Genetic principles and the use of native seeds—just the FAQs, please, just the FAQs

Abstract

To make intelligent choices in the marketplace, native seed customers should have a working understanding of genetic principles and terminology as they apply to self-pollinated, cross-pollinated, and apomictic plant materials. Customers should understand the genetic implications of a species’ breeding system, the various approaches used to decide what should be planted where, the risk of inbreeding or outbreeding depression, the meaning of commonly misunderstood terms such as “ecotype” and “cultivar,” and the role of hybridization and artificial selection in plant materials development. Plant material selection involves consideration of geographic (such as ecoregion, precipitation, winter hardiness, soil type), genetic (molecular markers), and adaptation (field testing) data.