Pre-Variety Germplasm
There is a special niche in the seed industry that deals with native grasses, forbs, woody plants, and materials referred to as Pre-Variety Germplasm (PVG). ese species are frequently specified by private and public land managers for use in restoration and revegetation projects to mitigate re, invasive weeds, and other habitat degradation.
AOSCA traces its roots back to 1919, when seed certifying agencies from 13 U.S. states and Canada met in Chicago, IL, to form the International Crop Improvement Association.
The organization’s purpose – then and now – is to promote uniform seed certi cation standards that maintain pure seed varieties and encourage the growth of the international seed trade.
Early standards focused on the popular crops of the day such as forages, grasses, and small grains. Over time, the organization grew to in- clude seed certifying agencies across the United States and seven other countries. AOSCA stan- dards now cover over 60 crop types commonly grown around the world.
Pre-Variety Germplasm
Tere is a special niche in the seed industry that deals with native grasses, forbs, woody plants, and materials referred to as Pre-Variety Germ- plasm (PVG) if they have not been released as a formal variety.
These unique seed types are frequently specified by private and public land managers for use in restoration and revegetation projects to mitigate re, invasive weeds, and other habitat degradation, commonly in the western states.
Plant materials certi ed under AOSCA PVG standards earn unique color coded seed tags that include information about the location and elevation of the original collection sites of the seed.
The Utah Crop Improvement Association (UCIA) actively promotes this program and its manager, Stanford Young, is recognized as a leader in the native seed industry. Stan has been involved in developing AOSCA standards protocols for these unique materials over the last 20 years. It has not always been an easy task. “Explaining, maintaining, and enforcing these protocols to track genetic identity and purity of plant materials for revegetation of critical rangelands worldwide has been an interesting challenge,” says Dr. Young. Young is often called upon by the Bureau of Land Management and other agencies to assist with revegetation projects.
Difficult Production
The production of these seed lots is often far more di erent than what we usually think of when it comes to lling a bag with pure, high quality seed. Early generations of these germ- plasm types are often collected by hand in the remote areas where they are naturally found.
Wayne Andersen works in the field for UCIA and he understands just how difficult it can be to collect large amounts of native seed in these locations under strenuous environmental conditions.
Wayne notes that “both public and private seed procurement folks should realize that for many native species, wild collected seed is more economical than field grown seed. If they specify it, the wildland seed industry will most likely find it.”
The next time you read about large restoration projects resulting from wild fires or other natural calamities, remember that the odds of a successful restoration will be improved by the use of seed or other plant materials certified according to AOSCA’s PVG standards.
Chet Boruff, Chief Executive Officer Moline, IL (309-736-0120) cboru @aosca.org / www.aosca.org
Thee Utah Crop Improvement Association will host the 2016 AOSCA Annual Meeting, June 26-29, in Park City, UT. Anyone interested in learning more about the meeting should contact AOSCA or visit its website at www.aosca.org.
From Seed Today, First Quarter 2016
