Native Seeds Research Articles

Native seed collector networks in Brazil: Sowing social innovations for transformative change

Abstract To investigate whether and how Social Innovation (SI) can contribute to transformative change, we explored nine Native Seed Collectors Networks (NSCNs) in Brazil. Employing Social Network Analysis, we delved into the organisational structure of four NSCNs. Additionally, we identified five instances of social innovations (SIs) using the guiding questions of the Social Innovation—Forest and Landscape Restoration (SI‐FLR) framework. These networks, which received a total of US$ 12 million in investments from 2018 to 2021, have not only contributed to the production of 180 tonnes of native seeds but also had a significant socioeconomic impact. They have generated a total income of US$ 1.01 million for 997 seed collectors, 46% of whom are from traditional communities and marginalised groups. Furthermore, 55% of these collectors are women, and 23% rely solely on seed collection as their only source of income. While the NSCNs represent a fledgling economy, they have effectively activated local agency capacity. With the support of the NSCNs' social capital, a favourable context and clear motivations, this agency capacity can trigger SIs. By generating positive impacts, these SIs are changing values and empowering local agents (scaling deep), inspiring agents in other geographies (scaling out) and even influencing policies favourable to socially inclusive landscape restoration (scaling up). This three‐dimensional scaling underscores the catalysing power of SI in NSCNs and their potential contribution to transformative change. We also emphasise the role of public bodies in promoting enabling conditions, the vital role of local experimentation and the rarely evidenced local agency capacity to leverage SIs in FLR. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Morphological Seed Traits Predict Early Performance of Native Species to Pelletized Seed Enhancement Technologies.

Native seeds are a finite resource, and their inclusion in revegetation is vital for supporting restoration outcomes that are both effective and scalable. Pelletized seed enhancement technologies (SETs) offer a promising solution to improve seed use efficiency in ecological restoration. Yet, knowledge of how diverse suites of native species perform when pelletized is required to optimize the application of SETs to the many species and ecosystems where restoration is required. Using a greenhouse trial of 64 Australian plant species, we assessed species performance to pelleting by evaluating (1) overall species amenability to pelleting based on total emergence and survival and (2) how pelleting modifies the rate of emergence based on average time to emergence, emergence rate index, and time spread of emergence. We investigated the potential for using morphological seed traits (seed endosperm:seed ratio, seed length, seed area, and seed coat thickness) to predict performance outcomes, by identifying traits that may aid in the prediction of species amenability to pelleting and emergence speed when pelletized. We found that some species demonstrate high amenability to pelleting and that pelleting can modify the emergence rates for many species. This work advances our understanding of the applicability of SETs for diverse native species, demonstrating the application of such technologies for meeting ecological restoration goals.

An evaluation of ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower seed mixes in Italy: are they potential vectors of alien plant species?

Wildflower areas are increasingly used in both urban and rural settings to enhance landscape aesthetics and help the conservation of pollinators, whose dramatic decline threatens both ecosystem functioning and agricultural production. Consequently, today many ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower seed mixes can be found on the market. Criteria for the design of these mixes are focused on the ability of the plants to attract pollinators, whereas the identity of the plants themselves in terms of their alien or native status is often not adequately considered. Moreover, seed mixes often lack sufficient floral resources in the early spring and late-season months, which are important to sustain pollinators throughout their whole life cycle. In this study, we analyzed 36 ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower seed mixes commercially available in Italy in terms of (1) the abundance of native and alien species, (2) the occurrence of locally alien species with reference to three Italian geographic areas (northern, peninsular, and insular Italy), and (3) the flowering period of native and alien species. Most (83%) of the analyzed seed mixes contain species alien to Italy, with three of them also including invasive alien species. Among native species, many (41%) are locally alien to at least one of the geographic areas. Overall, native species provide earlier blooms than alien species and around 35% of the seed mixes lack blooms in early-spring (March) or prolonged throughout autumn (September-November). These findings highlight the widespread use of alien plant species in ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower mixes, which poses serious risks for biodiversity and habitat conservation, especially when sown in agricultural areas. We suggest a more careful design and use of such wildflower mixes, promoting a wider adoption of native seeds of local origin and a greater attention to the blooming period. If properly designed, wildflower mixes can represent an effective strategy for biodiversity conservation in both urban and rural areas.

