SEED AND PLANTING STOCK OF HERBS AND SPICES FOR THE TROPICAL REGION

Many of the tropical spices are grown in the "wild" with little or no selection for specific quality or productivity characters. Because of the relatively small quantity needed, government research stations have been unable, or not economically motivated, to conduct a plant improvement phase for these crops.

The planting stock of herbs and spices should be from superior parental material adapted for the area in question and tested for quality as well as productivity in the area of growing.

The grower to be successful in the tropical region must have a reliable source of "planting stock" of cultivars adapted to his area capable of producing the quantity and quality to compete on the world market as well as for local consumption and home use.