Saving Seeds ~ agrariana

Saving Seeds

Photo: Stephen Loewinsohn (stephenloewinsohn.com)

Why Save Seeds?

DiversityLandrace crops

Commercial Extinction

Extirpation

History

Thriftiness

Community

Genetics

Memory

Aesthetics

Politics

BotanicalCuriosity

Relax!

Angiosperms

Flowering plantsMost diverse group of land plantsTogether with gymnosperms are the seed- producing plantsBegan separating from gymnosperms 200 million y/a, first flowering 140 million y/a, widespread 100 million y/a, dominant trees 60 million y/aDistinguished from gymnosperms by flowers, endosperm within seed, production of fruit

Pollination

Perfect (Bisexual) Flowers

Unisexual Flowers

Flowers?

Vegetative plant propagation

BulbsTuber cuttingsDivisionCuttings and graftings

Pollination Methods

Self-pollinated– Inbreeders - have enclosed flowers

which almost always self-pollinate.

Insect-pollinated– Self-sterile/Self-incompatible

Insect-pollinated - Honeybees, bumblebees, sweat bees, wild solitary bees, moths, butterflies, wasps, flies

Wind-pollinated

Outbreeders

or cross-pollinators

Perf

ect

Flow

ers

Uni

sexu

al

Flow

ers

Break

Find examples of perfect and unisexual flowers.Find examples of crops without readily visible

flowers.Are there any non-angiosperms in the garden?

Scientific names(Linnaean Taxonomy)

Family

Genus

species

var. variety ‘Cultivar’

Variety - often occur in nature and most varieties are true to type

Cultivar – (CULTIvated VARiety) selected and cultivated by humans, not necessarily true to type

Family Apiaceae Daucus carota var. sativus ‘Scarlet Nantes’

Family Cucurbitaceae Cucumis sativus ‘Parisian Pickling’

Family Cucurbitaceae Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis ‘Hearts of Gold’

Family Brassicaceae Brassica oleracea cultivar group Capitata‘Brunswick’

Family Brassicaceae Brassica oleracea cultivar group Italica‘Romanesco Italia’

Family Solanaceae Solanum lycopersicum ‘Cherokee Purple’

Family Solanaceae Capsicum annum ‘Charleston Belle’

Pea Family (Fabaceae or Leguminosae)

Level: BeginnerMembers:

Phaseolus vulgaris – common beanP. coccineus – runner beanPisum sativum – pea

Flower: PerfectPollination: SelfHarvesting:

– Dry bean pods on plant– Split from pod


Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)

Level: Beginner

Members: Capsicum annuum – peppersLycopersicon lycopersicum – tomatoSolanum tuberosum – potato

Flower: PerfectPollination: SelfHarvesting:

– Collect mature fruit– Semi-wet or wet

Sunflower Family (Compositae or Asteraceae )

Level: BeginnerMembers:

Lactuca sativa – lettuceCynara scolymus– artichokeCichorium endivia – endive

Flower: PerfectPollination: Self w. insectsHarvesting:

– Dry seeds on plants– Hand thresh– Winnow or screen

Gourd Family (Cucurbitaceae)

Level: Intermediate/BeginnerMembers:

Cucumis melo – muskmelon, cantaloupe, honeydew

Cucumis sativus– cucumberCucurbita pepo – acorn squash, zucchini

Flower: UnisexualPollination: InsectsHarvesting:

– Commonly hand pollinated– Collect mature– Ferment, wash, and dry

Parsley Family (Umbelliferae or Apiaceae)

Level: Intermediate Members:

Apium graveolens – celeryAnethum graveolens – dillDaucus carota – carrotFoeniculum vulgare – fennel

Flower: Perfect, outbreedingPollination: InsectHarvesting:

– Carrot, celery, fennel are biennial– Collect dry seed heads– Pick seeds out

Goosefoot Family (Chenopodiaceae)

Level: IntermediateMembers:

Beta vulgaris – beet, Swiss chardSpinacia oleracea– spinachChenopodium quinoa – quinoa

Flower: Perfect, not selfPollination: WindHarvesting:

– Biennials – Collect dry seeds– Thresh and winnow

Allium Family (Amaryllidaceae)

Level: IntermediateMembers:

Allium ampeloprasum - leeksA. cepa – onionsA. Sativum - garlic

Flower: PerfectPollination: InsectHarvesting:

– Biennial – Usually plant bulbs– Seeds form on flower in 2nd year of growth

Mustard Family (Brassicaceae or Cruciferae)

Level: Intermediate/AdvancedMembers:

Brassica juncea – mustard greensB. oleracea– broccoli, cauliflower,

cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, kohlrabi

B. Rapa – turnip, broccoli raab

Flower: Perfect, self-sterilePollination: InsectHarvesting:

– Cool climate biennials – Collect dry seeds

Grass Family (Poacea or Gramineae)

Level: Advanced for cornEasy for others

Members: Zea mays – corn

Triticum aestivum - wheat

Flower: Unisexual Pollination: Wind

Harvesting: – Dry on plant– Thresh– Winnow

Other Families

Amaranthaceae – amaranthBasellaceae – malabar spinachConvolvulaceae – sweet potatoLiliaceae – asparagusMalvaceae – okraPolygonaceae – Rhubarb, sorrelPortulacaceae – miner’s lettuce

Break

Find examples of as many crop families as possible.

