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1. This document is HS981, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date, July 2004. Revised November 2009. Visit the EDIS Web site at
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. Jennifer Bonina, graduate assistant, and Daniel J. Cantliffe, distinguished professor and chair, Horticultural Sciences Department, Cooperative Extension
Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and
other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex,
sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service,
University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie
Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean
Seed Production and Seed Sources of Organic Vegetables 2
watermelon, and some other cucurbits were produced the field twice as long as a conventional crop
using traditional methods in the past (Hawthorn et al, harvested for fruit and also for increased monitoring
1954). Commercial peanut seed production also to ensure high seed quality and purity.
continues to thrive in Florida. There are areas of
Florida that have the potential to produce organic Standard production of vegetable seeds requires
vegetable seeds, such as watermelon, muskmelon, chemical herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and
and other cucurbits. Conditions in Florida are not fertilizers. An increase in the amount of chemical
conducive for growing longer-season crops such as products used on seed crops may occur due to the
lettuce and carrots due to prolonged high length of time the crops remain in the field. As a
temperatures and other environmental conditions. result, plant diseases and insects have more time to
attack the crop during seed maturation (George,
Many organic growers want to grow 1993). With these factors playing a role in
open-pollinated as well as hybrid cultivars. To be conventional seed production, the challenges for
considered a hybrid, the seed must be the offspring of organic seed production are increased.
two parents that differ in one or more heritable
characteristics. For example, a green bean cultivar The USDA Guidelines for Organic
that has excellent flavor but is susceptible to a certain Produce and Seeds
pest and a different cultivar that is tolerant of the
same pest could be crossed, and the new hybrid Organic farming practices began on small farms
might have both excellent flavor and be resistant to in the United States during the 1940s. As the
the pest, provided the parents are homozygous. Seeds diversity of crops labeled organic increased, a need
collected from a grown hybrid cultivar will not be arose for certification standards and regulations to
true to type when replanted and thus cannot be saved ensure proper guidelines for growing organic crops.
to plant next year's crop (Kirschenbaum, 2000). By the 1980s, the organic industry had increased
dramatically, resulting in the establishment of the
One of the alternatives to hybrids is Organic Certification Board, which issued the
open-pollinated cultivars. These are produced by Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), identifying
selfing or outcrossing to the same parental type. "organic" produce. New laws now stipulate that as of
Other open-pollinated cultivars are referred to as October 2002 all producers and handlers must be
heirloom cultivars because they have been grown for certified by a USDA certification agent to label or
many decades. There is no standard length of time sell a crop as "organically grown." The new
that a cultivar has to be grown in order to be regulations also include new standards for seed
considered an heirloom cultivar, but generally 40 sources when producing organic crops:
years is minimum (Kirschenbaum, 2000).
205.204 The producer must use organically
Since hybrid production requires obtaining the grown seeds, annual seedlings, and planting stock,
two inbred parents for crossing, hybrids are mostly Except, That, (1) Nonorganically produced, untreated
produced by commercial seed companies who own or seeds and planting stock may be used to produce an
develop the parental stocks. Thus, for smaller organic crop when an equivalent organically
commercial seed companies and producers who grow produced variety is not commercially available,
their own organic seeds, only open pollinated Except, That, organically produced seed must be used
cultivars are produced. for the production of edible sprouts.
Conventional vs. Organic Seed Though the guidelines do not require that all
Production seeds be organically produced, at present, if seeds are
not available by January, 2004, a new regulation will
Vegetable crops are produced for two distinct require producers of organic crops to use organically
markets, fresh and processed. Conventional cultural produced seeds for all crops:
practices are fairly similar. Growing crops for seed
requires a longer season since the crop must stay in
Seed Production and Seed Sources of Organic Vegetables 3
5.3.1 Recommended Practices: Organically way to deliver water to the crop without wetting
produced seeds, seedlings, scions and rootstocks; vegetative plant parts, thereby reducing potential
Other forms of non-toxic seed treatments, such as hot disease problems.
water, legume inoculants, pelletization (when not
involving fungicides); Assorted plant and/or animal It is important that the fertility of the soil is
preparations, biodynamic preparations, microbial improved when producing organically since chemical
activators, bacterial inoculants, and mycorhizea, etc. fertilizers cannot be used. To ensure good soil fertility
All products must be naturally occurring (not the and fewer soil diseases, crop rotation, use of a cover
result of genetic engineering); 5.3.2 Restricted crop, green manure crops, mulch, animal compost,
Practices Untreated conventionally produced seed and plant material compost can all be used. Florida's
may be used if organically produced seed is soils are generally sandy, which provides good
unavailable until 2003. Thereafter, organically drainage and ease of tillage, yet nutrients are leached
produced seed must be used; the extent to which readily during heavy rains (Simone et al., 2001).
producers rely on non- plant materials should be
Organic or natural fertilizers are generally made
clearly documented.
from bone meal, blood meal, horse, and chicken
Guidelines for Organic Seed manure, mushroom compost, ash from sunflower
seed hulls, and many other substances (White, 2001).
