - Prenylthiol3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, 3MBT, 321MBT, 3-MBT
Prenylthiol (3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol) is the volatile sulfur compound identified as the main source of cannabis's skunky aroma, potent at trace concentrations.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Pressed hashpressed hashish, compressed hash, press hash, hash slab
Pressed hash is loose trichome resin, such as kief or ice water hash, compressed into a solid cake or slab so it holds together and keeps better.
Processing - Preventive releasepreventative release, prophylactic release, inoculative release, preventive biocontrol
Releasing beneficial organisms before a pest is found, so a standing population is ready to catch the first arrivals rather than chase an outbreak.
Pests and diseases - Prior informed consentPIC, free, prior and informed consent, FPIC, informed consent (genetic resources)
Prior informed consent is permission given in advance, with full information about intended use, by a country or community before its genetic resources or knowledge are accessed.
Legal and regulatory - Professor GreenleafGreenleaf, the Professor, Prof Greenleaf, Professor
Professor Greenleaf is GenetixBay's character and botanical knowledge assistant, who answers growing and breeding questions from the cited knowledge base and the grower's own records.
GenetixBay terms - Proficiency testingPT, proficiency test, PT scheme, interlaboratory comparison
Proficiency testing sends identical blind samples to many labs and compares their results with an assigned value, checking each lab's accuracy against its peers.
Lab testing - Progeny testprogeny testing, offspring test, progeny trial, breeding value test
A progeny test judges a parent by growing out and measuring its offspring, the most reliable way to know what a plant, especially a male, actually passes on.
Genetics and breeding - Punnett squarePunnett squares, Punnett grid, Punnet square, cross diagram
A Punnett square is a grid that lists each parent's possible gametes along two sides to predict the expected genotype ratios among offspring of a cross.
Genetics and breeding - Purppurple, purps, purple weed, purple buds
Purp is slang for purple-coloured cannabis; the colour comes from anthocyanins and depends on genetics and cool temperatures, not on potency.
Grower slang and culture - PythiumPythium root rot, Pythium spp., pythium rot, Pythium myriotylum
A genus of oomycete water moulds, such as Pythium myriotylum and P. aphanidermatum, that cause brown, slimy root rot, especially in warm hydroponic systems.
Pests and diseases
Q
- QPquarter pound, quarter-pound, qps, QP+
A QP is a quarter pound of cannabis: 4 ounces, about 113 grams.
Grower slang and culture - QTLquantitative trait locus, quantitative trait loci, QTLs, QTL mapping
A QTL (quantitative trait locus) is a region of the genome statistically linked to variation in a quantitative trait such as yield or flowering time.
Genetics and breeding - Quantitative traitquantitative traits, polygenic trait, complex trait, continuous trait
A quantitative trait varies continuously (yield, height, flowering time, cannabinoid content) because it is controlled by many genes of small effect plus the environment.
Genetics and breeding - Quarantinequarantine room, isolation, clone quarantine, quarantine period
Holding incoming plants, clones or seeds apart from the main grow, under observation and sometimes treatment, until they are shown to be free of pests and disease.
Pests and diseases
R
- Radicleembryonic root, seed root, first root, taproot tip
The embryonic root, the first structure to emerge from a germinating seed, which grows down to become the primary root or taproot.
Plant biology - RDWCrecirculating deep water culture, recirculating DWC, re-circulating DWC, under current
RDWC (recirculating deep water culture) links several aerated buckets to a central control reservoir, pumping solution through all of them to keep conditions uniform.
Systems and media - Re-vegreveg, re-vegging, revegging, re-vegetation
Re-veg is returning a flowering or harvested plant to vegetative growth by putting it back under long days, often to save a genotype after harvest.
Cultivation and training - Recessiverecessive allele, recessive trait, recessives
A recessive allele only shows its effect when a plant carries two copies of it; in a single copy it is masked by a dominant allele and carried silently.
Genetics and breeding - Reciprocal crossreciprocal crosses, reverse cross, reversed cross
A reciprocal cross repeats a cross with the parents' roles swapped (A × B, then B × A) to test whether the seed parent affects the offspring.
Genetics and breeding - Recirculating systemrecirculating, recirculating hydro, closed system, closed-loop hydroponics
A recirculating (closed) system returns drained nutrient solution to the reservoir to be reused, saving water and nutrients but needing more monitoring and sanitation.
Systems and media - Red:far-red ratioR:FR, R/FR, red to far-red ratio, R:FR ratio
The red:far-red ratio compares photons near 660 nm with those near 730 nm; plants read a low ratio as shade and respond by stretching.
Environment and light - Regsregulars, reg seeds, reg, regular beans
Regs is slang for regular seed: seed from a true male and female cross that gives roughly half male and half female plants.
Grower slang and culture - Regular seedregular seeds, non-feminised seed, non-feminized seed
Regular seed comes from a normal cross of a female and a male, so it produces roughly half female and half male plants.
Genetics and breeding - Relative humidityRH, humidity, relative humidity %, %RH
Relative humidity is the water vapour in air as a percentage of what it could hold at that temperature, so the same RH dries plants differently at different temperatures.
Environment and light - Renamed cutsame cut 1,000 names, same cut, a thousand names, rebranded cut, renamed strain
A renamed cut is a known clone sold or shared under a new name, so one genotype circulates under many labels and lineage records get muddied.
Grower slang and culture - Reservoirres, nutrient reservoir, nutrient tank, feed tank
A reservoir is the tank that holds a system's water or nutrient solution, the place where pH, EC, temperature and oxygen are measured and adjusted.
