Both the international Autoflower World Cup in Barcelona and the domestic American Autoflower Cup in Los Angeles have been testing independent cannabis breeders and breeding collectives on their skills in seed selection, cultivation, and autoflower genetics. The process of successfully growing crossbred cannabis strains is both an art and a science, requiring expert knowledge of the best cultivation techniques and the biological processes of autoflowering cannabis. The most successful breeders are celebrated by the wider community and the trendsetters of cannabis culture at both Autoflower Cups.
At competitions such as these, autoflower strains are judged according to several criteria. Both the American Autoflower Cup and the Autoflower World Cup follow the same general scoring criteria, rating autoflower samples based on appearance, aroma, taste, effects, and the overall experience of smoking the joint. In addition, both competitions feature separate categories for sativa and indica strains. However, here is where the similarities end, with the American Autoflower Cup featuring one more exclusive category, Best Autoflower Breeder, and the Autoflower World Cup featuring several more, such as Best Seed Bank, Best New Strain, and Best CBD Strain.
While this may sound like a straightforward blueprint for success, the process of achieving excellence in all of these criteria is anything but easy. Breeders will have to manufacture the perfect combination of outside factors influencing the growth of their strain, including choosing the right soil, nutrients, light schedule, water level, and temperature for creating the ideal characteristics in a strain. Furthermore, breeders will have to impress cannabis industry veterans and cannabis connoisseurs who know the difference between exceptional autoflowering cannabis and subpar autoflower strains.
At the first American Autoflower Cup, entrants were judged by cannabis culture thought leaders such as Joey Burger, Nick Bradley, Jenny Beth, Sincerely Cali, and Jessica Cueb. At the Autoflower World Cup, industry stalwarts from all over the world such as Joint Doctor, Maka Comunicacion, Camilla Leota, and Vince and Weed have served on the judging panel.
To get the attention of these industry heavyweights, the eventual winners have made sure to create unique, potent strains that are both memorable and satisfying. The Autoflower World Cup-winning strain Gorilla Punch Auto from Fast Buds drew judges’ attention with its colorful purple buds and hints of lemongrass in the taste. The American Autoflower Cup also counted Fast Buds among its inaugural winners, with the breeder’s Strawberry Gorilla Auto strain taking home the first prize in the sativa category and its Banana Purple Punch Auto winning in the indica category. Both of these strains featured strong fruit flavors, making them a favorite among the event’s judges.
The last element of success is simple but easy to overlook. Breeders aiming for gold at the Autoflower Cups should ensure they are following all the requirements for samples. Making sure samples are free of bugs and microorganisms is the bare minimum while making sure all samples adhere to the right measurements is the next crucial step.
Potential entrants will need to do their research on the requirements for entry, especially in anticipation of the upcoming second annual American Autoflower Cup in February 2024 and the 2024 edition of the Autoflower World Cup in March.