Production
Considerations and modifications must be made
Land Selection depending on the specific land selection and soil
conditions. There are many commercial organic
Good farming practices are especially important fertilizers available for organic crops; the major ones
when growing vegetable crops for seed. Proper are listed below. See Organic Vegetable Production at
selection of land is critical to ensure maximum the UF/IFAS Extension publications Web site for a
quality and economic yield. Crops should be rotated more extensive list.
to reduce pest problems and any potential for seed
contamination by open pollination with similar • Composted manure (mushroom compost is
species types. mostly manure), or blood meal or feather meal,
used to increase nitrogen content. Dried blood is
The seed production field should not have known also a useful nitrogen source when used with
weed problems that are too difficult to control wood chip mulching, which is high in carbon and
through organic means as weeds will compete low in nitrogen.
significantly with the crop, resulting in seed yield and
purity problems. Weed management is a major • Wood ashes, or potash, for increased
problem with organic crop production. potassium.
Land Preparation and Soil Fertilization • Rock phosphate, often crushed rock that
contains elevated levels of phosphate.
Soil should be tilled to ensure a fine seed bed,
which is critical for germination, particularly with • Seaweed extract, which is not a fertilizer, but
small-seeded crops. The soil should have good aids plant growth and resistance to pests and
water-holding capacity to allow for uniform disease.
germination and continued vegetative growth. In
Inoculates used with bean and pea seeds provide
Florida, the beds should be raised and shaped
beneficial fungi, which work with the plant's roots to
depending on rainfall. Uniformity of seedbeds is
help them fix nitrogen from the air. Cover crops used
especially important because the seeds are often
between seasons as green manure may increase soil
precision planted, and uniform emergence and organic matter for the growing season (Simone et al.,
seedling development are required for optimum
2001).
management. Proper irrigation is necessary to ensure
growth during droughts. Drip irrigation is an effective
Seed Production and Seed Sources of Organic Vegetables 4
Weed, Insect, and Fungal Management Another viable pest control method is through
biological control. This practice is highly compatible
Management of weeds and pests is critical to with organic seed production, and it does not involve
ensure that organically produced seeds have high the use of chemicals. Biological control is defined as
yield and quality. After harvest of the primary host the decline of pest populations by natural enemies
crop, it is common for insect pests to move to another (Hoffman et al., 1993). Biological control utilizes
crop in a neighboring field. This is the case for the three sources of natural enemies that can be used to
Lygus bug, which will feed on legume crops until control harmful pests and reduce the use of organic
they are harvested, when it will move to umbiliferous pesticides. The first group includes parasitoid insects,
crops such as carrots. Other insects, such as cabbage which lay their eggs inside another insect. An
looper, infest crops in the Brassica family and cause example of a parasitoid insect is the wasp, Aphidius
loss of vegetative parts, effectively reducing seed colemani, which lays its eggs in aphid adults. The
yield and quality. wasp matures inside the aphid egg, killing the aphid
and continuing the wasps' life cycle. The second
Aphids are a problem, especially at harvest group of beneficial insects is predators, which eat
because they secrete "honeydew" on crops including other insects. A common predator is the lady beetle,
Seed Production and Seed Sources of Organic Vegetables 5
which preys on insects and mites. The third group mature red fruit, compared to the green fruit. In any
includes the weed feeders, which feed on weed case, wet-seeded fruits can be harvested, the pulp
populations. Insects such as a weevil, Hylobius processed, and the seeds removed. The seeds must
transversovittatus feed on certain weeds, including then be washed in water and then dried, either in the
purple loosestrife. Pathogens such as fungi, viruses, sun or by rotating in a large drum before oven drying.
bacteria, and nematodes are also capable of Modifications must be made with certain crops, such
destroying weed populations and are called as melons, to remove the mucilaginous coating
bioherbicides. Reducing weed populations is highly around the seed. When the seeds are removed from
beneficial because often times during winter, pests the pulp and outer coatings, they should be dried
live in weeds surrounding fields used for seed immediately to prevent fermentation (McDonald et
production (Hoffman et al., 1997). It is important to al. 1997).
note that there are many beneficial insects that can be
used to control a large number of pests. For more Cleaning and Storage
information on which beneficial insects to choose for
Once seeds are harvested, threshed, and
a particular crop and for sources of beneficial insects
extracted, they should be evaluated to determine if
for biological control, contact the Cornell University
further cleaning is required to remove any debris such
Web site for Biological Control at as dirt or plant parts. Small seeds such as carrots are
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol and for
sorted and separated using a debearder machine to
North American suppliers go to
remove unwanted outer seed parts. All seeds should
http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pestmgt/ipminov/
be single units and all stored according to their
bensup.pdf.
individual temperature/humidity requirements. Seeds
Harvesting, Threshing and Drying are best stored at 50% relative humidity at 50°F
(Vavrina, 1995).
