The estimated market value for vegetable seeds in Brazil, based on prices paid by producers, reached around R$ 300 million in 2007. Seeds from open-pollinated cultivars accounted for only 18 %. This data clearly indicates the changeover from open-pollinated to hybrid seeds in recent decades in the main varietal segments of the Brazilian vegetable market. This lecture will outline a historical retrospective of the pioneer activities of genetic improvement of vegetable crops targeting open-pollinated cultivars in breeding programs conducted by the public universities and research institutes and their impact on the development of the Brazilian horticulture. The current situation, challenges and future prospects will also be discussed.
olericulture; hybrid seed; breeding; tropical agroecosystems