Seed
Seed turns up in 2 fields: photonics, farming. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Seed in photonics
The low-power laser whose output is amplified in a MOPA or amplifier chain, setting its timing and spectrum.
The oscillator at the front of an amplified system, such as a DFB diode, a mode-locked fiber oscillator or a Ti:sapphire oscillator feeding a regen. Its wavelength, linewidth, pulse shape and timing pass straight through to the output, so a noisy seed means a noisy laser. Used as a verb too: to seed an amplifier, or a seeded versus unseeded laser.
"Seed's down to 8 milliwatts after the isolator, that's below spec for the preamp, find out what's eating it before we pump."
Seed in farming
Any plant part intended for sowing and propagation, including true botanical seeds, tubers, or bulbs.
In agricultural terminology, seed refers to any propagative material placed in the ground to grow a crop, regardless of its strict botanical classification. While it includes true fertilized ovules like corn kernels or wheat grains, farmers also use the term for vegetative units like seed potatoes, garlic cloves, or onion sets. The quality, purity, and germination rate of the seed dictate the potential success of the entire harvest.
"The truck just dropped off three pallets of seed potatoes for the north field."