Introduction

• Although some vegetables like potatoes are vegetatively propagated, most are established from seeds. Using quality seeds is a prerequisite for successful vegetable production.
• Although many of the F-1 hybrid seeds used today are more expensive than the open-pollinated seeds used in the past, vegetable seeds are still a rather small investment compared to other production costs.
• It is generally unwise to cut costs by saving a few dollars on seeds of a substandard cultivar or by purchasing lower-quality seeds. Cutting corners on seed costs will generally end up costing even more because of lost revenues from lower yields.
• Like so many other areas of agriculture, seed-handling practices have changed dramatically over the years. For generations, farmers saved their vegetable seeds and maintained their cultivars. More recently, seeds were often obtained from local agricultural retailers. Today, vegetable growers are faced with a wide array of seed treatments and cultivars that may be purchased from sources around the world.