All-America Selections: The Gold Standard for Seed Testing
For home gardeners, choosing the right seeds can be a gamble. To reduce this uncertainty, All-America Selections (AAS) serves as a rigorous testing organization that evaluates new seed varieties to determine which perform best in real-world conditions. By utilizing a network of professional horticulture experts, AAS identifies superior plants and promotes them through a prestigious awards scheme known as "AAS Winners."
Key Facts
- Founded: 1932 by Ray Hastings.
- Scope: The oldest international seed and plant testing organization in North America.
- Testing Network: Over 40 independent trial sites across 24 US states and 5 Canadian provinces.
- Governance: Managed by a board of four officers and six directors.
- Award Types: AAS Gold Medal (for breakthroughs) and standard AAS Awards (for superior performance).
The AAS Organizational Structure
Established nearly a century ago, AAS operates as a non-profit entity dedicated to the improvement of home gardening. The organization is governed by a board consisting of ten members: four officers and six directors. Their primary mission is to ensure that the seeds reaching the public are of the highest possible quality and reliability.
[ไม่มีภาพประกอบ]The Rigorous Selection Process
The journey from a breeder's lab to a gardener's backyard involves a strict evaluation process. Plant breeders and developers submit their new varieties to AAS for testing. These entries are then distributed to trial gardens (or trial grounds)—independent sites such as universities, seed company grounds, or other horticultural institutions.
The Role of the Judges
Each trial ground is overseen by at least one official AAS judge. These judges are horticulture professionals who volunteer their time; they are not paid for their AAS activities. The board of directors approves all judges and sites to ensure that every trial is well-managed and unbiased.
Evaluation Criteria
Judges compare new entries against the best existing options currently on the market. The criteria for success depend on the type of plant:
- Flowers: Evaluated on novel forms, colors, fragrance, flower show above foliage, length of the flowering season, and resistance to pests or diseases.
- Vegetables: Evaluated on speed to harvest, total yield, fruit taste, fruit quality, ease of harvest, plant habit, and pest/disease resistance.
To be considered for an award in the last decade, an entry must demonstrate at least two significantly improved qualities compared to existing varieties.
[ไม่มีภาพประกอบ]Scoring and Awarding Winners
Throughout the growing season, judges monitor the plants and report their scores every autumn. Each entry is rated on a scale from 0 to 5, with 5 being the highest score. To maintain objectivity, an independent accounting firm calculates the average scores.
Only the entry with the highest average score is eligible for an award. The judges then determine if the unsold entry possesses superior qualities worthy of being named an AAS Winner. Since 1984, the organization has focused on two specific honors:
- AAS Gold Medal: Reserved for rare breeding breakthroughs, typically awarded only once or twice per decade.
- AAS Award: Given to flowers or vegetables proven to be superior to all others on the market. Notable past winners include 'Sugar Snap' peas, Zinnia 'Thumbelina', Coreopsis 'Early Sunrise', and the pansy variety Viola wittrockiana 'Dwarf-Swiss Giants'.
Public Outreach and Awareness
Unlike many commercial organizations, AAS does not advertise its winners. Instead, it utilizes a public relations program to announce winners every September. The organization relies on cooperative extension agents, garden club bulletins, newspapers, and consumer magazines to share these findings with the gardening community.
[ไม่มีภาพประกอบ]AAS Testing Summary
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Testing Locations | 40+ sites in 24 US states and 5 Canadian provinces |
| Judge Qualifications | Horticultural professionals (unpaid volunteers) |
| Scoring System | 0 to 5 points (calculated by an independent firm) |
| Award Frequency | Annual trials; Gold Medals are rare (1-2 per decade) |
| Announcement Month | September |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays the AAS judges?
AAS judges are not paid for their activities; they are horticulture professionals who supervise the trials and evaluate entries at no charge.
How many qualities must a plant improve to win an award?
Within the last ten years, an entry must have at least two significantly improved qualities to be considered for an AAS Award.
What is the difference between an AAS Award and a Gold Medal?
An AAS Award recognizes a plant as superior to all others currently on the market, while the AAS Gold Medal is reserved specifically for major breeding breakthroughs.
Where are the AAS trial gardens located?
Trial gardens are located at more than 40 independent sites across 24 US states and 5 Canadian provinces, often hosted by universities or seed companies.
How does AAS promote its winners?
AAS does not use paid advertising. It informs the public through public relations, relying on magazines, newspapers, garden club bulletins, and cooperative extension agents.