III.1 A way to mark the generation of the seed.
H. Ahokas. Department of Genetics, University of Helsinki, P. Rautatiekatu 13, SF-OO100 Helsinki 10, Finland. "R"
There is a little uncertainty to determine if a received seed sample destined to be "F2 seed" was taken from the plants of the F1 or the F2 generation. It is more probable that the method of marking is applied to the former. In that case the embryos in those seeds are actually of the F2 generation. However, it is not rare to see e.g. in publications that a few words are needed to clarify.
I have introduced, hopefully not unconsciously plagiarized the following way to avoid the ambiguity: On seed bags, in records, publications, and seed exchange the index of the generation is closed in parentheses, that F(1) means the seed produced by the mother plant, which when grown, will give the F1 generation, F(2) the seed taken from the F1 plants, which when grown, will give the F2 generation, and so on.