Constraints of commercially available seed diversity in restoration: Implications for plant functional diversity

Societal Impact StatementLarge quantities of diverse native seeds are required to scale up global restoration efforts. However, it remains unclear for many ecosystems how the diversity of available seed in commercial stocks reflects the composition of the ecosystems where vegetation is being remade. This study highlights existing shortfalls in the diversity of seed presently available for use in restoration and identifies gaps in the seed supply chain while providing a new method for optimising species selection given these constraints. This work underscores how improved collaboration between stakeholders is required to strengthen the seed supply chain and help remake functionally diverse vegetation.Summary Restoration using native seed is frequently implemented to restore degraded ecosystems. However, it remains unclear how constraints on the diversity of germplasm available for use in restoration may limit the recovery of both species and plant functional diversity. Using a dataset of seed availability for Australia's major vegetation types, we explore variation in the diversity and breadth of functional traits (leaf mass per area, seed mass, plant height) for species where seed is available on commercial markets relative to unavailable. Using these data, we simulate theoretical seed mixes derived from two species pools: (1) constrained by the current market of commercially available seed, and (2) assuming all native species can be planted; then we compare differences in functional diversity (dispersion) as an exercise to explore possible limitations within the current seed supply. Seed from only 12% of Australian plant species (2992 species) is presently available for immediate purchase. Seed was more frequently available for trees and shrubs than for understorey species. Available species were on average taller, with thicker, longer‐lived leaves than unavailable species. Overall, functional dispersion was lower for seed mixes generated using available seed compared with those drawn from all species. Solutions are required to address seed shortfalls so that plantings are not only species rich but also functionally diverse. We develop two options: (1) quantifying and addressing gaps in the seed supply chain that currently limit the capacity for practitioners to restore diverse vegetation; and (2) applying a trait‐informed species‐selection method to plantings that maximises functional diversity using available seed.

Evaluation of the Plant Growth Regulator SPGP4 in Agricultural Crops: A Case Study in Oaxaca, México

The search for new plant growth regulators is a cornerstone of agricultural research; however, laboratory studies rarely go on to be evaluated in the field. This is because greater production is required, as well as longer studies. Particularly, brassinosteroids present these difficulties, and although they have been evaluated in crops with good results, their high production cost gives rise to the search for new alternatives. 22-Oxocholestanes such as SPGP4, previously used in silico and in vitro studies, have shown great potential, so their evaluation in crops grown from native seeds from the study region becomes of interest. Based on these data, SPGP4 was evaluated under crop conditions in three agricultural plots located on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region, Oaxaca, México. The seeds were treated with a 0.5 mg/L aqueous solution of the 22-Oxocholestane compound SPGP4 by imbibition one night before sown. Later, 45 days after sowing, a solution of 0.5 mg/L at a rate of 200 L per hectare was applied. At the production level, the bean harvest showed an increase in the range of 21.0–38.1%, and the corn harvest increased between 22 and 32%. In addition, the latter also demonstrated an increase in biomass production, given the increase in diameter and height observed in the corn plant. This indicates that SPGP4 functions as a regulator of plant growth at the crop level to increase both seed and biomass production.

