So-called "F1" seeds are created by crossbreeding two different species of plants. These F1 seeds, touted as "improved varieties" by their marketers, have some advantages, but the seedlings rely heavily on fertilizers and pesticides. And the generations of seeds that follow are often of uneven quality and pose great challenges to natural farmers.
所謂「F1」種子，就是兩種不同品系的作物，經由雜交後所得的種子；這種強調「品種改良」的 F1 世代雖具雜交優勢，但對肥料和農藥的依賴性也最大，而且第二代之後品質往往參差不齊，對自然農法農友是極大考驗。