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| I have been following the posts below about saving seed wheat. It has been the standard practice forever in western Canada, much to the chagrin of the seed producer lobby.
A few years ago, I had some variety demonstration plots on my farm and had my eyes opened in the process.
First, purity is not what they would have you believe. In the case of durum wheat, it was astounding the percentage of "off types" that were allowed (and them rogued from the plots before field day).
Secondly, relative performance as related to a standard variety is based on a minimum of three test years data, only one of which had to be done in "Co-operative tests" conducted by a public agency. Thus, private data from two years tests, where the standard operating procedure was to destroy any test plots not "performing to standards" could swamp any scientifically sound data.
My policy, observe variety performance that neighbours have grown. Allow for different performance in different years. Select for desirable traits, NOT ALWAYS YIELD.
Buy seed from a neighbour if it is a public variety, otherwise buy enough for small field and use saved seed the next year.
I don't need an exotic weed introduced from a seed multiplication plot in Mexico or New Zealand.
Have a good one. | |
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seed wheat
