Isolation techniques for seed saving and preserving the characteristics of varieties in subsequent generations, including hand-pollination, mesh barriers and isolation by distance. Video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb5uoPzY5EU&

1. ISOLATION TECHNIQUES
Seed Savers Exchange
Grant Olson

2. Our mission is to save North America’s
diverse, but endangered, garden heritage for
future generations by building a network of
people committed to collecting, conserving, and
sharing heirloom seeds and plants, while
educating people about the value of genetic and
cultural diversity.

3. Seed saving is the process of
saving seeds from open-
pollinated
fruits, vegetables, grains, flower
s & herbs.
Open-pollinated varieties are
maintained by allowing pollen
to flow only between plants
of the same variety.
When pollen flows between
different varieties within the
same species, this is known as
cross-pollination.

5. Cross-pollinated seed is not
ideal for seed saving.
Some form of isolation may be
necessary to prevent cross-
pollination between plants of
different varieties within the
same species.
Depending on your plants and
your environment, isolation
may not be required.

6. (flower structure)
anther
produces pollen
seeds form in ovary
after fertilization
stigma
receives pollen

7. grow only one variety

8. distance

9. Self-Pollinating, Perfect Flowers

10. Self-Pollinating, Perfect Flowers

11. Self-Pollinating, Perfect Flowers

12. Insect-Pollinated, Perfect Flowers

13. Insect-Pollinated, Perfect Flowers

14. Insect-Pollinated, Perfect Flowers

15. Insect-Pollinated, Imperfect Flowers

16. Insect-Pollinated, Monoecious Plants

17. Insect-Pollinated, Monoecious Plants

18. Insect-Pollinated, Monoecious Plants

19. Insect-Pollinated, Monoecious Plants

20. Wind-Pollinated, Monoecious Plants

21. Wind-Pollinated, Dioecious Plants

22. Insect-Pollinated, Self-Incompatible Plants

23. Wind-Pollinated, Self-Incompatible Plants

24. time

25. Is physical isolation required?
• are different varieties of
your crop/species being
grown within the
pollination zone?
• are these different varieties
flowering at the same time
as your plants?

26. barriers for self-pollinating plants

27. barriers for self-pollinating plants

28. barriers for insect-pollinated plants

29. barriers for insect-pollinated plants

30. barriers for insect-pollinated plants

31. barriers for wind-pollinated plants

32. for more information:
Seed to Seed, Suzanne Ashworth
The Organic Seed Grower,
John Navazio
A Seed Saving Guide for
Gardeners and Farmers, OSA
www.seedalliance.org/publications
SSE Webinars
www.seedsavers.org/webinars