Systems and media - Residual solventsresidual solvent test, residual solvents test, solvent residue, residual solvent panel
A residual solvents test measures leftover solvents such as butane, propane, ethanol or hexane in an extract, usually by headspace GC, against safety limits.
Lab testing - Restockrestocks, restocked, back in stock, remake
A restock is a new batch of a previously sold seed line; it may come from different parent plants than the original batch.
Grower slang and culture - Rhizosphereroot zone biology, rhizosphere microbiome, root microbiome, rhizo
The narrow zone of medium immediately around living roots, shaped by root exudates and densely populated by microbes that influence nutrient uptake and root health.
Plant biology - RO waterreverse osmosis water, reverse osmosis, RO, RO filter
RO water is water stripped of most dissolved salts by reverse osmosis; it has near-zero EC and little buffering, so pH moves easily and Ca and Mg must be added.
pH, EC and water - Rockwoolrock wool, stonewool, stone wool, mineral wool
Rockwool is an inert growing medium spun from melted basalt rock into fibres, sold as plugs, cubes and slabs, that holds water and air in fixed proportions.
Systems and media - Rockwool slabslab, slabs, rockwool block, rockwool blocks
A rockwool slab is a large, plastic-wrapped block of stone wool on which several rockwool blocks sit and finish their roots, the standard format for commercial drain-to-waste.
Systems and media - Root aphidroot aphids, rice root aphid, Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominale, RRA
Aphids that colonise roots and the crown below the medium surface, on cannabis chiefly the rice root aphid (Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominale), causing slow, unexplained decline.
Pests and diseases - Root hairroot hairs, root fuzz, absorbing hairs
A microscopic tube-like outgrowth of a single root epidermal cell near the root tip that greatly increases surface area for water and nutrient uptake.
Plant biology - Root rotroot disease, brown roots, rotting roots, crown rot
Decay of roots by pathogens such as Pythium, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia or Phytophthora, usually triggered by low oxygen, heat and waterlogging around the roots.
Pests and diseases - Root zoneroot environment, rootzone, root-zone conditions, below-ground
The root zone is the volume of medium or solution where a plant's roots live, including its water, air, temperature, pH, EC and microbes.
Systems and media - Root-boundrootbound, pot-bound, potbound, root bound
A root-bound plant has filled its container so densely that roots circle the walls, water runs straight through, and growth slows or the plant wilts fast.
Cultivation and training - Root-zone flushroot zone flush, salt flush, medium flush, leach
Running a large volume of low-EC water or mild solution through the medium to wash out accumulated salts; it treats the medium, not the plant, and suits any stage.
Harvest, drying and curing - Rooting hormonerooting gel, rooting powder, cloning gel, auxin dip
Rooting hormone is an auxin preparation, usually indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), applied to a cutting's base to speed and increase root formation.
Cultivation and training - Rosincannabis rosin, rosin oil, pressed rosin, rosin extract
Rosin is a solventless concentrate: resin squeezed out of flower, kief or hash using heat and pressure, then collected as an oil free of plant material.
Processing - RuderalisCannabis ruderalis, C. ruderalis, ruderalis genetics, ruderal cannabis
A name for wild or feral, short, early-flowering northern cannabis populations, the historic source of the autoflowering trait; not a separate species in GenetixBay's view.
Plant biology - Runoffrun-off, drain, drainage, runoff water
Runoff is the water or nutrient solution that drains out of the bottom of a container after irrigation; growers test it to see what is happening in the root zone.
pH, EC and water - Runoff ECdrain EC, EC of runoff, runoff ppm, leachate EC
Runoff EC is the conductivity of solution draining from the pot; compared with input EC, it shows whether salts are building up or being used up in the root zone.
pH, EC and water
S
- µS/cmmicrosiemens per centimetre, microsiemens per centimeter, uS/cm, µS
µS/cm (microsiemens per centimetre) is a unit of EC one thousandth of mS/cm, used mostly for low-conductivity water such as RO and rainwater.
pH, EC and water - S1S1 seed, S1s, S2, S2 seed
S1 is seed from a plant pollinated with its own pollen; every S1 seed is female and a new genotype, not a copy of the parent.
Genetics and breeding - Salt build-upsalt buildup, salt accumulation, salt build up, fertiliser salt build-up
Salt build-up is the accumulation of unused fertiliser and water salts in the growing medium, raising root-zone EC and causing osmotic stress and lockout-type symptoms.
pH, EC and water - Sanitationhygiene, grow room hygiene, room sanitation, tool sterilisation
Cleaning and disinfecting rooms, tools, containers, irrigation and people's clothing so that pests and pathogens are not carried from plant to plant or crop to crop.
Pests and diseases - Sativasativa-dominant, sativas, narrow-leaf, sativa type
Sativa is a popular label for tall, narrow-leaflet, slower-flowering cannabis plants; it describes plant shape at most, and all cannabis belongs to one species, Cannabis sativa.
Genetics and breeding - Sauceterp sauce, terpene sauce, HTFSE, high-terpene full-spectrum extract
Sauce is a runny, terpene-rich cannabis concentrate, usually the liquid fraction that separates when THCA crystallises out of an extract, often sold with diamonds.
Processing - Scale insectscale, scales, soft scale, armoured scale
Sap-sucking insects of the superfamily Coccoidea that settle on stems and leaves under a protective waxy or hard cover; rare on cannabis and usually introduced on other plants.
Pests and diseases - Schedulingdrug scheduling, drug schedule, schedule I, Schedule 1
Scheduling is placing a substance in a legal category of a drug-control law or treaty, which sets how strictly it is controlled and whether medical use is recognised.
Legal and regulatory - Schwazzingschwazz, schwaz, the schwazz, heavy defoliation
Schwazzing is an aggressive defoliation method that strips almost all fan leaves on day 1 and again around day 21 of flower.