Extruded seed pelleting offers an alternative direct seeding option to rehabilitate forested ecosystems impacted by a soil‐borne plant pathogen

SummaryThe high cost of native seeds and low seedling establishment percentages after seed broadcasting are major constraints for seed‐based rehabilitation. This study examines whether extruded seed pelleting can be used as a tool to distribute seeds more effectively (e.g. distribute small seeds in a precise manner) while maintaining or enhancing seedling emergence and establishment of Australian shrub species used in the rehabilitation of Phytophthora cinnamomi infested Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest sites. Pellet formulation was first tested using five different formulations of dry ingredients and the addition of seeds from four Phytophthora‐resistant species under glasshouse conditions. The best performing formulation from this work was then adopted to compare laboratory‐produced and field‐deployed pellets. Seedling emergence of the larger seeded species, Raspberry Jam Wattle (Acacia acuminata) and Pin‐cushion Hakea (Hakea laurina), was highest using field‐deployed pellets and emergence was statistically similar to the non‐pelleted seeds. Seedling emergence reached 100% for the small seeded species, Silky‐leaved Bold Flower (Calothamnus sanguineus) and Melaleuca seriata, from laboratory‐produced pellets and was significantly higher than non‐pelleted seeds. These results indicate that extruded pelleting offers an alternative direct seeding option that can result in greater or equal seedling emergence than that observed with non‐pelleted seeds, yet the responses are species‐specific. These species‐specific pelleting techniques must now be tested under field conditions to confirm whether pellet production method and delivery improve seedling establishment under field conditions.

Yield and Chemical Characteristics of Salvia hispanica L. (Chia) Oil from Native Seeds from Four Provenances of Guatemala.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a plant from the Lamiaceae family that has been used as ancestral food, medicine, and oil, with culinary, artistic, and religious purposes by most of the Mesoamerican civilizations. Native from Mesoamerica, introduced into South America, Australia, and Europe, it is presently consumed as a nutritional and functional food. This research aims to characterize ancient native cultivars from four provenances in Guatemala to recommend their direct consumption by the population as well as to establish its trade. Seed samples were collected in four places where they have been cultivated for several generations. The oil was obtained by expression and analyzed chemically by gas chromatography following standard qualitative and quantitative methods. Variations in oil yield and some of the characteristic parameters of the phytochemical analysis were obtained. In general, the profile was similar to most of the reported data in the literature, with the saturated fatty acids (8.54-9.25%) relatively lower than the references (7.95-11.45%) but a higher concentration of unsaturated fatty oils, particularly of omega-3 (64.68-68.62%). The oil from native cultivars contains high quantities of omega-3, which might help pregnant women during gestation and to control other conditions such as metabolic syndrome, particularly in low- and middle-income populations where these seeds are consumed regularly. The suggestion is made to encourage the cultivation and use of these ancestral seeds with the possibility of commercialization abroad with an appellation of origin label.

Role of carbon in n-type bulk GaN crystals

In this work co-doping with silicon and carbon in gallium nitride grown by halide vapor phase epitaxy was performed. Native seeds of high structural quality with bowing radii of (0001) crystallographic planes higher than 15 m and threading dislocation density on the order of 5 × 104 cm−3 were used. The crystallized material was examined in terms of structural, optical, and electrical properties. For this purpose different characterization methods: X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, low-temperature photoluminescence, and Hall measurements, were applied. The physical properties of samples doped only with silicon and co-doped with carbon were analyzed and compared. However, during the crystallization process, due to high amount of Si and C, clusters of silicon carbide were unintentionally formed. The formation of these SiC clusters had an impact on the properties of the GaN crystals that were being studied. The research provides an initial insight into the complex studies of co-doping gallium nitride crystals. The results of this paper give us groundwork for more in-depth exploration of this topic.

Evaluating performance of three types of carbon seed coatings on seedling development

Sagebrush Steppe native plant restoration faces many hurdles to success, including extreme temperature and precipitation variability and non‐native plant invasions. Multi‐year preemergent herbicides are an option for annual grass control, but also prevent germination of native seeded species. Seed enhancement technologies have been recently developed and tested to shield native seeds from herbicide effects using activated carbon, giving them a competition‐free window to germinate and develop. Several issues need to be addressed to scale these technologies appropriately to contend with the massive spatial extent of sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata spp.) steppe restoration needs, such as the ability to produce seed enhancement technologies at high volume and making them compatible with existing rangeland seeding practices. In this lab study, we evaluated the efficacy of traditional herbicide protection pellets (HPPs) versus smaller commercial coatings at protecting native seed from the preemergent herbicide imazapic. We then tested house‐made coatings against those produced by Germains Seed Technology. Finally, we tested to see if the order of seeding and spraying affects the efficacy of high carbon industrial coatings and HPP technologies. Though no technology achieved complete protection, commercial seed coatings were able to achieve results comparable to HPPs with roughly 60% less activated carbon and 80% less dry materials; this smaller size is expected to reduce cost and simplify logistics of handling, storage, and delivery at scale. We also found no difference in the effectiveness of commercial seed coatings whether seeding happened before, or after spraying.

