Promoting genetic diversity in the production of large quantities of native plant seed

To address the lack of commercial quantities of native plant seed, we embarked on a 5-year research program to collect, propagate and screen common native grasses, sedges, legumes, and other forbs for use in the northern interior of British Columbia. Starting out with very little knowledge about the ecology, range, or breeding systems of candidate plant species, the challenge was to produce large quantities of seed at prices below that of wild-collected seed, while maintaining a high level of genetic diversity in this plant material. How could we benefit from concentrated production of single, identified native plant species in cultivated fields, without fully “domesticating” these species?