How do I know if a seed is a hybrid?
First of all, look for the words “hybrid” or “F1” on seed packets. Any plant that has separate male and female flowers is most likely outbred. Plants with closed flowers, such as peas and beans, are usually inbred.
A hybrid is created by crossing two different varieties of the same plant. Crossing involves taking the pollen from the male flower of one plant and transferring it to the female flower parts of a different plant. Once the ovary of the female flower is pollinated, it will begin to swell and form a fruit.
Crossing two genetically different plants produces a hybrid seed (plant) by means of controlled pollination. To produce consistent F1 hybrids, the original cross must be repeated for each season.
A hybrid seed is the cross between two genetically different plants of the same species, such as two varieties of corn. These seeds are cross-pollinated by hand, with the goal to combine the desirable genetics of the two “plant parents,” such as larger fruit size or better resilience to disease.
Do not save seed from F1 or hybrid plants if you want to be certain that the plants grown from the seed will be the same as their parents. Plants that grow from seed saved from hybrid plants generally are less vigorous, more variable, and usually have smaller blossoms and yield less than their parents.
Heirloom vegetables or seeds refer to any type of seed that has been grown for a number of years (since 1940 or before seems to be the general rule) and passed down from gardener to gardener.
Heirlooms are seed varieties that are at least 50 years old, and you can save these seeds and plant them year after year. Heirlooms are never hybrids or GMOs.
Be sure to save heirloom seeds, as they can be planted year after year. Heirloom seeds are never hybrids or GMO's. Heirloom varieties are quite often better-tasting, higher quality, and hardier than other seed types.
You shouldn't save seed from hybrid vegetables because they won't produce true in the next generation.
A hybrid can be produced organically. It does not mean that we are genetically modifying the seed on a cellular level. At High Mowing Organic Seeds we define hybrids in the following way: "Hybrids result from the deliberate crossing of two different parent varieties from the same species.
Can organic farmers use hybrid seeds?
The use of genetic engineering, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is prohibited in organic products. This means an organic farmer can't plant GMO seeds, an organic cow can't eat GMO alfalfa or corn, and an organic soup producer can't use any GMO ingredients.
Organic seeds are non-GMO which means that these seeds cannot be modified genetically in any way. However, you can produce hybrids using organic seeds by cross-pollinating with other varieties to get the best attributes of each variety.
The “USDA ORGANIC” label on seed packets assures gardeners the seeds were grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides or genetically engineered seeds and materials.
The term “heirloom” has increased in popularity in recent years, but what exactly does it mean? “Heirloom” describes a seed's heritage, specifically a documented heritage of being passed down from generation to generation within a family or community.
What Are Heirloom Seeds? A seed variety is typically considered an heirloom if it existed more than 50 years ago, but some plant experts only classify seeds cultivated before World War II as heirlooms. Either way, like the name suggests, heirloom seeds have been around a long while.
Legality. While saving seed and even exchanging seed with other farmers for biodiversity purposes has been a traditional practice, these practices have become illegal for the plant varieties that are patented or otherwise owned by some entity (often a corporation).
Plants grown from hybrid seeds typically do not produce seeds that can be used to grow the same type of plants and can even produce seeds that will not grow at all. Though the term “hybrid seeds” is often used in relation to vegetables, any kind of plant that produces seeds can be bred into a hybrid variety.
When you plant the seeds from these hybrids, the new generation will revert back to the parent varieties. These may not have the best flavor, production, or space saving qualities. However, if you save the seed from the best plants each year, you can eventually come up with a brand new variety.
Seed Identification: Using Seed Drawings, Photographs, and Descriptors. Many people use seed drawings, called "plates", to come to the identity of a seed they are looking at. Photographs of seeds may also be used for this. Good visualization skills are needed for this comparison type of seed identification.
Burpee Non-GMO Promise
As America's most trusted supplier of vegetable and flower seeds and plants, Burpee has always supplied home gardeners with safe, non-GMO hybrids and tried-and-true heirloom seeds.
Are there any non-GMO seeds left?
Yes, organic seeds are non-GMO seeds!
Non-hybrid seeds, or cross-pollination seeds, are naturally pollinated. They come in a wealth of different varieties, and produce seeds which grow into plants with similar characteristics as the original plant. Over successive generations, non-hybrid plants may also adapt to local growing conditions.
For 145 years and counting, Burpee has been innovating and inspiring gardeners to grow. We offer a broad range of hybrid, heirloom, and certified organic seeds and plants because we know that no two gardens or gardeners are alike.
For short-term storage, such as for next year's garden, storing the seed jar in a cool, dark, moisture-free environment is sufficient. Heirloom seeds stored this way will last for 3-5 years. For longer storage, place the jar in the refrigerator and the seeds should be good for 10-15 years.
In its simplest form, an F2 is the result of saving seed from an Fl hybrid; in other words, it's the next generation.