Socioeconomic structure of yellow corn producers in two Mexican municipalities as reference sources

Yellow corn has gained strategic importance for the current government of Mexico due to the enormous amount of thisgrain that is imported, which in turn represents a large flight of capital due to the costs paid abroad to purchase it. Underthese premises, work is being done to obtain a characterization of the different productive units of yellow corn in theirsocioeconomic structure, which allows the generation of an intervention protocol at the three levels of government, in thosemunicipalities where it is possible to plant yellow corn, with native seeds and agroecological fertilizers. The purpose is topromote the development of rural culture, in every sense, and at the same time represents greater income for producers dueto the monetary resource that will no longer go abroad and will remain in the production units. To achieve these objectives,a municipality that has planted yellow corn for several years is taken as a reference point: Ocuituco, Morelos. And anothermunicipality that planted corn in large areas and stopped doing so: Calpulalpan, Tlaxcala.

Lateral and vertical diffusion of magnesium in ion-implanted Halide Vapor Phase Epitaxy gallium nitride

In the present study, the diffusion of magnesium in gallium nitride was investigated. In order to ensure high structural quality and purity of the analyzed material, bulk crystals, grown by Halide Vapor Phase Epitaxy on ammonothermal native seeds, were used. Samples of polarity (0001), (10-10) and (11–20) were prepared from them and implanted with magnesium ions with fluence of 1 × 1016 cm−2 and 230 keV energy. X-ray diffraction was used to assess the structural quality of the samples at each stage of the study. Ultra-high-pressure annealing was carried out in the temperature range of 1250–1450 °C to activate the dopant and remove post-implantation damage. Diffusion of the implanted species was a consequence of the annealing process. Secondary ion mass spectrometry was used to assess the in-depth concentration of magnesium in the annealed samples. Strong diffusion anisotropy was observed for the crystallographic directions analyzed, with [000–1] being the most susceptible to diffusion and [10-10] being the most resistant. Using the finite element method for numerical analysis of the measured profiles, the diffusion coefficients were determined. Substitutional diffusion involving gallium vacancies was found to be the dominant mechanism in the analyzed samples. The temperature-independent diffusion coefficient was calculated. Its value was 1.7 × 10−4 cm2/s for the [0001] direction and one order of magnitude less for non-polar directions. The activation energy was similar for all cases studied and ranged from 2.26 eV to 2.38 eV.

“The pandemic came to teach us how to eat”: COVID‐19, mutual vulnerability, and native corn in Oaxaca

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic has been a period of inflection in the growth of native corn revivalism in Oaxaca, Mexico. New businesses opened selling food and drinks derived from native corn, events such as seed‐swaps were inaugurated, and farmers who had previously grown hybrid corn began experimenting with native seeds. This revivalism was not merely commercial or gustatory, but entailed a re‐evaluation by revivalists of their relationship to native corn. Such relationships became increasingly framed through mutual vulnerabilities. In this article I argue that native corn revivalism is a direct response to the COVID‐19 crisis. I explore how vulnerability featured in my interlocutors’ tellings of the crisis, demonstrating that it offered an analytic through which they theorized and constructed relationships. This approach builds upon interpretations of crisis as narrative form, but turns its attention away from the power‐effects of crisis narratives to instead look to the relationships that such narratives engender.

