Words to Know
Expand Your Seed Saving Vocabulary
Below is a list of words and definitions that will be helpful for you to know as you explore the art of seed saving
Open-pollinated or Heirloom Seeds
Varieties which have been grown for so many successive generations that their physical and genetic qualities are fairly stable. These seeds will be “true to type” if saved.
Hybrid Seeds
When cross-pollination occurs between seed varieties. Seeds saved from hybrid seed will not produce plants like the parent plant.
GMO Seeds
GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. These seeds have had their genes spliced in a way that would never happen in nature. Most if not all of GMO seeds are patented and it is illegal to save seed from these varieties. Be aware of industrial farms near you and what type of seed they use to avoid cross-pollination from GMO varieties.
Pollination
The transfer of pollen from male to female reproductive organs to produce fruit and seed.
Cross-Pollination
The transfer of pollen from one variety of plant to the female of another variety of plant causing unpredictable results in the fruit and seeds.
Perfect Flower
with “male” stamens and “female” pistil
Imperfect Flower (unisexual)
contain a pistil or stamens, but not both
Inbreeding Depression
the reduced biological fitness in a given population as a result of inbreeding – ie., breeding of related individuals. Population biological fitness refers to its ability to survive and reproduce itself. Inbreeding depression is often the result of a population bottleneck. In general, the higher the genetic variation or gene pool within a breeding population, the less likely it is to suffer from inbreeding depression.
Isolation
When you hear “isolation” in regards to seed saving it means to separate a variety in order to avoid cross-pollination between different varieties. Here are a few types of isolation:
Annual
A flowering plant that produces mature seed in the first year
Biennial
A flowering plant that takes two years to produce fruit and seeds.
Fermentation
A process that mimics natural chemical reaction by allowing seed to break down organic barriers and prepare for germination. The fermentation process breaks down germination inhibitors and protects against certain diseases.
Below is a list of words and definitions that will be helpful for you to know as you explore the art of seed saving
Open-pollinated or Heirloom Seeds
Varieties which have been grown for so many successive generations that their physical and genetic qualities are fairly stable. These seeds will be “true to type” if saved.
Hybrid Seeds
When cross-pollination occurs between seed varieties. Seeds saved from hybrid seed will not produce plants like the parent plant.
GMO Seeds
GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. These seeds have had their genes spliced in a way that would never happen in nature. Most if not all of GMO seeds are patented and it is illegal to save seed from these varieties. Be aware of industrial farms near you and what type of seed they use to avoid cross-pollination from GMO varieties.
Pollination
The transfer of pollen from male to female reproductive organs to produce fruit and seed.
Cross-Pollination
The transfer of pollen from one variety of plant to the female of another variety of plant causing unpredictable results in the fruit and seeds.
Perfect Flower
with “male” stamens and “female” pistil
Imperfect Flower (unisexual)
contain a pistil or stamens, but not both
Inbreeding Depression
the reduced biological fitness in a given population as a result of inbreeding – ie., breeding of related individuals. Population biological fitness refers to its ability to survive and reproduce itself. Inbreeding depression is often the result of a population bottleneck. In general, the higher the genetic variation or gene pool within a breeding population, the less likely it is to suffer from inbreeding depression.
Isolation
When you hear “isolation” in regards to seed saving it means to separate a variety in order to avoid cross-pollination between different varieties. Here are a few types of isolation:
- Distance-depends on how the plant cross pollinates. Check this Seed Matters-Seed Saving Chart to see what distance is ideal for different species.
- Timed Isolation-for this method you would want to use a type of plant that has a quick turn around in our neck of the woods. The idea behind it is to plant different varieties within the species at different times so that niether of them are flowering at the same time.
- Bagging/Hand Pollination-plants like squash that have large colorful flowers that attract a lot of insects you will want to use this method. You want to put a fine mesh bag (very small holes so no insects can get in) over a female blossom that is almost ready to bloom in the evening and the next morning after the dew has dried, you will take at least 3 male flowers from the same variety, but different plants and exchange pollen from the male flower to the female flower. For a more detailed and visual tutorial check out the SLOLA Education Cucurbits video on the Seed Saving Tutorial page of our website.
- Alternate Day Caging-using this method you would want to make a structure with fine mesh walls that you would put over a certain number of each variety every other day. When you have the cage over one variety you let the other go un-caged so that insects can do their job of pollinating.
Annual
A flowering plant that produces mature seed in the first year
Biennial
A flowering plant that takes two years to produce fruit and seeds.
Fermentation
A process that mimics natural chemical reaction by allowing seed to break down organic barriers and prepare for germination. The fermentation process breaks down germination inhibitors and protects against certain diseases.
