Crop seeds are the foundation of agriculture and primary source of food for human populations. Without seed, there would be no agriculture, leading to widespread food shortages and famine, and people would not be able to sustain their lives.
In this episode, Glendon Ascough, Starke Ayres seed research director, delves into the importance of seeds in agriculture by examining the distinctive qualities of different varieties and explaining how genetics impacts their growth.
According to Ascough, our food systems are reliant on seeds. In terms of seed genetics, every variety that is planted is genetically different from the next.
Quality comes first
“An example: every single tomato plant has 30 000 different genes, many of which are these kind of basic housekeeping genes for respiration, for the synthesis, growth, flowering, all of that stuff that plants do all day long,” he explains.
He goes on to discuss the value of breeding in various habitats to determine which ones would thrive there. Ascough also explores some of the difficulties Mzansi farmers have in obtaining high-quality seeds.
“I think in the last 30 years or so [there] has been a huge increase in the number of seed companies that are trading in South Africa. Spoilt for choice, there are loads of good varieties from many companies. [Farmers are] welcome to request a test report from the company if there are concerns about certain seed varieties,” he suggests.
In this episode, Ascough also discusses:
- Building relationships with product specialists;
- How farmers can choose seeds that are friendly to their environment;
- How farmers can adopt better seed choices.
Want to know more? Listen to the full episode of Farmer’s Inside Track.
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Option 2: Click here to listen on any Apple device.
Option 3: Click here to listen on Google Podcast.
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