Overcoming germination constraints in seven grass species for seed‐based restoration in the Australian monsoonal tropics

The increasing reliance on native seeds for ecological restoration requires the understanding of seed traits across each species, and the testing of novel processing approaches to optimize germination outcomes. Knowledge regarding Australian native seeds is critical due to the high proportion of species manifesting some degree of seed dormancy. The evaluation of approaches to overcome dormancy and identify optimal conditions for promoting germination in native species has significant applications in the restoration of degraded ecosystems. Grasses are an important component of ecosystems in the Australian monsoonal tropics, a bioregion which covers much of northern Australia, yet they are often forgotten or poorly represented when used in restoration. We investigated the effect of seed processing technique and smoke‐based stimulants on the germination of seven species from the Kimberley region, testing three different hypotheses: (1) florets germinate less than extracted caryopses; (2) acid digestion treatments with different exposure times can enhance germination; and (3) smoke‐based treatments can increase both germination and germination speed. Floret removal was generally helpful in improving germination, whereas the response to acid and smoke‐based treatments was varied. Brief acid exposure produced no to low germination improvements, whereas longer acid treatments showed contrasting results, with some species showing significant germination increase and others showing a severe reduction in germination rate. The only species showing a clear positive germination effect of smoke‐based treatments was Triodia bynoei. These results are helpful for restoration practitioners to improve their potential use in current and future restoration programs in the Australian monsoonal tropics.

ResNatSeed: An R package and shiny web app to predict the REStoration potential of NATive SEEDs using topographic factors

ResNatSeed: An R package and shiny web app to predict the REStoration potential of NATive SEEDs using topographic factors

Morphophysiology of creol seeds in genotypes of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Creole seeds are considered a local heritage because of their natural biological ability to adapt to different environments. Maintenance of seed vigor has been a challenge for farmers, often because of prolonged droughts and/or lack of technical assistance, making it difficult to renew seed vigor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphophysiological characteristics of native seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris genotypes. Seeds were provided by the custodian of the Creole community seed bank in the municipality of Piranhas, AL. The following were evaluated: weight of one thousand seeds (PMS g), water content (TA%), germination index (IG%), germination speed index (IVG), seedling length (CP cm), and seedling dry mass (MSP g). Scott Knott was used at 5% probability, and all analyses followed the Rules for Seed Analysis. For water content, the varieties ranged from 6.9% to 11.78% moisture. For PMS, the genotypes ranged from 351 to 123.5 g. In terms of germination, the bean genotypes presented 29 to 85% and one presented 100% dead seeds. The seeds were stored with the recommended water content, and the Creole genotypes showed great diversity in their sizes, a factor that impacts storage and planting planning. For varieties that presented germination values below 70%, it must be observed whether it is related to a specific factor of a crop and/or the storage conditions and time. Black presented good averages for all morphophysiological characteristics.

Mapeamento de Bancos Comunitários de Sementes Crioulas no Território de Identidade Piemonte Norte do Itapicuru

ABSTRACT Native Seed Banks of Communities (SBC) are one of the important social technologies that enables the coexistence with the climate in the Semiarid region of Brazil. These banks can supply appropriate seeds due to the genetic improvement carried out by farmers over generations, in addition to the traditional knowledge associated with them. The poor water distribution in part of the states in the Northeast region of Brazil makes family farmers to depend on rainfall and adapted seeds to grow viable crops. In this sense, native seeds are the most suitable due to their robustness and ideal adaptation to the environment and cultivation systems used in the region. Moreover, the conservation of native seeds in germplasm banks is an important strategy for minimizing the impacts of conventional agriculture. Thus, the objective of this study was to map seed banks of communities within the Piemonte Norte do Itapicuru Territory, state of Bahia, Brazil. The research was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic and presented a qualitative character through a study case methodology. The steps for data collection were: identification of SBC through information from technical advisory entities; georeferencing of the SBC locations; and description of SBC specificities. Eight seed banks were mapped, distributed in three municipalities: Antonio Gonçalves, Campo Formoso, and Pindobaçu. Although the territory is composed of nine municipalities, six of them do not have this technology.

