seed corn

ears or kernels of corn set apart as seed.

Origin of seed corn

First recorded in 1585–95

Now there were five sacks of seed-corn outside, so her husband tied up the Golova, and set her in the midst of them.

Russian Fairy Tales |W. R. S. Ralston
Onward, ever onward, is the watchword just now—dropping boys like seed-corn as they go!

Dusty Diamonds Cut and Polished |R.M. Ballantyne
Once in a while there occurs quite a general failure of seed-corn to come up.

Soil Culture |J. H. Walden
Perhaps he lived on the seed-corn, and did not plough at all.

The Giant Crab and Other Tales from Old India |W.H.D. Rouse

It is not thus that any seed-corn can be gathered from foreign gardens.

At Home And Abroad |Margaret Fuller Ossoli

seed corn

the good quality ears or kernels of corn that are used as seed

assets or investments that are expected to provide profits in the future