What is Cannabis PGR? Cannactiva

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In recent years, the cannabis industry has witnessed the emergence of a type of compact and hard buds, with less resin and aroma than natural flowers. When grinded with a grinder, they leave tiny pieces that are also very hard. If you have ever come across this type of buds, it is possible that they were PGR cannabis, i.e. cannabis treated with chemicals to increase the flowering yield, but at the cost of lower product quality and with dubious safety for the consumer. Find out what PGR cannabis is and why natural and high quality CBD flowers are preferable.

What is cannabis PGR?

PGR cannabis refers to cannabis buds or flowers that have been treated with plant growth regulators (PGRs). These chemicals, widely used in gardening, are sprayed on the cannabis plant or mixed into the irrigation water to improve the size and density of the buds. Although the use of PGRs has immediate benefits in terms of production, their use in cannabis flowering raises questions about the quality of the final product.

The buds treated with PGR are usually very rounded, compact and with an irregular trichome distribution.
They have an extravagant appearance, but little amount of resin, aroma and potency. — The buds treated with PGR are usually very rounded, compact and with an irregular trichome distribution. They have an extravagant appearance, but little amount of resin, aroma and potency.

So far, cannabis flower breeding techniques have been based on genetic improvement and selection, optimization of cultivation techniques and more optimal handling and preservation systems. But, in recent years, it has been observed the use of these chemicals, flowering growth regulators or PGRs, which produce large buds.

It is not always easy to identify cannabis with PGR by appearance, because there are many factors that can influence the shape, color or aroma of the buds, including cultivation, processing or even the trimming and cleaning process. Generally speaking, the buds are very rounded, compact, and sometimes with an irregular distribution of trichomes. An extravagant appearance that contrasts with low resin quantity, aroma and potency.

Types of PGR

There are different types of PGRs applicable to cannabis. Some are used to stimulate rooting or control vegetative growth, but today we will focus on PGRs that are specifically applied to flowering.

Flowering PGRs are substances that interfere with the plant’s natural hormones, causing faster growth. In the cannabis plant, they produce larger and denser buds. However, this forced growth often has a negative impact on the quality of the cannabis, reducing trichome production and affecting cannabinoid and terpene levels.

There are natural PGRs (many plants and algae produce PGRs) and others of synthetic origin. The latter are the most widely used in agriculture and also in cannabis, and their use is controversial.

Cannabis controversy with PGR

The use of PGRs in cannabis flowering is controversial due to the potential health risks to the cannabis consumer from inhaling these substances. Specifically, certain types of PGRs used in flowering, such as paclobutrazol and daminozide, are linked to risks of cancer and liver toxicity. However, there are no obvious or characteristic symptoms of smoking these substances, so the end consumer cannot know if he or she is being exposed to these compounds.

In addition, these substances produce low quality buds by reducing the production of trichomes and resin, which results in lower CBD, THC (in psychoactive cannabis strains), potency and aroma of the cannabis.

How to identify cannabis with PGR?

More and more cannabis consumers are aware of these practices and are opting for organic and PGR-free cannabis buds. To this end, it is important to recognize the distinguishing characteristics of cannabis with PGRs:

1- Dense, heavy, compact and artificially rounded buds

Los cogollos tratados con PGR suelen ser muy redondeados, compactos y con una distribución de los tricomas irregular. Tienen una apariencia extravagante, pero poca cantidad de resina, aroma y potencia.

The overall shape or appearance of cannabis with PGR is more compact, rock-like in appearance; with very dense, tight, heavy buds.
In addition, the flowers often have an artificially rounded appearance.
Some describe that some PGR buds are rock hard, to the point that they are difficult to deform when squeezed with the fingers.
Another characteristic is the abundant presence of long orange pistils which, although not always distinctive, can be a further sign of PGR-treated cannabis as a whole.

2- Low density of trichomes, or irregular density.

One of the most revealing signs is the low density of buds on the flowers, which can be seen with a watchmaker’s magnifying glass.
Trichomes are the resin-producing glands that contain cannabinoids and terpenes.
Cannabis with PGR has buds with few trichomes, resulting in a less shiny bud appearance, fewer resin crystals, and little aroma.

3- Brownish or orange coloration

The coloration of the buds can vary depending on many factors, some not directly related to the crop, such as the drying process, curing and storage itself.
Therefore, although color is not 100% distinctive of cannabis with PGR, a brownish coloration can give us a clue that the bud, for whatever reason, is not of good quality.

4- Cannabis with low aroma and low potency

The buds with PGR have a less intense aroma and less potency, due to the lower density of trichomes mentioned above, which results in a lower concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes.

Difficulties in the Identification of PGR Treated Cannabis

To conclude this point, it is important to say that the identification of PGR-treated cannabis is not an exact science, and can sometimes be difficult to identify. The only way to know 100% if cannabis has been treated with PGR is by residue analysis, in specialized laboratories.

Cannabis is a plant that presents a wide variability in its characteristics, both in appearance (color and shape), as well as in aromas and cannabinoid composition. These characteristics can be influenced by various factors, such as genetics, growing conditions, storage, or the proper curing and drying process.

In addition, the shredding and cleaning process makes them look more or less compact. All these variables can cause differences in the appearance, density, texture, aroma and quality of the cannabis, which makes it very difficult to distinguish between PGR treated and untreated products just by a photo or by the appearance of the buds.

Differences between natural cannabis and PGR

Differences between PGR and Natural Cannabis

Is the use of PGR necessary to grow cannabis?

It is not necessary to use synthetic growth regulators to grow cannabis.
For most of history, cannabis has been grown without these artificial chemicals.
A great example is master grower Jorge Cervantes, a leading reference in cannabis cultivation, who has shared numerous ecological and sustainable methods that improve the quality and health of plants without synthetic additives.
Many growers prefer to use these organic methods, which exclude the use of synthetic PGRs, focusing on proper genetic selection and optimal cultivation techniques to achieve successful crops.

At Cannactiva, we offer you only natural cannabis of the best quality: