SELECTION OF PLANTS FOR PROPAGATION

Recap from the previous lecture

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In order to make a successful selection of which plants to take seeds from, you must  consider the purpose of your seed saving.

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Basically you never take seeds from sick or weakened plants. These specimens should be removed from the bed before flowering. In this way, they cannot participate in fertilization and spread their pollen to the strong and healthy plants.

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Since late in the Stone Age, farmers and gardeners have worked to improve the quality of their crops. Maybe they wanted bigger fruit, stronger plants, or earlier harvest. This process is called selection, or if it is done using modern methods, plant breeding. If you want to improve a certain variety, you select the plants with the desired properties.

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Primary activity of seed savers is selecting plants with desirable traits. They do this by simply crossing different plants and then selecting the offspring that exhibit the most favorable characteristics. This process of selection and simple crossing is a fundamental method of plant breeding and improvement.

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In essence, seed savers are nature's gardeners, carefully choosing which plants will contribute to the next generation, with the goal of enhancing specific traits over time.

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PROPOGATION GOALS (without conservation)

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Selection

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Creating a selection suitable for your farm from a mixture of several plants, carefully selecting plants according to your defined principles.

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For example, you have more than 10 different colors of beans. They are all bush beans, they all ripen and are harvested at a similar time, their cooking time is similar. You sow all these beans in one field for many years in a row and select the most productive and resistant to drought, temperature fluctuations, and diseases. In this way, you will create unique seeds that are best suited for your specific farm.

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Key points:

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• Starting with a diverse population: Begin with a mix of different plants, such as different varieties of beans.

• Defining selection criteria: Clearly identify the traits you want to improve, like yield, disease resistance, or taste.

• Repeated selection: Over many generations, consistently select plants that exhibit the desired traits.

• Adaptation to specific conditions: Through this process, you can develop plants that are well-adapted to your unique farm environment.

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Heterogeneous material

Heterogeneous material can be composed of both self-pollinating and cross-pollinating plants. In one field, different varieties suitable for the region are sown together. Usually, 3-7 varieties are mixed, grown, and harvested for seeds for at least 3-5 seasons. Cross-pollinating plants will cross-pollinate, while self-pollinating plants will cross-pollinate less or not at all. It will be a "patchwork", each variety contributing its own genetic material. 

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If the heterogeneous material is grown in the same place for a long time, more than 30 years, then it can be considered a landrace.

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Key points:

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• Mixing different varieties: By growing multiple varieties together, you increase genetic diversity and promote cross-pollination.

• Creating a unique population: Over time, a distinct population will emerge with characteristics adapted to the local environment.

• Landrace development: If this process continues for many generations, a landrace can develop, which is a locally adapted variety.

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Landrace 

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Landrace means a race of that place, that land. A landrace is a genotype that has been cultivated in one place for a long time, it is a locally adapted variety that has evolved over many generations through natural selection and human selection.

A landrace can be both cucumbers and garlic (meaning it can also be propagated vegetatively). 

The plant has adapted and evolved. It will be more uniform and not as diverse as heterogeneous material. 

Even heirloom varieties that have been grown in one place for 30 years could be considered a "landrace". The longer they are grown, the more uniform they usually become.

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Key points:

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• Local adaptation: Landraces are well-suited to the specific environmental conditions of their region.

• Genetic diversity: While landraces are more uniform than heterogeneous populations, they still retain some genetic diversity.

• Long-term adaptation: The process of developing a landrace takes many generations, as plants adapt to their environment over time.

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Improvement

You decide that you want to improve a certain plant variety. You decide which plant traits you want to focus on and propagate only those plants. 

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For example, you collect seeds from the lettuce plants that flower last. In this way, you are propagating the plant's trait of producing leaves for a longer period, rather than quickly flowering.

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How the process is done:

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• Choosing a trait: You identify a specific trait you want to improve in a plant, such as longer leaf production or disease resistance.

• Selecting plants: You carefully select plants that exhibit this desired trait to a greater degree than others.

• Propagation: You collect seeds or cuttings from these selected plants and grow new plants from them.

• Repeating the process: Over many generations, you continue to select and propagate plants with the desired trait, gradually enhancing it.

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Let us look at three examples:

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• If you grow peas for your own use, you want pods to develop earlier and you want a longer harvest season. Consequently, you take seeds from the plants that produce the first pea pods and from the plants that keep on producing for the longest time. To keep track of which plants and which pods you have selected for seed saving, you mark them clearly. When the selected pods are ripe, you have seeds with the best properties of your variety.

• Lettuce, on the other hand, you want to stay crisp and tender for as long as possible. Therefore, you take seeds from the heads which both are largest and last to bolt (“run to seed”).

• Carrots are biennial. The first year you harvest for eating, and the following year the remaining plants will bolt, flower and set seeds. However, some carrots may bolt the first year, and the seed saver might think that this was a good way to harvest seeds without having to wait another year. But if you do, you increase the possibility that all your future carrots will bolt the first year, and they will not be worth eating.

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What to look for when selecting seeds and plants for propagation?

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Open pollinated varieties

To begin to produce your own seeds, the seeds should be from the varieties, that are open pollinated and if possible from organic, BioDynamic or agro-ecological agriculture, or inherited from your family or local gardeners and farmers.

Open pollinated varieties are all the plants that produce offspring with the same appearance and properties as the parent plant. They can all be used in your own seed saving.

Seeds of open pollinated varieties do not carry any special labelling on the seed packet, but the word “Heirloom” is a guarantee.

Breeders in scientific institutions and seed industry companies apply many and varied methods to improve seeds and crossbreed purposefully.

You should avoid using varieties that have been developed by the big seed industry. So do not use F1 or F2 hybrid seeds, GMOs or any seed developed through biotechnology. To begin producing your own seeds, the seeds should be from varieties that are open-pollinated and if possible from organic, biodynamic or agro-ecological agriculture.

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Nature is very generous and will in general provide you with far more seeds than you will need for your own use. The surplus can be given to others or exchanged.

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More information and videos on www.diyseeds.org

 

Hybrid seeds: A double-edged sword

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Hybrids are the offspring of two different varieties or species. While they often offer benefits like increased yield and disease resistance, they also come with limitations.

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F1 hybrids, commonly found in commercial seed production, are created by crossing two inbred lines. This results in plants with desirable traits from both parents. However, F1 hybrids often produce inferior offspring in subsequent generations, known as F2. This is because the genetic diversity lost in the inbreeding process is not restored in the F1 generation.

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To maintain the desired traits of F1 hybrids, gardeners must purchase new seeds each year. This dependency on seed companies can limit the availability of heirloom varieties and reduce genetic diversity.

Commercial growers prioritize traits like uniform ripening, resistance to damage, and long shelf life. These traits may not be as important for home gardeners who value taste, variety, and freshness.

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The high cost of developing and registering new hybrid varieties has led to a reduction in the number of available options, particularly for heirloom varieties. This is a concern for those who value genetic diversity and the preservation of traditional agricultural practices.

Seed Selection: A Guide to Preserving and Improving Plant Varieties

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Understanding Seed Selection

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Seed selection is a deliberate process of choosing specific plants to produce the next generation of vegetables or fruits. By carefully selecting plants with desired traits, gardeners can gradually adapt their crops to their unique environments and preferences.

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Key Considerations:

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1. Plant Health and Productivity:

   • Disease resistance: Select plants that have shown resilience to common diseases.

   • Yield: Choose plants that produce abundant harvests.

   • Precocity: Consider early-maturing varieties for shorter growing seasons.

2. Quality and Appearance:

   • Taste: Select plants that produce fruits or vegetables with desirable flavors.

   • Appearance: Choose plants with attractive physical characteristics.

3. Environmental Adaptation:

   • Climate: Consider the plant's suitability to your local climate.

   • Soil conditions: Select plants that thrive in your soil type.

4. Genetic Diversity:

   • Preservation: In some cases, it's important to preserve genetic diversity by avoiding excessive selection.

   • Adaptation: Genetic diversity can enhance a plant's ability to adapt to changing conditions.

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Practical Tips:

• Clear Labeling: Mark seed plants to distinguish them from those grown for consumption.

• Garden Planning: Dedicate a specific area of your garden for seed production.

• Life Cycle Awareness: Be mindful of the longer life cycles of seed plants compared to those grown for vegetables.

• Biennial Plants: Understand that some plants, like carrots, require two years to produce seeds.

 

Conclusion:

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By carefully selecting seeds, gardeners can play an active role in preserving and improving plant varieties. By considering factors like health, quality, adaptation, and genetic diversity, you can ensure that your garden continues to produce healthy and thriving crops for generations to come.