The alkaloid concentration and composition of
Phalaris aquatica can appear quite erratic.
Season, soil, and climate all influence the alkaloid profiles, and the interactions are complex and heterogeneous. Some plants fluctuate strongly, while others maintain a stable and potent profile across repeated tests. One thing we haven’t observed, though, is a plant switching between DMT and 5-MeO-DMT dominance.
This has direct implications for how we approach selection:
- All plants are tested, and the weakest 50% are discarded
- The process is repeated two more times with the remaining plants
As a result, any plant that makes it into the breeding line has been tested 3 times. This strongly favors individuals with both
high yield and
stable profiles.
The data collected during this process could eventually help us better understand these fluctuations. For now, though, most of the testing capacity is focused on selective breeding.
This season is going very well so far—I’ll post an update soon.