Find examples of crops that look different but are of the same genus or same species.

Heirlooms

Open-Pollinated - The pollination of outbreedingplants by insects, birds, wind, or other natural processes. – self pollination of inbreeders

– controlled pollination to maintain a variety

A variety/cultivar developed and commonly grown earlier in history– how long?

– may or may not have a story

– not used in industrial agriculture?

HybridsF1 hybrid - the offspring of a cross between two parent plants of different varieties

– 'first filial' generation– creates new desired traits, most notably hybrid vigor – done under controlled conditions, often by hand, which makes F1

hybrid seed more expensive to produce– cross the F1 generation with itself you get an F2– accused of being a form of biotechnology to control seed savers

Hybrid vigor (heterosis) - If you cross two different varieties of an outbreeding plant, the offspring may well turn out bigger, faster-growing, or more productive than either of the parents. Hybrid vigor may not be passed on to the F2 generation.

F2s can be saved - you are staring a breeding trial

Isolation by Distance

Isolation Distances – The minimum planting separation required between two or more varieties of the same species for the purpose of keeping seed pure.

Consult tables

Isolation distances often for open farmland, high humidity – may be modified for arid West and heterogeneous urban locales

Advanced IsolationTimeMechanical– Bagging

– Blossom taping

– Caging

– Alternate day caging

– Caging with pollinators

Hand pollination

Population Size

Never < 6 individuals

Recommended:– Inbreeders – 20 individuals– Outbreeders – 100 individuals

Inbreeding depression - If an outbreeding plant self-pollinates, the offspring can turn out weaker and slower-growing than either parent, and it gets worse with each subsequent generation.

Selection

TastePhysical characteristics: Color, Size, ShapeDisease resistance: blight, rust, wilt, …Drought toleranceVigor/PerformanceMarket concerns: easy harvest, shipability

RoguingTrueness-to-type

Characteristics

Garden Planning

Garden Planning

Break

Catalog your current garden or plan a future plot.

Catalog or plan a section of the student garden.

Mature Seeds

Processing – Basic Dry MethodsDry on plant, between screens, or hang inside

Winnowing/Gravity

ScreeningThreshing

Picking seeds – beans, peas, corn, many herbs

Seeds with chaff – lettuce, grains

Processing – Basic Wet Methods

Semi-wet – peppers – pick seeds, rinse, and dry

Wet – tomatoes, melons, squash, cucumber– ferment, wash, then dry

Pick fully mature specimens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Uq9E7qruc

Seed Processing: Part 1

By South Bay seed saver Bill Merrill (www.greengardenservice.net)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbLpIQrAa_8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnpWSfzWCxk


StorageStore seed at maximum dry weight ≈ 8% seed moisture. Check for breaking or shattering.General rule: sum of temperature and relative humidity < 100Paper envelopes are great to hold and sort seedsContainers must be air tight – glass jars, paint cans, plastic containers w. gaskets. Some people add silica dessicant.Store in a cool, dry, dark location, such as a closetNewbie mistake: seed that molds was not sufficiently dry before storage. Consult tables for storage times for viable seed. Germination rates must remain above 70%.

Advanced Storage

Long term frozen storage at low moisture.– At home

– Germplasm collections

– Seed vaults

Overwintering biennials

Record Keeping

Metadata is important!! Make sure you label all the containers or packages with at least the seed variety/cultivar, date collected, and source

Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL)

Located in the Ecology Center2530 San Pablo Ave (near Dwight)Berkeley, CA 94702Tuesday - Saturday, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.www.ecologycenter.org/basil

BASIL is a free, community-based, urban seed project committed to disseminating and celebrating local varieties of seed stock and raising awareness about the importance and relationship between biological and cultural diversity.

Richmond Grows

Richmond Public Library325 Civic Center PlazaRichmond, CA 94804

www.richmondgrows.org

Pocket Seed Librarywww.pocketseedlibrary.comHosts picnics and seed swaps

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

www.rareseeds.com

Seed Bank in Petaluma

Seed Savers Exchange

www.seedsavers.org

Seed Sources We Like

Further ReadingFree Resources:

McCormack, Jeffrey. (2004). Isolation Distances. Saving Our Seeds. http://www.savingourseed.org/Survey/IsolationGuideSurvey.html

McCormack, Jeffrey. (2004). Seed Processing and Storage. Saving Our Seeds. http://www.savingourseed.org/Survey/SeedProcessingandStorageSurvey.html

McDorman, Bill. (1994). Basic Seed Saving. International Seed Saving Institute http://www.seedsave.org/issi/issi_904.html

Native Seeds|SEARCH. Seed Saving How To. http://www.nativeseeds.org/how_to/seedsave

If you read one book on seed saving:

Ashworth, Suzanne. (2002). Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners. Seed Savers Exchange. Decorah, Iowa.

Created by Mat Rogers

for Agrariana (www.agrariana.org)


Education

Saving Seeds ~ agrariana