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Assessing the storage potential of seed collections to inform the management of wild species seed banks

Sharalene Balasupramaniyam, David Merritt, Fiona Hay, Emma Dalziell

Abstract

Context The storage of seed in seed banks is a primary strategy for the ex-situ conservation of plant species globally. However, changing practices has meant that institutions storing seeds for decades often hold older collections stored sub-optimally for at least some of their storage. Aims Using banked seed collections at Kings Park and Botanic Garden (Perth, Western Australia), we aimed to assess the relative future longevity of several seed collections of 10 species. These collections had been stored for 4–34 years. Methods We conducted germination assessments on seeds from 44 collections. For species with multiple accessions retaining high viability, we conducted a rapid ageing experiment by subjecting seeds to 60% relative humidity at 45°C to determine their potential remaining longevity. Key results Several collections of Brachyscome iberidifolia, Myriocephalus gueriniae, Olearia axillaris and O. pimeleoides banked in the 1980s and 1990s displayed 0% germination. Newer collections of B. iberidifolia, Hyalosperma cotula, O. axillaris, Panaetia lessonii, Podotheca angustifolia and Trachymene pilosa retained similarly high and consistent viability over time in storage. Rapid ageing of these collections showed that the time to 50% loss of viability (p50) varied significantly and was not necessarily lowest for the oldest seed collections. Conclusions By rapidly ageing seeds, we determined that several species and individual collections have lower longevity, and therefore need to be prioritised for more frequent viability monitoring, use, or re-collection. Implications This methodology could be used by wild species seed banks globally to make more informed decisions about historical and ageing seed collections.

BT24065  Accepted 20 January 2025

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