Questions and Answers

What proportion of the annual cost of production of the average farmer is spent for seeds?

About 2 percent the least of any major element in his cost of operations.

What is the estimated age of the oldest known viable seed?

Certain lotus seeds believed to be more than 1 thousand years old have germinated. This is unusual, however, since most agricultural seeds lose their viability in a few years. Weed seeds may remain viable 25, 50, or 100 years.

What part of plants constitutes the greatest portion of the world's human food supply?

Seeds.

From what part of plants are most "vegetable oils" derived for industrial and food uses?

The seeds.

Do the characteristics and uniformity of a seed-propagated variety or stock remain constant?

No. Characteristics and uniformity of varieties and stocks of naturally cross-pollinating crops tend to change to some degree under natural (or artificial) selection pressures. Theoretically at least, varieties of self-pollinated crops should remain constant indefinitely. Accidental mixtures of varieties, however, frequently occur. Mutations of genes also occur infrequently. As a consequence, even varieties of self-pollinated crops may change. Constant and skillful effort is required to keep varieties and stocks in close conformity to the desired standards.

How many seeds does one parent plant produce?

Some annual species may produce an average number as low as a dozen; others, 200 thousand or more. Some trees in a lifetime produce many millions.

What is breeder seed?

Seed produced by the originator of a new variety that is planted for the production of foundation seed or "stock seed."

What is "stock" seed?

To the producers of vegetables and flower seeds, it is the carefully rogued and otherwise "controlled" seed from which seeds are grown for planting crops for ordinary home or commercial use.

Can all species of crop plants be identified by the appearance of their seeds alone?

No; although most of them can be. Two or more species within some genera may produce seeds that appear the same.

Can varieties of crops be identified only by the appearance of the seeds?

Some varieties of peas, beans, corn, and other relatively large-seeded plants produce seeds so distinctly characteristic of the respective varieties as to constitute a dependable identification of the variety, but this is not generally true. Stem, leaf, flower, fruit, performance, and other characteristics usually must be taken into account to identify a variety.

Which is richer in vitamins a dormant seed or a germinating seed?

The germinating seed hence the nutritive value of bean sprouts and malted grain.

How does a true seed differ from a one-seeded fruit?

A true seed consists of the embryo, endosperm (when present) and integuments (seedcoat or covering) of the ovule from which it developed. A one-seeded fruit has an additional layer in the covering, which is contributed by the ovary wall. Identification of a one-seeded fruit is certain when it is determined that the ovary of the flower develops a single ovule.

Which plants produce the largest and the smallest seeds?

Seeds of some orchids are so small they cannot be seen with the naked eye and look like dust. The largest seed is probably a coconut that is found only in Malagasy and reaches a length of more than 1 foot and may weigh 40 to 50 pounds. The coconut is a dry, one-seeded drupe. The "meat" is the seed. The fibrous and hard shells are part of the ovary walls. The commercial coconut is therefore a fruit and not a seed.

Is the seed a reproductive structure?

Functionally, the seed is a reproductive structure in that it serves to increase and multiply the plant species. Structurally, the seed is a young, resting plant waiting for favorable conditions to again start growing. Processes of sexual reproduction are completed in the ovules of the flower long before seed maturity.

A hickory nut or a walnut that has been kept dry all winter will not germinate in the spring. Why?

Because at maturity the embryo of the nut enters a period of dormancy or rest as soon as it becomes dry, and the only way to break this deep sleep is to keep the seed moist and cool for a certain period (usually 2 months or more). Then it will sprout and grow.

How necessary are pollinating insects in the production of seeds?

Blossoms of some crops are self-sterile, although they contain both pistil and pollen, and to be fruitful need pollen from another plant of the same variety or species. In other crops, the male and female components are borne on separate blossoms on the same plant or different plants. Some pollens are windborne. Others are heavy, sticky, or spiny and need to be transported by insects. Flowers of certain plants are peculiarly adapted to insect pollination.

How many seed crops are dependent on bees for yields of seeds?

More than 35 seed crops are dependent on bees for seed production or yield more abundantly when bees are present. Among the more important are alfalfa, asparagus, beans, cabbage, carrot, celery, cauliflower, cucumber, clovers, muskmelon, onion, radish, squash, sunflower, vetches, and watermelon.

How many insects are detrimental to seed production?

In the broad sense that any insect that injures the plant affects seed production, probably a few hundred species are involved. Only a few dozen species directly attack the flowering parts or the seed, however, and only some of them inflict serious damage.

Where can I get seeds of fast-growing hybrid pines?

Seeds of hybrid pines are not available commercially. They are being used in research or for forest planting by those who produce them.

How can I get the seed out of a pine cone?

Most cones open up and shed their seeds as they dry out naturally. A few, like jack pine, will open readily only when heated up to about 140 F. for about a day.

How old must a pine tree be before it bears seeds?

Many pines start to bear seeds when they are 15 to 20 years old, occasionally when only 10. Some, like the sugar pine of the West, seldom bear seeds before they are 40 to 50 years old.

Is it necessary to identify clearly as a "brand" the brand or trademark each time it is used in a price list with the name of the kind and variety of seed?

No. We are of the opinion that it is in compliance with the Federal Seed Act to identify clearly in the masthead of a price list the terms used as a brand or trademark without identifying the brand or trademark as such each time it is used on the same page. For example, "The term 'Blank' is our brand (or trademark) and is not a part of the name of the kind or variety."

If I obtain a laboratory report from my supplier, is it necessary for me to have another test made before labeling seeds for interstate shipment?

The basis for labeling seeds in interstate commerce is left to the interstate shipper to determine. If the seeds are labeled correctly, the basis upon which they were labeled will not be questioned. If, however, the seeds are found to be falsely labeled, the shipper's basis for labeling will be subject to inquiry to determine whether he took proper precautions in labeling the seeds. It would appear that a person who, in good faith, obtains his own representative sample from a properly blended lot of seeds as it is received and has it tested by a qualified seed analyst would normally have taken proper precautions. On the other hand, a person who relies on a laboratory report furnished by his supplier is taking a certain amount of risk, as he cannot know whether the sample reported on properly represents the seeds he has received or that the seed lot is uniformly blended.

If seeds are held in storage until the date of test expires, is a retest of the original file sample considered a reliable basis for determining the percentage of germination and renewing the date of test shown on the labels?

No. Seeds stored in a warehouse do not always retain their viability the same as a small sample stored under different conditions. A new sample of the seeds actually in storage should be obtained for the purpose of retesting and relabeling.