Financing Open Source populations?

[Ocimum]

Hi,

breeding takes time, and the starting point, the diversity generation by crossing, is quite difficult in some species. Is there a way to get a financing for the diversity generation? For example at the condition that it is open source?

Thanks for any insights

[Joseph Lofthouse]

Going to Seed does that type of work.
https://goingtoseed.org/pages/crops-for-2024

I made a mass cross grex of radishes that I'll be sharing. Two other people also made mass cross grexes with different starting varieties. All three grexes will be combined together for redistribution.

We did something similar with tomatillos, combining six gone-feral landraces from many ecosystems into a single population, which I grew out this summer to bulk up for sharing. Other people will send in seeds for adding to what I grew.

I grew many diverse landraces of common beans this summer that I'm sharing in the landrace seed share. These were sent in by collaborators last summer. I will return my seed to the bean steward who mixes them with other contributors seed, and sends them back out.

Other stewards work on other crops. I contribute seed to a number of projects.

William Schlegel made a wonderfully genetically diverse tomato grex for sharing.

https://goingtoseed.org/pages/crops-for-2024

Now accepting seeds for 2024 -Deadline extended until November 24th!

We are adding new crops and new mixes this year. Our volunteer Seed Stewards mix and package the seeds, but this program relies on the contributions of individuals like you. Please consider sending in seeds from your own garden. We aim to make this as easy as possible for you -- we'll even cover the postage!

Review the table below to see the list of crops for this year. Each crop listed has a "contribute" button, which will take you to a form where you can describe the seeds you're sending, and request a pre-paid shipping label. Once you submit that form, we'll follow up in a day or two with shipping instructions.

Seeds will be accepted until November 24th.

People that send in seeds get first access to the seeds. Then members of the discourse community. Then, the general public may access what's left.

We welcome financial donations to operate the program.
https://goingtoseed.org/products/donation

[William Schlegel]

I had a few grex and historic landrace populations from Native Seeds Search and other sources including allowing crossing in my own garden before I got a tremendous infusion of seed from Joseph starting in 2017. For quite a few years Joseph was an excellent source of such seed. Experimental Farm Network and a variety of sources such as the Buffalo Seed Company https://www.thebuffaloseedcompany.com/ have continued to grow Joseph's developed plant materials and develop their own using his methods. Going to Seed is specifically working to develop such plant materials. I grew out quite a few different segregants from Joseph's Beautifully Promiscuous Tomato Project for the Going to Seed project. However, I also grew a different tomato grex that I have sent to Experimental Farm Network for their 2020 catalogue- most of which is descended from Joseph's Big Hill tomato.

I think their are limited funding opportunities other than producing and selling seed. One model might be to emulate the few artisan tomato breeders and develop your own hybrids as those are quite difficult to replicate as long as the recipe and parent lines are kept secret.

[Ocimum]

Thanks Joseph and William. I am looking into goingtoseeds.org, although I might be too late for next year.