This document discusses guidelines for growing seed crops and maintaining genetic diversity. It addresses reasons for self-seed production such as heirloom varieties and sustainability. Key points covered include selecting self-pollinated annual crops and open-pollinated varieties, maintaining an adequate number of plants to limit genetic drift, implementing selection and rouging procedures to ensure seed purity, properly labeling and controlling pollen flow. The document also discusses isolation distances which vary based on the crop and pollination method.

1. Growing Seed Crops
Russell T. Nagata
College of Tropical Agri. and Human Resources
Komohana Research and Education Center
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics
Hilo, Hawaii
russelln@hawaii.edu

2. Reasons for Self
Seed Production
 Heirloom Varieties
 Cheaper?
 Sustainability/Independence
 Change Variety Makeup
 Opportunity
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

3. What to Save From?
 Heirlooms
 Self Pollinated Crops
 Annuals
 Open Pollinated Varieties
 No Hybrids Unless…
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

4. Maintaining Genetic
Diversity
 How Many Plants to Keep
 Mating Biology
 Genetic Drift
 Available Space
 More Plants or More Seeds
 Seed Yield Ratio
 Seed Quantity Needed
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

5. Maintaining Genetic
Diversity
 How Many Plants to Keep
 Plant Selection
 Reason For Selection
 Eliminated Undesirables
 Move in New Direction
 New Possibility
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

6. Maintaining Genetic
Diversity
 How Many Plants to Keep
 Plant Selection
 Population Makeup
 Population Uniformity
 Narrow Genetic Base
 Open Pollinated
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

7. Maintaining Genetic
Diversity
 How Many Plants to Keep
 Plant Selection
 Population Makeup
 Pollination Biology
 mating behavior
 pollen transfer
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

8. Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

9. Seed Purity
 Dependent on Starting Material
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

10. Seed Purity
 Dependent on Starting Material
 Selection and Rouging Procedures
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

11. Seed Purity
 Dependent on Starting Material
 Selection and Rouging Procedures
 Cleanliness
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

12. Seed Purity
 Dependent on Starting Material
 Selection and Rouging Procedures
 Cleanliness
 Proper Labeling – Seed to Seed
 Variety Name
 Common or Scientific Name
 Date
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

13. Seed Purity
 Dependent on Starting Material
 Selection and Rouging Procedures
 Cleanliness
 Proper Labeling – Seed to Seed
 Seed Saving Goals and Objectives
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

14. Seed Purity
 Dependent on Starting Material
 Selection and Rouging Procedures
 Cleanliness
 Proper Labeling – Seed to Seed
 Seed Saving Goals and Objectives
 Pollen Flow Control
 Start to Finish
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

15. Isolation Distances
 Crop Specific
 Pollination Biology
 Self Pollination
 Cleistogamy
 Wind Pollinated
 Insect Pollinated
 Animal Pollinated
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

16. Isolation Distances
 Crop Specific
 Location Specific
 In Geographic Space
 In Time
 Exclusion of Pollinators
Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics

17. Hawai’i Public Seed Initiative
Seed Saving and Production Basics