Straw Hat Notes on Droughting Cannabis
About them leaves, we must visit why I don’t defoliate drought candidates. First and foremost, as our bro shed pointed out the foliar mass provides stored nutrients and plant energy that the plant counts on when it comes to both reproductive responsibilities as well as species survival genetics. Secondly, the dying or dead leaves are providing sensory cells all the information they need to monitor the droughts progress and report to the GRN (genetic regulatory network) how grievous the lack of moisture across the root zone to the dead leaves is presented, and how much to alter the synthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) and Jasmonate (JA) with hopes of protecting her flowers. The drought causes changes in production of JA & ABA that result in the increased production of THC and CBD only, whereas with MeJA the cannabinoid profile increases for most all cannabinoids. MeJA will get discussed another time please. The “killing of leaves” during drought although never the intention serves us well. The dying leaves have all closed their stomas as the plant began defending the drought. This stops (we hope temporarily) most all transpiration. The cessation of transpiration mutes all growth commands as the plant recognizes its primary duty is to reproduce. This phenomenon is known in part as species survival coding that is written in each plants DNA. The plant thinks her only duty is to protect what if any seeds she may have produced by covering them in essential oils. As she wilts from her turgid posture (leaves no longer being held upright) she free’s up a huge amount of available plant resources that are normally consumed arranging the turgid posture. A big part of her day and night is spent holding her leaves as far away from darkness as is possible. I know, we were all taught that a plant follows light. It really sets out avoiding darkness. The long cells react with red photons pulling the plant away from shade. Anyhow, once she is fighting drought her shade avoidance energies are reallotted to the protection of them seeds. This partly answers where she gets the gumption to make our juice when the leaves cannot provide photosynthesis. I hope…
Way too stoned to keep our discussion flowing… tbc