Cultivation and training - Scoutingpest scouting, crop scouting, monitoring, pest monitoring
Systematic, regular inspection of plants, traps and roots to detect pests and disease early, identify them correctly and record numbers for decisions.
Pests and diseases - SCROGscreen of green, scrog net, scrogging, screen-of-green
SCROG (screen of green) trains a few plants under a horizontal net, tucking shoots so the canopy forms a flat, evenly lit layer of many tops.
Cultivation and training - Secondary nutrientsecondary nutrients, secondary macronutrients, secondary elements
Secondary nutrients are calcium, magnesium and sulfur: macronutrients needed in substantial amounts but not included in the N-P-K numbers on a label.
Nutrients - Seed bankseedbank, seed banks, seed shop, seed vendor
In cannabis slang, a seed bank is a vendor that sells seed from one or many breeders; it is not the same as a conservation genebank.
Grower slang and culture - Seed ClubGenetixBay Seed Club, Bay Seed Club, the Seed Club, seed subscription
The Seed Club is GenetixBay's seed programme run through a licensed partner, offering tested seed lots with published batch records where the law allows.
GenetixBay terms - Seed coattesta, seed shell, seed hull, shell
The protective outer layer of a seed; in cannabis it is fused to the fruit wall and forms the hard shell that cracks open at germination.
Plant biology - Seed runseed runs, seed production run, making seeds, seed batch
A seed run is a dedicated grow in which selected parents are crossed to produce a batch of seed, as opposed to growing for flower.
Genetics and breeding - Seed-to-sale trackingseed to sale, seed-to-sale, seed-to-sale system, s2s
Seed-to-sale tracking is the regulatory system that records every licensed cannabis plant and batch from propagation through harvest, processing, testing and sale.
Legal and regulatory - Seedlingseedlings, seedling stage, sprout, baby plant
A seedling is a young cannabis plant from emergence of the cotyledons until it has several sets of true leaves, typically the first 2-3 weeks.
Cultivation and training - SegregationMendelian segregation, law of segregation, segregating, segregates
Segregation is the separation of a plant's two alleles at each locus into different gametes, so offspring of a heterozygous parent vary in which allele they get.
Genetics and breeding - Selectionartificial selection, breeder selection, selecting, mass selection
Selection in breeding is choosing which plants become parents, so that alleles behind the chosen traits become more common in the next generation.
Genetics and breeding - Selection pressureselective pressure, selection intensity, selection differential, breeding pressure
Selection pressure is how strongly a breeder, or the environment, favours some plants over others, set by how few are kept and how demanding the criteria are.
Genetics and breeding - Selfingself-pollination, self pollination, selfed, self-fertilisation
Selfing is pollinating a plant with its own pollen, in cannabis usually by reversing part of a female to make pollen; it is the most intense form of inbreeding.
Genetics and breeding - Senescenceleaf senescence, fade, the fade, autumn colours
The programmed ageing and breakdown of leaves and other tissues, in which the plant recycles nutrients (especially nitrogen) from old leaves to developing flowers and seeds.
Plant biology - Septoria leaf spotseptoria, Septoria cannabis, yellow leaf spot, white leaf spot
A fungal leaf disease caused by Septoria cannabis that produces tan to grey spots with dark margins and yellow halos, starting on lower leaves.
Pests and diseases - Serrationserrated edge, serrations, leaf teeth, toothed margin
The saw-toothed edge of a cannabis leaflet, with teeth pointing toward the leaflet tip.
Plant biology - Sesquiterpenesesquiterpenes, C15 terpene, sesquiterpenoid, sesquiterpenoids
A sesquiterpene is a fifteen-carbon terpene made from farnesyl pyrophosphate, such as beta-caryophyllene, humulene and bisabolol; they are heavier and less volatile than monoterpenes.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Sex ratiofemale ratio, proportion of females
The share of offspring that are female; because only females lay eggs, a female-biased ratio speeds population growth.
Pests and diseases - Sex reversalreversal, reversed female, reversed plant, colloidal silver
Sex reversal is chemically inducing a genetically female cannabis plant to grow fertile male flowers, so its pollen can make feminised seed; silver thiosulfate is the standard agent.
Genetics and breeding - Shakeshake weed, shakes, bottom of the bag, loose leaf
Shake is the loose fragments of flower and sugar leaf that break off buds in handling and collect at the bottom of a bag or jar.
Grower slang and culture - Shatterpull and snap, snap and pull, shatter BHO, amber glass
Shatter is a glassy, translucent solvent-based concentrate that snaps when cold, formed when an extract stays in a stable, non-crystallised state.
Processing - Shore flyshore flies, Scatella, Scatella stagnalis, Ephydridae
Stocky dark flies of the genus Scatella (family Ephydridae) that breed in algae on wet surfaces; mostly a nuisance and contamination issue rather than a root feeder.
Pests and diseases - Short-day plantshort day plant, short-day plants, SDP, long-night plant
A plant that flowers when the night exceeds a critical length (days are short enough); photoperiod cannabis is a short-day plant.
Plant biology - Sib crosssibling cross, sibbing, full-sib cross, half-sib cross
A sib cross is a cross between siblings from the same seed batch, used to advance a line (F1 × F1 gives F2) while keeping it within the family.
Genetics and breeding - SilicaSiO2, silicon dioxide, silica supplement, silica additive
Silica is silicon dioxide (SiO2); growers use the word loosely for any silicon supplement added to stiffen stems and improve stress tolerance.
Nutrients - SiliconSi, silicic acid, monosilicic acid, orthosilicic acid
Silicon (Si) is a beneficial element, not strictly essential, that plants absorb as silicic acid and deposit in cell walls, stiffening tissue and aiding stress tolerance.
