seed stock; foundation seed
Refers to seeds kept for propagation, especially in agriculture and plant breeding. Used in contexts like seed banks, crop improvement, and maintaining genetic purity.
original strain; pure breed; ancestor
Used for the original, unmodified genetic line of a plant or animal, or the wild ancestor of a domesticated species. Common in biology, breeding, and conservation.
This research institute preserves the seed stock of endangered plants.
To secure foundation seed, we store a fixed amount of seeds every year.
The original strain of this dog breed lived in the mountainous regions of Central Asia.
The ancestor of modern corn was much smaller than today's varieties.