Open-Pollenated Vegetable Plants

Seed from open-pollinated vegetables can be saved year-to-year.

A seed packet with "F1" or "Hybrid" on the label means it is a genetic combination of two varieties of the plant. Labels with "Heirloom," "Heritage" or "Open-pollinated" are pollinated naturally by birds, bees, butterflies and other insects. Open-pollinated vegetable plants produce seed that replicates the parent plant. Hybrid vegetable plants produce seed that grows into an unpredictable genetic combination.

Hybrids

Hybrid seeds are a benefit to commercial vegetable plant growers because the results are uniform. Pollination of hybrid vegetable plants is done very carefully to select characteristics such as days to harvest, resistance to particular diseases and uniformity of shape. This is a more expensive seed-producing process than for open-pollinated seeds. Hybrid seeds are also bred to withstand environmental conditions such as drought, heat or cold. They often produce higher yields than open-pollinated seeds.

Open-pollinated

Pollination occurs when pollen grains are moved from the male to the female part of the vegetable flower. Bees, bats, butterflies, birds and the wind move pollen naturally. The fertilized flower produces seed which grows inside the vegetable. At harvest, the healthiest, most productive, most flavorful vegetable plants are used as seed crop. They are left on the plant to fully ripen. Organic seed companies continually select the superior strain of vegetables to offer as next year's crop seed.

Seed Saving

Many home gardeners save the seed from the best-tasting, best-performing tomato or other vegetable in the summer's harvest. This seed is best suited for the particular soil, water and air conditions of the garden. Open-pollinated seeds that have been grown for generations in a region become adapted to the area's insects, soil and climate. Heirloom vegetables grown from these naturally selected seeds often have superior taste. Saving open-pollinated heirloom vegetable seeds also provides a living link to past generations of gardeners. Many heirloom seed varieties are named for their country and local region of origin.

Environmental Effect

Commercial production of hybrid vegetable seeds and plants involves the use of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and synthetic fertilizer. Commercial organic growing practices do not allow the use of non-natural sources for soil or crop enhancement. Organic open-pollinated seed production comes under the stringent guidelines of the USDA National Organic Program. Home gardeners who wish to avoid the use of synthetic materials, including GMO (genetically modified) seeds, choose open-pollinated, heirloom vegetable plants and seeds.

References

• University of Florida Extension; Seed Production & Seed Sources of Organic Vegetables"; Bonina, et al.; 2009
• Oregon State University Extension; How are Hybrid & Open-pollinated Vegetables Different?; Carol Savonen

Resources

• Clemson University Cooperative Extension; Heirloom Vegetables; Karen Russ, et al. 1999