Abstract
Storage of seeds is arguably the most effective and efficient method for the ex situ preservation of plant genetic resources. Low storage costs, combined with ease of seed distribution and regeneration of whole plants from genetically diverse material, offer distinct advantages for the storage for conservation of seeds compared with other types of plant tissues, such as meristems and pollen.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Dickie, J. B., Ellis, R. H., Kraak, H. L., Ryder, K., and Tompsett, P. B. (1990) Temperature and seed storage longevity. Ann. Bat 65, 197–204.
Stanwood, P. C. and Bass, L. N. (1981) Seed germplasm preservation using liquid nitrogen. Seed Sci. Technol 9, 423–437.
Stanwood, P. C. (1985) Cryopreservation of seed germplasm for genetic conservation, in Cryopreservution of Plant Cells and Organs (Kartha, K. K., ed.), CRC, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 199–226.
Pritchard, H. W. and Seaton, P. T. (1993) Orchid seed storage. historical perspective, current status, and future prospects for long-term conservation. Selbyana 14, 89–104.
Roos, E. E. and Stanwood, P. C. (1981) Effects of low temperature, cooling rate, and moisture content on seed germination of lettuce. J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 106, 30–34.
Iriondo, J. M., Pérez, C., and Pérez-García, F. (1992) Effect of seed storage in liquid nitrogen on germination of several crop and wild species. Seed Sci. Technol. 20, 165–171.
Brown, H. T. and Escombe, F. (1897–1898) Note on the influence of very low temperatures on the germinative power of seeds. Proc. Royal Soc. Land. 62, 160–165.
Sakai, A. and Noshiro, M. (1975) Some factors contributing to the survival of crop seeds cooled to the temperature of liquid nitrogen, in Crop Genettc Resources for Today and Tomorrow (Frankel, O. H. and Hawkes, J C., eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp. 317–326.
Stanwood, P. C. and Roes, E. E. (1979) Seed storage of several horticultural species in liquid nitrogen (/t-196°C). Hort. Sci. 14, 628–630.
Styles, E. D., Burgess, J. M, Mason, C., and Huber, B. M. (1982) Storage of seed in liquid nitrogen. Cryobiology 19, 195–199.
Pence, V. C. (1991) Cryopreservation of seeds of Ohio native plants and related species. Seed Sci. Technol. 19, 235–251.
Touchell, D. H. and Dixon, K. W. (1993) Cryopreservation of seed of Western Australian native species. Biodiversity Conserv. 2, 594–602.
Al-Madeni, M. A. and Tisserat, B. (1986) Survival of palm seeds under cryogenic conditions. Seed Sci. Technol. 14, 79–85.
Pritchard, H. W. (1984) Liquid nitrogen preservation of terrestrial and epiphytic orchid seed. Cryo-Lett. 5, 295–300.
Pritchard, H. W. and Prendergast, F. G. (1986) Effects of desiccation and cryopreservation on the in vitro viability of embryos of the recalcitrant seed species Araucaria hunsteinii K. Schum. J. Exp. Bat. 37, 1388–1397.
Pence, V. C (1992) Desiccation and the survival of Aesculus, Castanea and Quercus embryo axes through cryopreservation. Cryobiology 29, 391–399.
Grout, B. W. W. (1979) Low temperature storage of imbibed tomato seeds: a model for recalcitrant seed storage. Cryo-Lett. 1, 71–76.
de Boucaud, M.-T. and Cambecedes, J. (1988) The use of 1,2-propanediol for cryopreservation of recalcitrant seeds: the model case of Zea muys imbibed seeds. Cryo-Lett. 9, 94–101.
International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (1991) Elsevier’s Dictionary of Plant Genetic Resources. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Wexler, A. (1993-1994) Constant humidity solutions, in CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 74th ed. (Lide, D. R., ed.-in-chief), CRC, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 15–25.
Cromarty, A. S., Ellis, R. H., and Roberts, E. H. (1985) Design of Seed Storage Facilities for Genetic Conservation International Board for Plant Genetic Resources, Rome
Ellis, R. H., Hong, T. D., and Roberts, E. H (1985) Handbook of Seed Technology for Genebanks. Volume I. Principles and Methodology. International Board for Plant Genetic Resources, Rome
Ellis, R. H., Hong, T. D., and Roberts, E. H. (1985) Handbook of Seed Technology for Genebanks. Volume II. Compendium of Specific Germination Information and Test Recommendations. International Board for Plant Genetic Resources, Rome.
Vertucci, C. W. (1990) Calorimetric studies of the state of water in seed tissues. Biophys. J. 58 1463–1471.
Eckey, E. W. (1954) Vegetable Fats and Oils. Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York.
Earle, F. R. and Jones, Q. (1962) Analyses of seed samples from 113 plant families. Econ. Bot. 16, 221–250.
Zhang, B., Fu, J.-R., and Xu, S. (1990) Studies on cryopreservation of seeds of crops and vegetables. Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni 29, 115–121.
Vertucci, C. W (1989) Effects of cooling rate on seeds exposed to liquid nitrogen temperatures. Plant Physiol 90, 1478–1485
Zewdie, M. and Ellis, R. H. (1991) Survival of tef and niger seeds following exposure to sub-zero temperatures at various moisture contents. Seed Sci. Technol 19, 309–317.
Vertucci, C. W. and Roos, E. E. (1993) Theoretical basis of protocols for seed storage II. The influence of temperature on opttmal moisture levels. Seed Sci. Res. 3, 201–213.
Pritchard, H. W., Manger, K. R., and Prendergast, F. G. (1988) Changes in Trifolium arvense seed quality following alternating temperature treatment using liquid nitrogen. Ann. Bot. 62, 1–11.
Stanwood, P. C. (1980) Tolerance of crop seeds to cooling and storage in liquid nitrogen (/t-196°C). J. Seed Technol. 5, 26–31.
Harrison, B. J. and Carpenter, R. (1977) Storage of Allium cepa seed at low temperatures. Seed Sci. Technol. 5, 699–702.
Vertucci, C. W. (1989) Relationship between thermal transitions and freezing injury in pea and soybean seeds. Plant Physiol. 90, 1121–1128.
Jordan, J. L., Jordan, L. S., and Jordan, C M. (1982) Effects of freezing to /t-196°C and thawing on Setaria lutescens seeds. Cryobiology 19, 435–442
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1995 Humana Press Inc.
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Pritchard, H.W. (1995). Cryopreservation of Seeds. In: Day, J.G., Pennington, M.W. (eds) Cryopreservation and Freeze-Drying Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 38. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1385/0-89603-296-5:133
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/0-89603-296-5:133
Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ
Print ISBN: 978-0-89603-296-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-525-9
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols