Monday 4 May 2020

Difference between open pollinated seeds and Hybrid seeds

5/04/2020 12:29:00 am    No comments

There are so many differences between open pollinated seeds and hybrid seeds. Firstly, let us know about a seed and how it is important for nature. A seed is a reproductive structure containing a fertilized embryonic plant in an arrested state of development. It is in dormancy until sown. Seeds vary in color, shape, size and texture.

There are three types of seeds. They are Open pollinated seeds, Hybrid seeds, Genetically modified seeds or GMOs.


Open pollinated seeds

Pollinated by natural means (wind, insects, birds). Either within the same flower or between 2 flowers of the same plant. They are classified into two types. Heritage seeds and Heirloom seeds.


Features:


  • Can be saved. They create pure seeds that are similar in characteristics to the parent plant.
  • Able to adapt to a specific local environment.
  • To maintain varietal purity, they require isolation while growing.
  • Naturally resistant to pests.
  • Vigorous and need less water. High-yielding in right conditions. Most cost-effective.


    • Hybrid seeds

    Produced by pollinating 2 or more open-pollinated varieties in the laboratory, for promoting specific characteristics of the parent plant(s).

    Features:



  • Usually high-yielding, compared to the parent; since the plant’s energy unused for reproduction is used for its growth.
  • Hybrid varieties do not reproduce true-to-type. They cannot be saved.
  • They are expensive as they need to be purchased for every sowing.
  • They result in a loss of biodiversity as they do not preserve the properties of the parent open-pollinated plants.
  • Hybrids typically require corrosive chemical fertilizers and pesticides with intensive irrigation.


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    Farm Update April 2020

    5/04/2020 12:05:00 am    No comments

    This month April 2020, we didn't grown much for the farmer markets.

    We grown few bottle gourds, okra, cucumber for the Kitchen.


    These are bottle gourds round variety which are growing well.

    This month we setup a small plot for food security nearly 5 to 6 cents. We planted cow pea, pigeon pea, Ber tree seeds, purple beans, curry leaf, Jasmine flower plants and hibiscus flower plants.

    Sown chilly kanthri variety and brinjal green variety  seeds in a small bunds for saplings propagation. After getting saplings will transplant to the raised bed.


    First the ber tree seeds, second the brinjal green variety seeds, third the chilli kanthri variety seeds.

    Need to mention the chilli kanthri variety seeds. You can harvest chillies for two years. First color of this chilly will be white, when it ripes it turn to red. Moreover it is more spicy than other chillies.




    The purple beans which yields beans in high quantity and it is a dwarf and short term crop of about 2 months.



    10 rows for food security


    Would like to sow seeds of perrineals and trees as much as I can in this plot.


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