STJ AND TRANSGENIC SEEDS

In the second half of 2019, the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) made an important decision on the extension of proprietary rights over life: it established that transgenic seeds are patentable and, therefore, charging royalties on them is legal. The judgment was the result of a dispute between Monsanto and rural producers in Rio Grande do Sul. The aim of this article is to analyze this judgment, examining its legal foundations, contradictions and effects. The problem here is: Did the STJ’s decision respect the 1988 Constitution and the legal system it underpins? The findings of Juliana Santilli, Jack Kloppenburg and Pat Mooney are the starting point of the discussion. Methodologically, a contextualization is made about what native seeds are, as well as the risks that the current national and international system of intellectual property imposes on the fundamental right to biodiversity. Finally, the main arguments of the STJ decision and the precedent established by it are analyzed. Finally, it is concluded that the decision of the STJ went against the 1988 Constitution and the Brazilian infralegal system and took an important step towards the privatization of life.

Progress in Ammonothermal Crystal Growth of Gallium Nitride from 2017–2023: Process, Defects and Devices

Gallium nitride continues to be a material of intense interest for the ongoing advancement of electronic and optoelectronic devices. While the bulk of today’s markets for low-performance devices is still met with silicon and blue/UV LEDs derived from metal–organic chemical vapor deposition gallium nitride grown on foreign substrates such as sapphire and silicon carbide, the best performance values consistently come from devices built on bulk-grown gallium nitride from native seeds. The most prominent and promising of the bulk growth methods is the ammonothermal method of high-pressure solution growth. The state-of-the-art from the last five years in ammonothermal gallium nitride technology is herein reviewed within the general categories of growth technology, characterization and defects as well as device performance.

Bee-Friendly Native Seed Mixtures for the Greening of Solar Parks

Photovoltaics is one of the key technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving climate neutrality for Europe by 2050, which has led to the promotion of solar parks. These parks can span up to several hundred hectares, and grassland vegetation is usually created between and under the panels. Establishing species-rich grasslands using native seed mixtures can enhance a variety of ecosystem services, including pollination. We present an overall concept for designing native seed mixtures to promote pollinators, especially wild bees, in solar parks. It takes into account the specific site conditions, the small-scale modified conditions caused by the solar panels, and the requirement to avoid panel shading. We highlight the challenges and constraints resulting from the availability of species on the seed market. Furthermore, we provide an easy-to-use index for determining the value of native seed mixtures for wild bee enhancement and apply it as an example to several mixtures specifically designed for solar parks. The increased availability of regional seed would allow a more thorough consideration of pollinator-relevant traits when composing native seed mixtures, thereby enhancing ecosystem services associated with pollinators such as wild bees.

Evaluating soil seed banks of phosphate mining restoration in the hyper‐arid Negev desert

Ecological systems are severely damaged by the anthropogenic disturbance of mining. Phosphate open‐pit mining fields cover over 200 km2 of the Negev desert, Israel. However, the effects of the ongoing mine site restoration efforts on the plant community have not been studied. Plants and their seed banks have a major role in ecosystem processes and restoration. In this study, we focused on three mining sites, restored in different years, along Zin River valley. We compared the plant community of restored mining plots within these areas to adjacent natural plots. We asked whether plant community germination potential from the soil seed bank differs between the restored plots and the adjacent natural plots within a mining site. We hypothesized that: (1) there is a lack of seed bank in the restored plots; (2) the altered soil composition at the restored plots inhibits germination. We used soil samples collected from the different mining sites and set up greenhouse experiments. One experiment compared natural and restored areas with different soil treatments. In another experiment, we added native seeds to test their germination potential on restored soil. Our results indicate that lack of seed bank is the major limiting factor hindering germination and not the composition of the soil after restoration. Our findings shed light on the constraints of seed bank establishment in post‐mining areas of hyper‐arid regions. We suggest considering active restoration practices to facilitate natural dispersal and improve seed bank establishment.