Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Emery Mitchamore <emitch@att.net>]

This  note caused me to realize that I don't understand the difference between hybrids that don't produce viable seeds, those whose viable seeds don't reproduce the characteristics of the parents, and the products of (often many generations of), cross-breeding, such as mentioned below, that DO reproduce the desirable characteristics of their parents.  Can anyone explain this to a non-botanist?

On Feb 7, 2010, at 5:17 PM, Lynn Montgomery wrote:

The below is from this year's Native Seeds/SEARCH catalogue. I hope this clears up some of the questions and prejudices about hybrids. If you live in the SW region this is the best place to get really old native seed varieties. A lot of these will grow elsewhere, for those who like to experiement.

www.nativeseeds.org

About the seeds we steward...

Is our seed “hybrid”?

No and yes. No, our seeds are not “hybrid” in the sense of

being produced through controlled pollination — often with

highly inbred lines — by modern plant breeders, typically for

large-scale high-input agricultural production systems.

However, hybridization — the crossing of genetically distinct

parents, both within and between populations, varieties, and

species — has been important in the evolution of crop

diversity. It is a natural process, resulting from open-pollination,

and one that farmers have often used to their

advantage. Thus, hybridization is likely reflected in the genetic

make-up of much of our seed, making them “hybrids.”

The seeds we offer in our catalog and store were all

originally collected from subsistence and small-scale farmers

and gardeners. These are the food crops that have sustained

traditional communities for centuries. They have been selected

and nourished by farmers over generations, becoming adapted

to local environmental conditions and cropping systems, and

their individual flavors, odors, and textures have infused local

culinary and ceremonial practices. They are the result of much

open-pollination, hybridization, and subsequent selection

(both natural and human-imposed). We celebrate this

diversity!

To Grow a garden is to believe in tomorrow
- Eleanor Roosevelt

_______________________________________________
Livingontheland mailing list
Livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/livingontheland

E. E. "Mitch"  Mitchamore

www.hillcountrynatives.biz