Are you confused by terms like: hybrid, genetically modified, heredity, open pollination, heredity and microsystem? In this article we’ll go over some basics that will help clear up some of the confusion.
First, let’s look at the difference between a microsystem and an ecosystem. For gardeners, an ecosystem would be used to describe the region’s average high and low temperatures, sea level, rainfall and humidity, and the area. A microsystem could be your entire property or sections of the property. For example, if you have one corner that tends to stay humid and another that gets mostly shade, while a different area gets full sun… those are all examples of different microsystems. Each microsystem will have plants and wildlife that will thrive in those particular conditions.
Hybrid seeds are created when two single parents are mechanically or deliberately cross-pollinated. The introduction of foreign genetic material on a molecular scale produces genetically modified (GM) crops.
Open pollination means that the plants occur naturally with nature doing all the work.
Heirloom has come to mean open-pollinated seeds that are known to have been cultivated for at least one, and often several generations.
Heirloom refers to seed varieties that go back much further than a few generations.
Did you know that in some cases it is illegal to save transgenic seeds? A registered trademark indicates genetic manipulation and that is the legal property of the laboratories that designed it.
Biopiracy and bioprospecting imply patent rights on the development of certain combinations of genes. They’ve even found a way to incorporate terminator genes (also known as suicide seeds), which means that while the plant can produce quality food from seeds, those seeds won’t germinate. Hybrid plant products will also not produce true to form. Instead, it will start to revert to one or the other of its parents and its seeds will be different and quite possibly weaken each year thereafter. While open pollinated seed will always produce true to form as long as proper seed saving procedures are followed.
Large commercial agriculture uses monoculture methods (fields of one crop), often with little or no pollinators and wind or runoff protection planning. There are methods of zero tillage (do not remove the soil with machinery), organic (crops without chemicals) and biodynamic (considering the relationship, cycles and needs of all forms of life).
Permaculture involves the scientific evaluation of land, mapping, working with nature, using what is available on or near the site, removing waste through reuse).
Succession planting involves the gardener having transplants or seeds ready to plant as soon as a crop is harvested.
Intercropping (planting close together), biointensive (using the soil surface more efficiently), and companion (working with plants that benefit each other and avoiding those that directly compete with each other) are other terms you’re likely to come across. .