Open Source Nursery

Methodology

One low cost avenue of starting a nursery from scratch is by using seeds. The advantage is genetic diversity that comes from cross-fertilization of seed, as opposed to cloning by vegetative propagation (cutting, layering, grafting, tissue culture, etc.). The disadvantage is that some species may not come true from seed. That depends on the plant. In general heirloom plant varieties will have more favorable results. The methodology for seed propagation involves:

• Seeking named varieties of a plant, such as Blue Moon variety of honeyberry, or Leikora variety of seaberry
• Obtaining a comprehensive list of known varieties (from University extensions, research centers, others)
• Finding sources of seed
• Providing growing instructions.

Many varieties may not be available from commercial sources. Further, many varieties may be found already growing in other parts of the world, but export controls or remoteness may make them unknown though of high potential. Thus, a research effort of finding seed may involve making contacts with individuals, institutions, research department, plant hackers such as Haskactivists, and otherwise obtaining stock. Heirloom varieties are typically robust - have high genetic diversity - and may be more likely to come true from seed. OSE is seeking useful seed sources for the following, first for USDA hardiness zone 5 adaptation - from wild types to named varieties of:

• Seaberry
• Pawpaw
• Persimmon
• Kiwi
• Raspberry
• Blueberry
• Gooseberry
• Currant
• Hazelnut
• Chestnut
• Walnut
• Peach
• Apricot
• Cherry
• Plum
• Apple
• Pear

OSE's 20 year goal is to set up a large number of OSE Campuses - R&D & Education facilities - worldwide. OSE's platform involves afforesting and restoring the land with permanent agriculture, possibly Allan Savory's holistic management, as well as restoring appropriate technology to the land. The agriculture aspect involves breeding locally adapted varieties of crops, using best-practice methodologies for doing so, such as adopting Badgersett Research techniques for swarm breeding. The Open Source Nursery/ Open Source Plant Breeding is part of this platform.

Species Treatment

OSE likes the Badgersett Research methodology, which focuses on varieties that contain the maximum level of genetic diversity, as obtained from seed. In the Badgersett model, clones of stable crops are allowed - but the clones themselves are made from an individual with maximum genetic diversity that was bred over a number of generations - a minimum of 4. The swarm breeding methodology of Badersett focuses on obtaining a stable variety (one that will breed true from seed) - which is not the typical route used by industry. This stability for seed propagation is obtained by careful breeding of population swarms. Industry standards typically involve genetically-limited seed that does not come true. Because clones do not increase genetic diversity like seeds do - and seed cannot be used for propagation of desired traits wherever the seed does not come true (many cases unless swarm breeding methods are applied) - any clonal variety is an evolutionary dead end under the assumption that the environment is in a state of constant flux. This means that any species that is not propagated by seed - where seed propagation increases the genetic diversity - has a decreased chance of surviving with new pest or climate pressure. The concept is that a clone is an exact copy of the parent, outside of potential mutations - while a seed plant comes from 2 parents - thereby injecting new genetics in every new generation.

The underlying method developed by Badgersett Research is unique according to its developer Philip Rutter - in that no other institution has carried out the swarm breeding techique of Badgersett for woody plants. The only way this has happened is through generations of pre-industrial people, where entire communities were involved in selection through thousands of years - such as corn from Teosinte or the initial breeding towards heirloom apples in Asia.

It is OSE's role to uncover ways that populations can once again participate in plant breeding, such that true-seed varieties of perennial staple crops and other useful crops can be bred worldwide. The goal is to emphasize the selection of adaptable, as opposed clonal, varieties of useful plants. The techniques for how this should be done for each genus of plants can be developed by building on the Badgersett methodology.

Notes

• Blueberries - can be grown from seed - [1]. U Maine Extension getting seed from fruit - [2]. No stratification required - [3]
• Raspberries - heirloom types - http://www.backyardberryplants.com/plants/raspberriesblackberries/]
• Honeyberry - [4]

Supplies

• Conetainers - 8 cents in quantities of 1100 - [5]

Seeds

• Seaberry - Sheffields + Lawyer

Collaboration

• Haskactivist - [6]
• More honeysuckle - [7]