breeder spotlight
@KADOKAPTAIN | @SUNLEAFSEED.PORTLAND
BEAR & BOLŌ
AS THE GENETICS ARM OF KADŌ, Bear & Bolō hunts boutique phenotypes in order to offer delicious new crosses out of their tissue culture lab on the Oregon market. The Leaf caught up with Kadō, who runs the operation with his partner, Sunleaf, to learn more about their process and the state of the Cannabis breeding community.
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HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR WAY INTO THE CANNABIS COMMUNITY? It’s a really long
and crazy story that spans 15 years, three countries and a few states. For me, it was the beginning of Cali shops opening all over LA and SD. I was living in Central America (circa 2007) and a few guys came down on surf trips with pop tops with the strain name and THC percentages. I had a couple of things going, so I knew at that moment it would become what it is today: a full-fledged industry with infinite potential for growth. So, I came back to the U.S. looking for a way in and Oregon just happened to be the best fit.
and slid me some male pollen from the Unleaded (Icc x SourD/ Nigerian IBL) line he has been working on. I dusted some of the elite selections I made over the years, which made the Bear & Bolō line. The collab was a hit, so it was a nobrainer that I had to bring him out to be part of the team. This naturally transitioned into Bear & Bolō, our genetics division.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A PHENO?
It just depends on what we’re trying to accomplish. We have different criteria for each project: some for production (yield), some for flavor (terps), some for hash (resin production). Depending WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A BEAR & BOLŌ on these goals, we will predict CANNABIS BREEDER? When we first BLACKTOP how many seeds need to be started Kadō, we invested a lot of time UNLEADED grown and selected before we and money pheno hunting through WHITE PAPAYA decide to move forward with various seed companies. Sure, we found DOUGH-LATO the line. The idea is to find some keepers and made some great and select the true outliers, selections, but in today’s market, that’s congruent with our said goals. If we are on the just not enough. Then I linked up with Sunleaf right track, then we move those traits forward. on the mat. He had been rocking the expo circuit for a few years with his brand, Sunleaf WHAT MAKES A LEGENDARY STRAIN? Seed Co., working heirlooms, lLandraces and I would probably say time, region and public crossing them to modern strains. We both opinion. Cannabis is as subjective as music, are Bjj guys so we hit it off immediately. He wine, food, etc. People make legends. suggested I start making my own genetics
SIGNATURE STRAINS
MAR. 2022
Some of the old school guys would say Acapulco Gold or Maui Wowie, and none of the young peeps would buy it and vice versa. But sooner or later, Gelato, Runtz, etc … will be old school and legendary. I’m sure everybody has their own legendary strain. For me it would be Sour Diesel, Northern Lights #5, and Master Kush to name a few.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR CANNABIS GENETICS? See any changes or new trends on the horizon? With more states and home growers coming on board, we see more convenience coming into the breeding market: autoflowers, feminized seed, sterile females (triploids) are going to become a thing in the near future. We believe the peak and premiere genetics will come from tissue culture labs like ours.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT RIGHT NOW IN THE CANNABIS BREEDING WORLD? To keep it 100%, I’m super pumped
for what Kadō/Bear & Bolō have been working on for the market. Bear & Bolō will be providing the market with sterile, highly distinguished genetics. Cali has been dominating the genetic game for a hot minute and Bear & Bolō is frothing to get our flavors to the rec market.
INTERVIEW by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM | PHOTOS by DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA for OREGON LEAF