Vegetable seed crops are separated into two
categories: those that produce wet-seeded fruits and Organic Seed Treatments: Pelleting
those that are dry seeded. Wet-seeded crops include Techniques
tomatoes, peppers, cucurbits and those that are dry
seeded include the brassicas, legumes, and onions. The commercial seed industry often pellets seed,
Harvesting method depends on the type of seed being if the seed is irregularly shaped or small.
produced. Developments in seed technology have allowed for
artificial seed-pelleting materials to aid in regulation
When harvesting dry-seeded crops, seed of water uptake by the seed, which can influence
shattering must be prevented because seed harvest germination rate. Seeds are pelleted with materials
generally occurs after the crop reaches physiological that coat them with multiple layers of inert materials
maturity. To reduce shattering, the stalks of the plant to shape and color the seed for better visualization
need to be cut while still green and field dried, during seeding. The drawback of pelleted seeds for
allowing for uniform seed maturation. Once the seeds organic growers is that the normal commercially
are mature, they can be machine- or hand-extracted. available pelleted seeds have substances used to
Observation may help to judge how the plant is pellet that contain synthetic ingredients not permitted
maturing and to detect signs such as drying of florets by the standards of the National Organic Program
or other plant parts. This can be complicated and it (NOP). According to the NOP Rules of the USDA
requires good knowledge of the crop, but it can lead National Organic Program, use of the USDA organic
to excellent seed quality because the seeds will be label or seal Subpart D describes the use of the
harvested at peak maturity and size. USDA organic label or seal.
Determining when wet-seeded crops are mature • For seed producers, much of the labeling
for seed harvest depends primarily on fruit color. information is not applicable.
Peppers and tomatoes are harvested at full color
because the percent germination is much higher in the
Seed Production and Seed Sources of Organic Vegetables 6
• For example, products may be labeled as seed. They promote new seed suppliers that may be
"100% organic," "organic," or "made with small but show innovation and promise for the
organic ingredients." Since raw seed is a single organic seed industry. The Organic Materials Review
composition product, it will either be "100% Institute (OMRI) also publishes an extensive listing
organic" or not. of organic seed suppliers that meet the OMRI
standards. Seed suppliers are required to pay a fee to
• Seed treatments must be approved by the be listed. Seed suppliers will soon be required to
National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) for provide a certificate in compliance with the Final
use on organic seed. Prohibited substances (such Organic Rule instead of only being required to meet
as synthetic pesticides) may not be used on the suppliers' local organic certifier requirements.
organic seed.
Listed below is a brief listing of contact
• Pelleting and film coating materials must also information of some of the major seed suppliers that
be approved. The only time a seed product may provide organic vegetable seed. For more
not qualify as "100% organic" is if a pelleting or information contact ATTRA online at the Organic
film coating material contains a minor Seed Suppliers' Search Web page –
component(s) that is not organic. At that point a http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/altseed.html – or
certifier would need to determine if it could be contact OMRI at http://www.omri.org.
labeled "organic," indicating a product that
contains (by weight or volume) not less than References
95% organically produced or processed
agricultural products, or "made with organic George, R.T. 1999. Vegetable Seed Production
ingredients," indicating made with at least 70% Second Edition. Longman Press, Essex.
organically produced ingredients.
Hawthorn, L.R., Pollard, L. 1954. Vegetable and
NATURECOAT®, a new technology developed Flower Seed Production. The Blackiston Company,
by Harris Moran Seed Company (Modesto, CA), is New York.
an organic seed pelleting material that meets the NOP
Hoffmann, M.P. and Frodsham, A.C. 1993.
standards and is accepted by The Organic Materials
Natural Enemies of Vegetable Insect Pests,
Review Institute (OMRI). OMRI reviewed the raw
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/
materials and processes used to create these raw
manual.html. Cooperative Extension, Cornell
materials and pellets to verify that no material used in
University, Ithaca, NY.
the process is synthetically derived.
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/info/
According to The Harris Moran Company, the biocont.html
pellet is a light density, melting pellet with a smooth
Kirschenbaum, J. 2000. Saving Your Own
white surface and excellent uniformity. The materials
Garden Seed. The Year Round Gardener. Terrestrial
form a pellet with a high porosity for increased
Seed Company.
oxygen availability. It has been thoroughly tested and
commercialized for use on carrot seed and should be http://www.territorial-seed.com/news/aug00/
aug00.html
approved for lettuce and onion in the near future.
Future work is planned to test NATURECOAT® on McDonald, M., Copeland, L. 1997. Seed
tomato, pepper, broccoli and cauliflower. Production Principles and Practices. International
Thomson Publishing.
Where to Find Organic Vegetable
Seeds NATURECOAT - Harris Morans New
"Organic" Seed Pellet for Carrots, Lettuce, Onions, &
The Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Miscellaneous Species. 2004. Harris Moran.
Areas (ATTRA) has made available a list of contact Modesto, CA.
information for suppliers of organic and untreated
Seed Production and Seed Sources of Organic Vegetables 7
http://www.harrismoran.com/technology/
naturecoat.htm
Further Information
Cultural practices and sample costs for organic
vegetable production on the central coast of
California.
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/pubs/costs/96/vege.htm
Sulfur Powdery mildew, rusts and Nonspecific denaturation Finely ground sulfur, Can burn plant tissue
some other fungal leaf of proteins and enzymes when used with copper and oils
diseases