Nutrients - Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961Single Convention, 1961 Single Convention, Single Convention 1961, UN drug convention
The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is the UN treaty that obliges parties to control cannabis and other listed drugs, limiting them to medical and scientific use.
Legal and regulatory - Sinsemillasensi, sinse, sens, sin semilla
Sinsemilla (sensi) is seedless cannabis flower from unpollinated female plants; the word is Spanish for "without seed".
Grower slang and culture - Skunkskunky, skunk weed, skunk strains, skunk family
Skunk is a generic name for a family of early hybrid cultivars from the 1970s and 1980s, and for the pungent, musky aroma they made famous.
Grower slang and culture - Slugs and snailsslugs, snails, slug, snail
Molluscs such as the grey field slug (Deroceras reticulatum) that rasp ragged holes in seedlings and low leaves at night, leaving silvery slime trails.
Pests and diseases - Slurry test1:2 slurry, 1:2 dilution test, slurry method, medium slurry
A way to measure the pH and EC of a growing medium by mixing a sample with distilled water (often 1 part medium to 2 parts water), letting it stand, and measuring the liquid.
pH, EC and water - Smoke reportsmoke reports, smoke test, tasting notes, smoke review
A smoke report is a grower's or consumer's write-up of how cured flower looks, smells, tastes, burns and reportedly feels, ideally linked to how it was grown.
Grower slang and culture - SNPsingle nucleotide polymorphism, SNPs, SNP marker, snip
A SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) is a position in the DNA where plants differ by one base letter; thousands of them form the markers used in cannabis genotyping.
Genetics and breeding - SodiumNa, Na+, sodium toxicity, salt stress
Sodium (Na) is not essential for cannabis; it enters through water, softeners and some inputs, and at high levels causes salt stress and crowds out potassium and calcium.
Nutrients - Sodium molybdateNa2MoO4, sodium molybdate dihydrate, Na2MoO4·2H2O
Sodium molybdate dihydrate (Na2MoO4·2H2O), about 39.7% molybdenum, is the common Mo source for micronutrient mixes, used in microgram-per-litre amounts.
Nutrients - SOGsea of green, sea-of-green
SOG (sea of green) grows many small plants at high density with little or no veg time, each making one main cola, to shorten the cycle.
Cultivation and training - Soildirt, garden soil, topsoil, soil grow
In cannabis growing, soil means a living, organic-rich growing medium, either natural earth or a bagged mix, that supplies some nutrients and buffers pH and feeding mistakes.
Systems and media - Soillesssoilless mix, soilless medium, soilless growing, soil-less
A soilless medium contains no mineral soil, such as peat, coco, rockwool or perlite blends, and relies mostly on the grower to supply nutrients.
Systems and media - Solvent-based extractsolvent extract, BHO, PHO, hydrocarbon extract
A solvent-based extract is a cannabis concentrate made by dissolving cannabinoids and terpenes out of plant material with a solvent such as butane, propane, ethanol or CO2.
Processing - Solventlesssolventless concentrate, solventless extract, solvent-free, mechanical separation
Solventless describes cannabis concentrates made only by mechanical or physical separation, using screens, ice water, heat or pressure, without chemical solvents.
Processing - Somaclonal variationsomaclonal variants, somaclonal variant, tissue culture variation, in vitro variation
Somaclonal variation is genetic or epigenetic change that appears in plants regenerated from tissue culture, especially from callus, making them differ from the donor plant.
Genetics and breeding - Sooty mouldsooty mold, black mould on leaves, black mold on leaves
A black, soot-like fungal film that grows on the honeydew left by sap-feeding insects; it does not infect the plant but blocks light and signals an aphid, whitefly, mealybug or scale problem.
Pests and diseases - Spectrumlight spectrum, spectral distribution, SPD, spectral power distribution
Spectrum is the mix of wavelengths a light source emits, from UV through blue, green, red and far-red; it shapes plant form, while intensity drives most yield.
Environment and light - Stabilisationstabilization, stabilising, stabilizing, stabilised
Stabilisation is breeding a seed line over several generations, with selection each time, until it reliably reproduces the chosen traits from seed.
Genetics and breeding - Staminate flowermale flower, male flowers, staminate flowers, male pollen flower
A male flower that carries stamens (anthers on filaments) and no functional pistil; in cannabis, five drooping sepals around five pollen-shedding anthers.
Plant biology - Steinernema feltiaebeneficial nematodes, entomopathogenic nematodes, EPN, S. feltiae
An entomopathogenic nematode applied as a soil drench whose infective juveniles enter fungus gnat larvae and thrips pupae and kill them with symbiotic bacteria.
Pests and diseases - Stem snap teststem snap, snap test, snap the stem, stem bend test
A drying check: when small stems snap cleanly rather than bend, buds are usually dry enough to trim or jar for curing.
Harvest, drying and curing - Sterile reservoirsterile hydro, sterilised reservoir, sterilized reservoir, clean reservoir
A sterile reservoir keeps hydroponic solution as free of microbes as possible with oxidising sanitisers or UV, a valid strategy that only works if applied consistently.
Systems and media - Stickysticky icky, stickiness, resinous, gooey
Sticky describes resin-rich flower that clings to fingers and scissors, a sign of heavy trichome cover and well-preserved resin.
Grower slang and culture - Sticky trapsticky traps, sticky card, sticky cards, yellow sticky trap
A coloured card coated in non-drying glue that catches flying insects, used mainly to monitor pest trends: yellow for gnats, whiteflies and aphids, blue for thrips.
