Seed viability is an important trait in agriculture which directly influences seedling
emergence and crop yield. However, even when stored under optimal conditions, all seeds …

Background Considered only in terms of tolerance of, or sensitivity to, desiccation (which is
an oversimplification), orthodox seeds are those which tolerate dehydration and are storable …

The accumulation of reactive oxygen species has been associated with a loss of seed
viability. Therefore, we have investigated the germination ability of a range of seed stocks …

Abstract Background and Aims Despite differences in physiology between dry and relative
moist seeds, seed ageing tests most often use a temperature and seed moisture level that …

Two basic conservation strategies, each composed of various techniques, are employed to
conserve genetic diversity: in situ and ex situ conservation. Article 2 of the Convention on …

In this paper, we review gene bank operations that have an influence on the global
conservation system, with the intention to identify critical aspects that should be improved for …

Desiccation-tolerant organisms, or life-cycle stages of particular taxa, occur among animals,
higher and lower plants, terrestrial micro-algae, lichens and bacteria. Recent investigations …

The effective conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity is vital for creating and
maintaining sustainable increases in the productivity of healthy food for mankind, as well as …

Plant genetic resources are conserved by genebanks mainly in the form of seeds. In most of
the cases, the dried seeds can be stored for a considerable period of time, but eventually …

Final germination percentages of 25 accessions of Brassicaceae from the UPM (Universidad
Politécnica de Madrid) seed bank were evaluated after 38–40 years of storage. The seeds …