Mississippi Foundation Seed Stocks
Purpose and Organization
Mississippi Foundation Seed Stocks was established and organized under the direction of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. Its purpose is providing Mississippi certified seed producers consistent and continuing access to high quality seed of newly developed and existing public plant varieties of various species produced in Mississippi. This is accomplished through the efficient multiplication of ‘breeder seed’ to become foundation seed that is the basis for certified seed production.
This role primarily involves a threefold process that involves purity, quality, and quantity.
Purity:
- High genetic seed purity: A homogenous representation of the breeder’s description for a given variety. (Goal is seed free from genetics that would produce plants not consistent with a given variety)
- High physical seed purity: Contamination from seed of other crop kinds, weed seeds, and inert materials is extremely minimal and within established tolerances.
High physiological seed quality:
- Healthy seed that are high in both germination and vigor.
Correct seed quantity:
- Volumes of seed produced should be adequate to meet needs of Mississippi seed producers but low enough to eliminate oversupply issues.