Pests and diseases - Stigmastigmas, stigmata, white hairs, orange hairs
The sticky, hair-like tip of the female pistil that catches pollen; each cannabis female flower has two, white when fresh and darkening with age.
Plant biology - Stipplingstipples, leaf stippling, speckled leaves, pin-prick spots
A pattern of many tiny pale dots on leaves where a sucking pest such as a spider mite has emptied individual cells; the first visible sign of a mite infestation.
Pests and diseases - Stock solutionnutrient concentrate, stock tank, 100x stock
A stock solution is a concentrated nutrient mix, often 100x or 200x final strength, diluted into the reservoir; calcium and sulfate/phosphate stocks must stay separate.
Nutrients - Stomatastoma, stomate, stomates, leaf pores
Microscopic pores, mostly on the underside of leaves, each opened and closed by two guard cells to control gas exchange and water loss.
Plant biology - Strainstrains, strain name, strain names, weed strain
Strain is the popular word for a named cannabis variety; it is used loosely, and studies show strain names are an unreliable guide to genetics or chemistry.
Genetics and breeding - Stratiolaelaps scimitusHypoaspis, Hypoaspis miles, Stratiolaelaps, soil predatory mite
A soil-dwelling predatory mite, formerly sold as Hypoaspis miles, that hunts fungus gnat larvae, thrips pupae and other small arthropods in the growing medium.
Pests and diseases - Stretchflower stretch, flowering stretch, the stretch, bloom stretch
The stretch is the rapid increase in height in the first two to three weeks after switching to flower, when many cultivars grow 1.5 to 3 times taller.
Cultivation and training - STSsilver thiosulfate, silver thiosulphate, silver thiosulfate solution, Ag-STS
STS (silver thiosulfate) is a silver compound sprayed on female cannabis to block ethylene action and induce fertile male flowers, the standard method for making feminised seed.
Genetics and breeding - Stud Bookthe Stud Book, GenetixBay Stud Book, male showcase
The Stud Book is GenetixBay's showcase of documented male plants, with selection journals, keeper details and sire credits; males are encouraged and rewarded.
GenetixBay terms - Sugar leafsugar leaves, trim leaves, bud leaves
A small leaf growing from within the flower cluster, often coated in trichomes, which is trimmed off and commonly kept for processing.
Plant biology - Sugar trimsugar trim leaves, resin leaves, frosty trim, sugar-leaf trim
Sugar trim is the small, resin-frosted leaves that grow from within cannabis buds, trimmed off during manicuring and prized as starting material for hash and rosin.
Processing - SulfateSO4, SO4 2-, sulphate, sulfate ion
Sulfate (SO4 2-) is the form in which plants take up sulfur, delivered mainly by magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate in mineral feeds.
Nutrients - SulfurS, sulphur, sulfur deficiency, sulphur deficiency
Sulfur (S) is a secondary nutrient taken up as sulfate, used in the amino acids cysteine and methionine; deficiency yellows new growth fairly evenly.
Nutrients - Sulfur burnersulphur burner, sulfur vaporizer, sulphur vaporiser, sulfur evaporator
A heated vessel that vaporises elemental sulfur to suppress powdery mildew and mites in veg rooms; it carries fire, gas and timing risks and is never used in flower.
Pests and diseases - Sunrise/sunset rampsunrise sunset, light ramping, dimmer ramp, dawn dusk simulation
A sunrise/sunset ramp is a programmed gradual rise and fall of fixture intensity at the start and end of the light period, adding hours of light but little DLI.
Environment and light - Super soilsupersoil, super-soil mix, amended soil, hot soil
Super soil is a heavily amended organic soil mix, rich in compost and slow-release amendments, intended to feed a plant through most of its life with only water.
Systems and media - Supercroppingsuper cropping, super-cropping, stem snapping, snapping stems
Supercropping is gently crushing a stem's inner tissue between the fingers and bending it over, so the branch lowers, toughens at a knuckle and stays productive.
Cultivation and training - Sweatsweating, jar sweat, buds sweating, sweat in the jar
Moisture moving from the inside of dried buds to their surface after jarring, making them feel damp again; normal early in a cure but a warning if excessive.
Harvest, drying and curing
T
- T5 fluorescentT5, T5HO, T5 HO, fluorescent
T5 fluorescent lights are slim 16 mm tubes giving low-intensity, low-heat light; once the standard for clones and seedlings, now largely replaced by LED.
Environment and light - Taco leaftacoing, taco leaves, canoeing, canoe leaves
A leaf whose edges fold upward along the midrib like a taco shell or canoe, usually at the top of the canopy; a sign of heat, high VPD or excess light.
Plant biology - Tap watermains water, municipal water, city water, faucet water
Tap water is municipal or well water used for irrigation; its EC, alkalinity, hardness, sodium and disinfectant vary widely, so it should be tested before use.
pH, EC and water - Taproottap root, primary root, main root, tap-root
The dominant primary root that grows straight down from the radicle of a seed-grown plant, with lateral roots branching from it.
Plant biology - Tarsonemid mitetarsonemid, tarsonemid mites, Tarsonemidae, thread-footed mite
The thread-footed mite family that includes broad mites and cyclamen mites; tiny pests of growing tips, best seen at 40x or more.
Pests and diseases - TDStotal dissolved solids, TDS meter, TDS reading, ppm reading
TDS (total dissolved solids) is the mass of dissolved material in water; grow meters estimate it from EC with a conversion factor and display it as ppm.
pH, EC and water - Temperatureair temperature, room temperature, day temperature, night temperature
In growing, temperature usually means grow-room air temperature; cannabis grows best around 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) by day and a few degrees cooler at night.
