Why Seed Physiology Is Important for Genebanking

Abstract

Genebank management is a field in its own right; it is multifaceted, requiring a diverse set of skills and knowledge. Seed physiology is one area that is critical to the successful operation of seed genebanks, requiring understanding of seed quality during development and maturation, seed dormancy and germination, and seed longevity in storage of the target species. Careful management of the workflow between these activities, as seeds move from harvest to storage, and the recording and management of all relevant associated data, is key to ensuring the effective conservation of plant genetic resources. This review will discuss various aspects of seed physiology that genebank managers should be aware of, to ensure appropriate decisions are made about the handling and management of their seed collections.

Keywords: agrobiodiversity; genebank; genebank management; plant genetic resources; seed physiology; seed quality management.

Figure 1

Predicted time for viability to fall from 92% to 85% for seeds of different crops stored in the medium-term store (MTS), the long-term store (LTS), or as a safety duplicate (SD) under LTS conditions in another location. Predications made using the Seed Viability Constants tool of the Seed Information Database [13], based on drying seeds to equilibrium with 15% relative humidity at 15 °C. The red stars indicate the timing of viability monitoring tests, at intervals of one-third of the time predicted for viability to fall to 85%.