2,657 'New' Vegetable Varieties!

(Page 2 of 2)

October/November 2005
By Umut Newbury 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

“Each state formerly had an agricultural experiment station that bred vegetables, berries and fruits specifically for that state,” Whealy says. “These experiment stations used to have dynamic breeding programs that involved some of the best breeders in the United States, but many of the stations are now closed. Also, public sector breeding is in rapid decline as young botanists pursue more glamorous careers in bioengineering, where all of the research money is right now.”

RELATED CONTENT

These combined factors have resulted in the development of fewer new varieties. Only 10 percent of the 274 companies in the sixth edition of the SSE inventory introduced 60 percent of the new varieties during the last six years.

“Almost all of today’s vegetable breeding is for commercial applications — for example, tomatoes with tough skin and solid flesh to allow machine harvesting and shipping across the country,” Whealy says. “Those commercial varieties are the far end of the spectrum from the best traditional varieties and heirlooms, which are popular because of their flavor and tenderness."

The role of backyard gardeners, he says, is the stewardship of this garden heritage. "Gardeners are the most motivated of any stewards currently at work with genetic preservation. A great garden heritage already exists — all we have to do is save it!"

To receive SSE's free 92-page seed catalog, call (563) 382-5990, or visit the Seed Savers Exchange Web site.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.