Environment and light - Temple balltemple balls, Nepalese temple ball, temple-ball hash, hash ball
A temple ball is hash worked by hand into a dense ball and cured over time, a traditional Himalayan style associated with a glossy surface and soft interior.
Processing - Tentgrow tent, grow tents, tents, 4x4
A tent is a fabric grow enclosure with a reflective lining, zip doors and ports for ducting and cables, the standard home indoor grow space.
Grower slang and culture - Terpeneterpenes, terpines, terpenes (cannabis)
Terpenes are volatile hydrocarbon compounds built from five-carbon isoprene units; in cannabis they are made in the trichome heads and are a major part of aroma and flavour.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Terpene lossterp loss, losing terpenes, terpene evaporation, terpene degradation
The loss of volatile aroma compounds from cannabis through evaporation, oxidation and handling, fastest for monoterpenes and worst in warm, fast drying and poor storage.
Harvest, drying and curing - Terpene profileterpene profiles, aroma profile, terpene fingerprint, terpene breakdown
A terpene profile is the measured mix of terpenes in a sample, reported as each compound's % w/w and the total, used to describe and compare cultivar aroma chemistry.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Terpene testterpene testing, terpene analysis, terpene panel, terp test
A terpene test measures the individual terpenes and total terpene content of a sample, usually by GC-FID or GC-MS, reported in % w/w or mg/g.
Lab testing - Terpenoidterpenoids, isoprenoid, isoprenoids, oxygenated terpene
A terpenoid is a terpene-derived compound that carries extra functional groups, usually oxygen (alcohols, oxides, ketones), such as linalool, bisabolol or caryophyllene oxide.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Terpinoleneδ-terpinene, delta-terpinene, terpinolene-dominant, terpinoline
Terpinolene is a monoterpene with a fresh, herbal, piney-citrus-floral aroma that dominates a distinctive, less common cannabis chemotype.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Terpsterp, terpy, terp-heavy, terp profile
Terps is slang for terpenes, and loosely for a cannabis cultivar's whole aroma and flavour, even though many aroma compounds are not terpenes.
Grower slang and culture - Test crosstestcross, test-crossing, test crosses, progeny test cross
A test cross mates a plant of unknown genotype with one that is homozygous recessive for a trait, so the offspring ratios reveal what the first plant carries.
Genetics and breeding - Test growtester grow, tester, testers, test run
A test grow (tester grow) is growing out a sample of a new seed line, often by several independent growers, to measure uniformity, vigour, chemistry and herm rate before release.
Genetics and breeding - THCdelta-9-THC, Δ9-THC, d9, delta 9
THC (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the neutral, decarboxylated cannabinoid mainly responsible for cannabis's reported intoxicating effects; the living plant makes it almost entirely as THCA.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - THCATHC-A, THCA-A, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, Δ9-THCA
THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) is the acid cannabinoid that drug-type cannabis makes in its trichomes; heat or time decarboxylates it into THC, losing about 12% of its mass.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - THCA synthaseTHCAS, THCA synthase gene, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid synthase, THC synthase
THCA synthase is the trichome enzyme that converts CBGA into THCA; which alleles of its gene a plant carries largely decides whether it is THC-dominant.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - THCVtetrahydrocannabivarin, Δ9-THCV, THC-V, THV
THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) is the propyl-chain (C3) analogue of THC, formed by decarboxylating THCVA; it is a minor cannabinoid in most cultivars but notable in some African-derived lines.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - THCVATHCV-A, tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid
THCVA (tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid) is the acid precursor of THCV, made in trichomes from CBGVA when the plant's pathway starts from divarinic acid instead of olivetolic acid.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - The SwapSwap, GenetixBay Swap, Bay Swap, member swap
The Swap is GenetixBay's pseudonymous, escrowed member-to-member exchange, reviving the Bay's 2009 peer-to-peer roots, running only in the modes local law allows.
GenetixBay terms - Thripsthrip, western flower thrips, WFT, Frankliniella occidentalis
Slender insects about 1-2 mm long, chiefly western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), that rasp leaf surfaces, leaving silvery streaks dotted with black frass.
Pests and diseases - Tincturetinctures, cannabis tincture, alcohol tincture, glycerin tincture
A tincture is a liquid cannabis preparation in which cannabinoids are dissolved in alcohol, glycerin or oil, usually taken by dropper.
Processing - Tissue cultureplant tissue culture, micropropagation, in vitro propagation, tissue culturing
Tissue culture is growing small pieces of a plant on sterile nutrient gel in a sealed vessel, used to multiply, clean up and store cannabis genotypes.
Genetics and breeding - Tissue testleaf tissue test, tissue analysis, plant tissue analysis, leaf analysis
A tissue test is a lab analysis of dried leaf samples that measures the actual nutrient content of the plant, the most reliable way to confirm a deficiency or toxicity.
Nutrients - Top dressingtop dress, top-dress, top-dressing, topdressing
Top dressing is spreading dry fertiliser or amendments on the soil surface, usually under mulch, so nutrients release into the root zone as the plant is watered.
Systems and media - Top shelftop-shelf, top shelf flower, premium tier, tops
Top shelf is the highest price tier of flower in a shop, used as slang for any premium-looking cannabis; it reflects pricing and appearance, not verified quality.
Grower slang and culture - Topophysisposition effect, cutting position effect, topophytic effect, branch position effect
Topophysis is the tendency of cuttings to keep traits linked to the position on the mother plant they were taken from, so cuts from different parts can behave differently.
Genetics and breeding - Toppingtop, topped, topping a plant, pinching out
Topping is cutting off a plant's main growing tip just above a node, so the two shoots below grow into two main colas instead of one.
