An underestimated third line of defence for seeds in genebanks

A note on their recent work on seed storage from Steven P.C. Groot and Robbert van Treuren. Our thanks to both.

celery_air_anoxiaDry and cool storage is recommended to extend the shelf life of seeds during ex situ conservation. But that’s not all! The shelf life of seeds stored in genebanks or the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is expected to be prolonged considerably by storing seeds under oxygen-free conditions soon after drying. To demonstrate the deteriorating effects of oxygen in the atmosphere of seeds, we published earlier in Annals of Botany, showing that high concentrations of oxygen accelerate the ageing of seeds. More recently, we have reproduced earlier findings that seed longevity can be improved considerably by storage under anoxia. This is illustrated by the picture, showing a strong difference in the viability of primed celery seeds, depending on storage within air or under anoxia. Explore our recent publication in Plant Genetic Resources, which outlines why this third row of defence against seed ageing should not be neglected by those involved in preserving biodiversity in the form of seeds.

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