hunt until you have dried , cured , and lab-tested the flower , which will take several more weeks . Ideally , you would also like to test-sample the flower at the very end after lab testing to get feedback on the taste and its effects on the user ; however , licensed Missouri cultivators aren ’ t allowed to test-sample their own products . ( See more about the test-sample challenges cultivates face on page 28 .) they want to donate to pheno hunting for better or different strains — the needles in the haystack — when so many of the plants ultimately don ’ t make the final cut .
Remember , during this entire pheno hunt process , you must continue caring for each plant ’ s sibling clones , hoping that a few of them will become the phenotype and future mother plant with the genetics you want . Once the best needle in the haystack phenotype is chosen , it will be cloned to grow exact copies and then mass produced for retail sale at dispensaries .
The bigger the search , the better your needle in the haystack will be in the end ; however , that haystack gets more and more challenging to manage and track progress . Not only that , it requires more and more space for manageable , trackable , and controlled environments , as well as the resources to fund this journey for plants that you most likely won ’ t keep . Most of the clones and many of the flowering plants that made the original cut will be thrown away at the end of your search , even though they came very close to being the keeper — the needle in the haystack — right up until the end .
At Sinse ’ s cultivation facility with plants nearing harvest , the pheno hunt for new strains is on .
One of our readers recently asked us , “ Why doesn ’ t the Missouri cannabis market have many options when it comes to cannabinoids ?” There is no doubt that the cannabinoid options revolve mostly around CBD and THC , and we know very little about the over 100 identified cannabinoids in cannabis flower and their effects on our bodies for different ailments . But now , you know why and more about Missouri ’ s R & D and test-sampling restrictions that may be partly responsible for this reader ’ s and everyone ’ s concern . The consumer who only wants to purchase the high THC products may be the other .
In the end , what boxes licensed cultivators want to check off during their pheno hunting is not only a direct result of what the consumers want to buy but also the restrictions being placed on their hunting ability . Hopefully , someday , we will know more about the other cannabinoids that are out there waiting to be pheno-hunted . Until then , the state and federal restrictions on cannabis R & D will need to change , as will consumer demands .
Footnote : When Amendment 3 passed in Missouri , allowing adult use of cannabis , the amendment included language that allowed for R & D licenses to be awarded . However , to date , we have yet to see any state rules , regulations , or requirements developed on even how to apply for those licenses . Hopefully , that will be developed this year .
Resource : 1 . https :// happyvalleygenetics . com / resources / what-is-pheno-hunting-plusphenohunter-app /
The next challenge in your pheno hunt in Missouri is that DHSS only allows licensed cultivators 30,000 square feet of flowering canopy space per license . This limit also includes any flowering plants that are part of their Research and Development ( R & D ) pheno hunts . So , the real gamble for cultivators is how much of that space
Clayton Stallings is the Director of Sales & Marketing for
The EVOLUTION Magazine
February 2025 33