Cultivation and training - Total cannabinoidstotal cannabinoid content, TC, sum of cannabinoids, total actives
Total cannabinoids is the sum of all cannabinoids a lab measured in a sample, usually reported in % w/w, with acid forms either summed raw or decarboxylation-adjusted.
Lab testing - Total CBDtotal CBD calculation, CBD total, max CBD, CBDmax
Total CBD is a calculated figure, CBD plus 0.877 × CBDA, estimating the maximum CBD a sample could yield after full decarboxylation.
Lab testing - Total THCtotal THC calculation, THC total, max THC, THCmax
Total THC is a calculated figure, Δ9-THC plus 0.877 × THCA, estimating the maximum THC a sample could yield after full decarboxylation.
Lab testing - Track-and-tracetrack and trace, traceability, cannabis tracking system, product traceability
Track-and-trace is the ability to follow a regulated product through the supply chain and back to its source, the basis of cannabis tracking and recalls.
Legal and regulatory - Transpirationtranspire, transpiring, evapotranspiration, leaf water loss
The evaporation of water from a plant, mainly through open stomata, which pulls water and dissolved nutrients up from the roots.
Plant biology - Transplantingtransplant, transplanted, transplant shock, moving to a bigger pot
Transplanting moves a plant and its root ball into a new container or the ground; done gently it causes little shock, but GenetixBay advises against it for autoflowers.
Cultivation and training - Trellistrellis net, trellis netting, plant netting, support net
A trellis is a net, mesh or frame that supports plants and spreads their branches, either as a SCROG screen or as support for heavy colas in flower.
Cultivation and training - Trichometrichomes, resin glands, resin heads, crystals
A hair-like outgrowth of the plant's skin; in cannabis the glandular types make and store the resin holding cannabinoids and terpenes.
Plant biology - Trichome headsgland heads, trichome head, capitate heads, trichome gland heads
Trichome heads are the bulbous resin-filled tops of capitate glandular trichomes, where cannabis makes and stores nearly all its cannabinoids and terpenes; they are the raw material of hash.
Processing - Trichome ripenesstrichome colour, trichome color, clear cloudy amber, milky trichomes
The maturity of glandular trichome heads, read by colour under magnification: clear (immature), cloudy or milky (mature), then amber (ageing).
Harvest, drying and curing - Trimtrimmings, trim material, shake and trim, leaf trim
Trim is the leaf material cut away from buds after harvest, especially the small resin-coated sugar leaves, often saved for making kief, hash or other concentrates.
Processing - True breedingbreeds true, breeding true, true-to-type, true to type
A true-breeding line produces offspring that consistently look like the parents for a given trait, because the plants are homozygous for the alleles behind it.
Genetics and breeding - True leavesfirst true leaves, true leaf, first set of leaves, first serrated leaves
The first leaves produced by the shoot tip after the cotyledons, with the plant's characteristic serrated leaflets.
Plant biology - Tuckingtuck, leaf tucking, tucking leaves, tuck don't pluck
Tucking is moving fan leaves and shoots behind or under others, or beneath a screen, so bud sites get light without removing any leaf area.
Cultivation and training - Two-point calibration2-point calibration, two point cal, dual-point calibration, slope calibration
Two-point calibration sets a pH meter with two buffers, usually pH 7.00 then 4.01, fixing both its offset and its slope for accurate readings.
pH, EC and water - Two-spotted spider mitespider mite, spider mites, twospotted spider mite, TSSM
Tetranychus urticae, the commonest cannabis mite indoors: a 0.5 mm sap-feeder that stipples leaves pale and spins webbing, breeding fastest in hot, dry rooms.
Pests and diseases
U
- Underwateringunder-watering, underwatered, too little water, dry wilt
Underwatering is letting the medium dry too far between waterings, so the plant loses turgor and wilts, with limp, papery leaves and crisping edges if repeated.
Cultivation and training - Uniformityuniform, consistency, line uniformity, batch uniformity
Uniformity is how alike the plants of one seed batch are for traits such as height, timing and chemistry; F1s of inbred parents and IBLs are most uniform.
Genetics and breeding - Up-pottinguppotting, potting up, pot up, step-up potting
Up-potting moves a plant into progressively larger containers as its roots fill each one, instead of starting in the final pot.
Cultivation and training - UPOVUPOV Convention, International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, UPOV 1991, UPOV 91
UPOV is the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants and its convention, the treaty framework most national plant breeders' rights laws follow.
Legal and regulatory - UreaCO(NH2)2, carbamide, 46-0-0, urea nitrogen
Urea is a 46% nitrogen organic compound that soil enzymes convert to ammonium; it is cheap in field fertilisers but a poor choice for hydroponic cannabis.
Nutrients - Utility patentutility patents, plant utility patent, trait patent, method patent
A utility patent protects a new, useful and non-obvious invention; for plants it can cover varieties, seeds, specific traits or breeding and processing methods.
Legal and regulatory - UV-AUVA, UV-A light, ultraviolet A, near-UV
UV-A is ultraviolet light from 315 to 400 nm; plants sense it much like deep blue, and adding it gives no proven gain in yield or potency.
Environment and light - UV-BUVB, UV-B light, ultraviolet B, UVB supplementation
UV-B is ultraviolet light from 280 to 315 nm; added to grow rooms in hopes of more resin, it gives little or no visible difference in controlled trials.
Environment and light
V
- Valencene(+)-valencene, valencine, valancene
Valencene is a sweet, citrus, orange-peel sesquiterpene named after Valencia oranges and found as a minor terpene in some cannabis cultivars.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - Veg timevegetative period, veg period, vegging, veg phase
Veg time is how long a photoperiod plant is kept in vegetative growth under long days before being flipped to flower, which largely sets its final size.
