Long term seed saving
 

Is it best to save seed from our favorite plant of a given variety year after year, or should we use seed from multiple plants?

I am wondering about severe inbreeding, that you could never find in nature?

Over the course of 30 generations, or so, will you see a difference in health and vigor between the two methods?

Is special plant selection the best way or not?

Anyway, I am getting a few years into several lines, I have been thinking I should save seed from multiple plants, and throw all of them in the mix together to keep some genetic diversity, however, I am not sure I have to either.

According to Carolyn others and myself it is better to have several seed donors of a given variety.
Do I practice it, no because I dont save that many seeds and sometimes I only have one plant.

Worth

I selected seeds to save from "Matt's Wild Cherry". I grew 4 plants from the seeds I had. I got them from a swap. All 4 plants grew like Matt's Wild Cherry is supposed to. Two of the plants produced currant sized tomatoes that tasted good and is more like what MWC is supposed to produce. Those two plants only produced currant sized tomatoes. The other two plants produced tomatoes that were smaller cherry (Sungold) sized. They produced this size only - no currant sized tomatoes. Same color as Matt's Wild Cherry, same taste, same plant size, but the production was a 'little' less. I saved seeds from the 2 plants that produced the larger fruit.

That was my personal choice. I want to be able to grow what I liked -but still needed other's input, so I asked many friends and relatives to try both tomatoes to see which one they liked better. 100%, they liked the bigger tomato more. That isn't saying I did the right thing by saving seeds from only the larger tomatoes, but it made sense to me. As I age, I'm learning that I should have opened my eyes long ago.

To answer your question, I think the best answer will come from you.

[QUOTE=AKmark;508865]Is it best to save seed from our favorite plant of a given variety year after year, or should we use seed from multiple plants?

I am wondering about severe inbreeding, that you could never find in nature?

Over the course of 30 generations, or so, will you see a difference in health and vigor between the two methods?

Is special plant selection the best way or not?

Anyway, I am getting a few years into several lines, I have been thinking I should save seed from multiple plants, and throw all of them in the mix together to keep some genetic diversity, however, I am not sure I have to either.[/QUOTE]

First, inbreeding does not occur with tomatoes.

If your concern is preventing cross pollination,which I think it is, and that's a different question,and also how best to preserve a variety, here's my advice.

First, about preserving a variety. and that depends on what you want to do with your saved seeds as to home use, trading, listing with SSE, etc.

There is genetic diversity within a variety so if you have just oneplant ,save seeds from as many fruits as you can, both large and small. Better to have two plants ,etc and save from from them.

The more plants you save seeds from the lower the possibility of saving seeds from fruits that have been X polllinated. I distributed about 1,000 seeds for Pervaya Lyubov before the first offtype appeared for instance.

Rates of cross pollination differ in all parts of the country and I know that's been addressed here many times, I know I've putup the link to Dr. Jeff McCormack and his article on NCP (natural cross pollination) many times.

If you save enough seeds of a variety in any given year then no need to do the same each year until the seeds get too old and germination is way down, and that issue has also been posted about a lot.

Carolyn

Mark, it seems to me that you have a really first rate, top notch operation going on there. Because you are basically a "Greenhouse" grower, there may be some varieties that will "adapt" to that growing scenario and produce more fruit with better flavor. In your case, I think I would advise you to follow the "taste trail". If it tastes good and it produces a lot of fruit, then how can you go wrong. Your customers will love you forever.

So, my advice is this. Play to your audience. You can keep a smaller collection of the ones you like and your customers are "so-so" about. It's just good business. Your plants will adapt somewhat to their environment and you'll probably end up with a list of varieties that just love your greenhouses and make you a popular person with the public. I wish you much success and lots of luck in that effort. Give the people the best you can and they will make you a happy merchant.

Ted, I appreciate the kind advice, which I think is sound. We eat a lot of tomatoes, and I share a lot just to find out what tastes great. Thanks again,
Mark

I guess I should have clarified some of my intentions Carolyn. I sell a couple thousand plants in the spring, I have to save seed every year. I want to make sure I tailor a line if it can be, or preserve it in its best form if that's the course.
Can anyone recommend some basic tomato genetic books for someone with basic chemistry and biology skills, other words, tomato genetics for dummies?

[QUOTE=AKmark;509247]I guess I should have clarified some of my intentions Carolyn. I sell a couple thousand plants in the spring, I have to save seed every year. I want to make sure I tailor a line if it can be, or preserve it in its best form if that's the course.
Can anyone recommend some basic tomato genetic books for someone with basic chemistry and biology skills, other words, tomato genetics for dummies?[/QUOTE]

I hope someone can. I will read it too.

We've had many questions and threads about saving seeds for hobbyists and growers, but I'm curious -- how do commercial seed houses (or even the USDA) keep their long-term seeds? Refrigerated storage? Gases (probably N2)? Sealed storage cans/containers with Nitrogen, etc. I suspect they go "a step beyond" what a hobby gardener does.

-GG

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault stores at -18°C (about 0°F) with low moisture. They don't use nitrogen, but the underground facility has a naturally low oxygen Level.

Steve

[QUOTE=sjamesNorway;536903]The Svalbard Global Seed Vault stores at -18°C (about 0°F) with low moisture. The don't use nitrogen, but the underground facility has a naturally low oxygen Level.

Steve[/QUOTE]

60 Minutes did a story on the Seed Vault last year. Very educational.