MARCH 2003
VOLUME 13, NUMBER 3

 

Try Small Amounts of New Seed

This article by Michael Orzolek, Penn State University, appeared in
“The Vegetable Growers News,” October 2002.


    very year there are several hundred new vegetable varieties that are released by seed companies because of their improved pest resistance, greater marketable yields, improved quality and taste, and unique or value-added characteristics.

The problem for most growers is what current variety do I drop and which new variety should I try. Here are several of my recommendations:

  • Always try small seed amounts or areas of field production of new varieties, and always include some of your current standard variety for the vegetable crop.

  • Look at all the characteristics of the new variety you’re considering compared to the older variety you’re considering dropping, including: maturity, pest resistance, marketable yield, market quality, appearance, and packaging options.

  • Always check seed packets for germination rates, and keep accurate records on field performance over time.

  • Consider availability; will that new variety be available? Are there purchase restrictions on the variety because of seed production imitations? Is the seed sold by unit or weight?

  • Since you’re trying a new variety for the first time, don’t purchase more seed than you plan to utilize for that particular year. Storing extra or unused seed from year to year will affect seed germination rates and seed vigor.

  • Generally new hybrid vegetable varieties will out-perform the older open-pollinated vegetable varieties, but the seed will cost more.

Order your new vegetable varieties early (before February 1), since seed companies and/or seed brokers may have limited inventory of the new varieties. Because a new variety will produce a higher marketable yield compared to the current variety you are growing, it does not mean the new variety will have the same consumer preference as the old variety. Before changing varieties, make sure there’s a market demand for the new variety. Marketing should be a high priority when decisions are made on new varieties or variety displacement.


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