Cultivation and training - Vermiculiteexfoliated vermiculite, vermiculite mix
Vermiculite is expanded mica-like mineral flakes that hold water and nutrients in a mix, used to increase moisture retention rather than drainage.
Systems and media - Viroidviroids, Pospiviroidae, infectious RNA
The smallest known plant pathogen: a short circular RNA, usually 246-401 nucleotides, with no protein coat and no protein-coding genes, copied by the host's own enzymes.
Pests and diseases - Volatile sulfur compoundsVSCs, VSC, VSCs (cannabis), sulfur volatiles
Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) are trace sulfur-containing aroma molecules, especially prenylated thiols, that give cannabis its skunky, gassy smell at concentrations far below terpenes.
Cannabinoids and terpenes - VPDvapor pressure deficit, vapour pressure deficit, vapor-pressure deficit, VPD chart
Vapour pressure deficit: how much more water vapour the air could hold at its temperature, in kPa; it is the main environmental driver of transpiration.
Environment and light
W
- Water activityaw, a_w, a w, water activity (aw)
A 0-1 measure of how freely available the water in a material is; for dried cannabis flower the accepted range is about 0.55-0.65 aw.
Harvest, drying and curing - Water activity testaw test, water activity testing, aw measurement, water activity meter
A water activity test measures how much of a sample's water is free to support microbial growth, reported as aw from 0 to 1, with cured flower targeted around 0.55-0.65.
Lab testing - Water curingwater cure, water-cured, water curing cannabis, soak curing
Submerging harvested buds in water, changed daily for about a week, to leach out water-soluble compounds before drying; GenetixBay labels it Contested and does not recommend it.
Harvest, drying and curing - Watering to runoffwater to runoff, watering till runoff, drain-through, 10-20% runoff
Watering to runoff means applying enough water or solution that some drains from the bottom of the container, typically 10-20% of the volume applied.
Cultivation and training - Waxbudder, crumble, honeycomb, cannabis wax
Wax is an opaque, soft-to-crumbly solvent-based concentrate whose texture comes from cannabinoids partly crystallising; budder and crumble are its creamy and dry variants.
Processing - Wet trimwet trimming, trimming wet, fresh trim, green trim
Trimming sugar leaves from buds immediately after harvest, while the plant is still fresh, before drying.
Harvest, drying and curing - Wet weightfresh weight, wet weight at harvest, green weight, fresh mass
The weight of cannabis freshly cut, before drying; buds typically lose about 70-80% of it, so dry weight is roughly a quarter of wet.
Harvest, drying and curing - Wet-dry cyclewet/dry cycle, wet dry cycle, wet-dry cycling, letting it dry out
The wet-dry cycle is the alternation between watering a container and letting it dry back, which refreshes oxygen in the root zone between irrigations.
Cultivation and training - White mouldwhite mold, Sclerotinia, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, hemp canker
A fungal disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum that girdles stems with cottony white growth and hard black sclerotia, killing branches above the lesion.
Pests and diseases - Whiteflywhiteflies, white fly, greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum
Small white-winged sap-sucking insects of the family Aleyrodidae, mainly Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Bemisia tabaci, that fly up when disturbed and coat leaves in honeydew.
Pests and diseases - Whole-plant hangwhole plant hang, whole plant drying, hang the whole plant, full plant hang
Drying an entire harvested plant upside down, uncut except at the base, so the large stem mass slows the dry.
Harvest, drying and curing - Wick systemwick watering, wick hydroponics, wicking, wick-fed
A wick system is a passive watering method in which an absorbent cord draws water or nutrient solution up from a reservoir into the medium by capillary action.
Systems and media - Wild PearlsWild Pearl, earned Pearls, Wild Pearl balance
Wild Pearls are GenetixBay points earned by contributing, such as journals, males, preservation and trials; they can move between members but have no cash value.
GenetixBay terms - Wind burnwindburn, fan burn, wind damage
Leaf damage from a fan blowing directly and constantly on the same leaves: curled, clawed or crispy leaves on the side facing the fan, sometimes with brown, dried patches.
Environment and light
X
- XY sex determinationXY system, sex chromosomes, X and Y chromosomes, XX female
Cannabis uses an XY sex determination system: females carry two X chromosomes (XX) and males an X and a Y (XY), so regular seed is roughly half male.
Genetics and breeding - Xylemxylem vessels, xylem tissue, water-conducting tissue, tracheids
The plant's water-conducting tissue, which carries water and dissolved mineral ions upward from roots to leaves, driven mainly by transpiration.
Plant biology
Y
- Yieldharvest weight, dry yield, yields, g/m²
Yield is the dry weight of usable flower harvested, usually expressed per plant, per square metre of canopy (g/m²) or per watt of light (g/W).
Cultivation and training - YPFDyield photon flux density, YPF, yield photon flux
Yield photon flux density: PPFD weighted by how efficiently each wavelength drives photosynthesis (the McCree curve), so red photons count more than blue.
Environment and light
Z
- Zazaza, exotic za, zaza weed, the za
Zaza is slang for flower marketed as premium or exotic, usually with loud aroma and bright bag appeal; the word signals price and fashion, not tested quality.
Grower slang and culture - ZincZn, Zn2+, zinc deficiency
Zinc (Zn) is a micronutrient needed for auxin production and many enzymes; deficiency gives small, twisted new leaves and shortened internodes.
Nutrients - Zinc sulfateZnSO4, zinc sulphate, ZnSO4·7H2O, zinc sulfate monohydrate
Zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) is the standard soluble zinc salt for micronutrient mixes, about 22.7% Zn as the heptahydrate and 35.5% as the monohydrate.
Nutrients