The conservation of vegetable seeds (part one)

by Benoît Bleau, translation Sheila Lord  (October 2015)

Mainly in order to preserve the genetic characteristics which are judged to be particularly interesting and different from what is sold at present in grocery stores, where the number of varieties of each vegetable is relatively limited. In fact it is rare to find more than three varieties of lettuces, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, etc.

And yet there are hundreds in existence. So why can no more be found? Quite simply be- cause the agribusiness, for different reasons, has deliberately rejected them, whereas, in regional farmers’ markets, one has the pleasure of discovering colors, aromas, textures and flavors which are rarely encountered in the food distribution chains. This is why, if I am lucky enough to come across an interesting variety, I pick out a fine specimen of fruit or vegetable and I conserve the seeds for a future year. Another advantage of this is that by growing the plant in question myself I can be sure that it will adapt to my environment.

Some precise details are required here. Since we are speaking here about seeds, we are referring to sexual reproduction and varieties grown by man called cultivars, which is a contraction of the English term “CULTivated VARiety”. Two types of cultivars are chiefly to be found on the market. First of all hybrid cultivars F, which have been developed by modern seed companies for their so-called superior yield, but mainly because it is impossible to reproduce them from seed while also keeping the characteristics of the parents. There is also a second type of cultivar which results from open or free pollinization, descended from the selection made by farmers before the arrival of modern agriculture, the seeds of which are easily reproduced. These seeds called ‘traditional’ are also called ‘heritage seeds’ ‘patrimony seeds’, or ‘ancestral seeds’. It is therefore this type of cultivar which is sought out just for the pleasure of conserving it as well as for future generations. Before planting these varieties it is important to know the distance to be maintained between the different cultivars so as to ensure purity. Otherwise if they are too close together there is a risk of cross-pollinization with another cultivar which would modify the characteristics of the parent we want to reproduce.

tomatoesTomatoes
There is a technique for conservation appropriate for each family of plants and even for each type of plant.

Let us first take solanaceous plants, the family of eggplants, pep- pers, potatoes, tobacco and ….tomatoes. The latter are what I miss most in summer, as during the period from the first frosts up to the middle of July, I cannot eat tomatoes from the grocery store. So this is another reason to enjoy them whilst they are plentiful in the garden. There are hundreds of tomato cultivars in existence, and they are all equally succulent. It up to us to discover them.

Since tomatoes are self-fertilizing and since the pistil is usually short, an unfamiliar pollen would have difficulty in reaching it, so that a distance of 5 metres is sufficient to keep two cultivars apart. On the other hand, some much earlier cultivars have a longer pistil which makes it easier for insects to pollinate them; in this case a distance of 50 metres between cultivars is advised.

tomates2How to conserve seeds

  1. Begin by leaving some fruits (tomatoes in this case) to ripen longer on the plant.
  2. Cut these tomatoes in half.
    Take out the seeds together with the pulp and place it all in a container.
  3. When a mould forms on the surface, pass the contents through a sieve fine enough to keep back the seeds, then rinse it all, stirring gently with the fingers to clean off the seeds and remove the pulp.
  4. Spread out the seeds on a dish-towel to let them dry.
  5. Always take great care to identify clearly the variety, as each tomato seed looks just like any other tomato seed. And also check that there are no seeds left in the sieve before it is used for another cultivar.

Due to lack of space unfortunately it is not possible here for me to list other types of plants. However, there are many resources at the local library or on the web to help you until the next edition of the bulletin comes out with more information.