Orsetti Seeds
Seed Production.
Located in the heart of San Benito County — one of the most diverse counties on the globe for seed production. Hybrid and open-pollinated varieties, organic and conventional ranches.
Our Approach
Production managed
at every stage.
San Benito County sits at the center of California's seed production belt. The climate, isolation, and grower infrastructure here are hard to match. Orsetti has worked in this environment for forty years, producing a wide range of species with the experience to back consistent results. Our reach extends beyond San Benito County into California's Central Valley, Arizona, and Oregon, giving us the range of climates and growing conditions different varieties need.
Our production team handles both hybrid and open-pollinated varieties, with access to organic and conventional ranches.
We hold every lot to rigorous seed quality standards and to our customers' specifications. That applies whether we produce our own catalog varieties or work under a third-party contract.
40+
Years of production management
3
Production regions: CA, AZ, OR
6
Commercial crop categories
5
Quality tests per lot before shipping
Brassica Seed Production
Broccoli, cabbage,
and cole crops.
Brassica seed production runs approximately 18 weeks from transplant to flowering. The crop moves through three distinct stages — each requiring different field interventions to protect purity and maximize seed yield.
Field Establishment
Transplants set in precise rows with drip irrigation lines placed. Row spacing managed to create clean pollination corridors between parent lines.
Bolting
Canopy fills and heads begin forming. Off-types identified and rogued before flowering to protect genetic integrity.
Flowering
Plants transition to full reproductive phase. Flower stalks elongate as the crop shifts energy to seed production.
Lettuce Seed Production
Open-pollinated
PVP varieties.
Lettuce seed production is managed for open-pollinated varieties under Plant Variety Protection. Seed maturity is rapid once bolting begins, requiring close daily monitoring as the field approaches the white-seed harvest window.
Field Establishment
Direct-seeded rows emerge across open ground. Irrigation dialed in early for uniform germination and consistent stand establishment.
Rosette Development
Full rosette expansion across the field. The critical window for off-type removal and purity assessment before bolting begins.
Bolt & Branch
Flower stalks elongate rapidly with dense multi-branch canopy. Floret timing monitored to manage pollination in isolation blocks.
Seed Fill
Plants fully bolted and branched, achenes developing in every floret. Block markers track variety boundaries. The field holds here until pappus development signals harvest-ready.
Cotton Stage
The field turns white as pappus develops on mature achenes — growers call this "white caps." Peak seed quality. Harvest window is narrow; lettuce seed shatters quickly once fully mature.
Standards
Nothing ships
untested.
From isolation blocks to final lot testing — the same protocol, every crop, every season.
In the field
Isolation
Each block planted at distances that prevent cross-contamination between varieties. In hybrid production, parent line separation is documented and verified throughout the season.
Roguing
Off-type plants physically removed before flowering on every production lot. A single off-type in a seed field can compromise an entire commercial lot.
Harvest Timing
Seed maturity varies by crop and season. Field technicians monitor each block individually. Lettuce, brassica, and pepper all have narrow harvest windows that require daily assessment.
Before shipping
Germination
The baseline. Confirms the percentage that will sprout under optimal conditions — what every grower depends on to establish a stand.
Genetic Purity
Off-types compromise uniformity at harvest. For processing crops, a pure lot isn't a preference — it's a requirement.
Physical Purity
Measures pure seed against inert matter and weed seed. Clean seed runs through planters accurately without skips or double-plantings.
Seed Health
Screens for seed-borne pathogens that travel with the seed. One infected lot can compromise an entire planting season.
Seed Size
Consistent sizing allows planters to be calibrated precisely. Uniform size means uniform emergence — the foundation of uniform maturity.
Moisture
Seed above optimal moisture loses germination rapidly. Every lot is dried to spec before it ships.
Contract Production
Interested in
contract production?
Orsetti manages contract and private-label seed production for third-party clients. Talk to us about your variety, volume, and timeline.