The Significance of Seed Storage
The process of storing seeds is not merely about safeguarding them but also about preserving their vitality for optimal yield. Seeds, the fundamental units of agriculture, undergo a journey from harvesting to planting, where storage plays a pivotal role. This article aims to dissect the nuances of seed storage, drawing insights from reputable sources to guide farmers and enthusiasts towards effective practices.
1. The Lifecycle of Seeds: Understanding the Journey
Seeds traverse a critical path from harvesting through processing stages like drying, cleaning, grading, and transportation. Each phase impacts their viability and vigor, culminating in the crucial storage phase. Highlighting the significance of this journey elucidates the fragility and resilience of seeds.
Like all living things, plants have a beginning and an end to their existence. The methods by which plants thrive vary greatly throughout the kingdom of plants. But a seed is the source of all things, from fragile flowers to massive oak trees. This is a summary of the steps that blooming plants go through, starting from a fresh seed and ending with death.
Fresh starts: the seed
A seed is a little genetic information bundle. All the biological instructions required to develop a new plant are contained in one robust, protected capsule. It has a concentrated starch reserve to provide energy for the young plant to grow.
A “niche” is a location where a seed is appropriate before it may begin to grow. This is just contact with bare soil in a well-lit area for most seeds. Finding such a spot is really like winning the jackpot for wild plants, as the ground is sometimes already covered with plants that shade the area or obstruct the flow of soil.
The role of animals in establishing voids for wild seeds
- By grazing, big herbivores such as cattle and deer expose bare soil with their feet and antlers, keeping clearings open and full of light.
- Rabbits, moles, and badgers dig and leave behind mounds of bare dirt.
- Where wild boar are found, their snouts are used to churn dirt as they search for grubs.
What is germination?
The process of a seed cracking open and its first root and shoot appearing is known as germination. It happens when a seed that has discovered a niche is sufficiently wet and warm.
Although autumn weather might be warm and humid, many seeds—like yellow rattle—have evolved to require exposure to freezing temperatures or frost in order to germinate. This ensures that they sprout in the warmth of spring, ready for the summer growth season.
First roots and shoots
After a seed has germinated, the root extends into the soil to start absorbing nutrients and moisture, as well as anchoring the plant to the earth. Simultaneously, a green tendril emerges, growing toward the light.
The starchy energy reserve that the parent plant leaves inside the seed is what powers this initial development spurt.
What is the duration of plant growth?
A plant’s solar panels are its leaves. The young plant may start using photosynthesis to fuel its own development once leaves start to sprout on the shoot.
Different plant species have varied development phase lengths. Certain plants, like the common poppy, develop to maturity in just one growing season: they sprout in the spring, produce seeds, and eventually wither away by the fall. We refer to these plants as annuals.
For example, foxgloves are biennial plants that focus on growth in their first year, then blooming and seed-setting in their second year before going extinct.
Snowdrops are examples of perennials that have extended lives. Even though they might seem to be dying back in the winter, their roots are actually dormant, waiting until spring to use the energy they accumulated the previous year to bloom once again.
Trees and bushes that are woody have the longest lifespans. Their flowering period can span several years, after which they can blossom and generate seeds annually for decades or even centuries. Yew, for millennia, trees have done this! Trees accumulate enormous amounts of carbon through continuous growth. They are warriors in the fight against climate change because of this.
2. Seed Storage: Environmental Mastery for Longevity
Discussing the concept of seed storage as a mechanism for preserving viability under controlled environmental conditions. Emphasize the role of seed as a living organism and its sensitivity to storage conditions, quoting Pieter Craven’s insights on seed quality and vigor.
Maintaining seed quality is intricately tied to environmental conditions, predominantly relative humidity and temperature. These characteristics of the air have a significant impact on how long seeds last since they directly affect the seeds’ equilibrium moisture content and, in turn, their capacity to withstand safe storage.
A thorough investigation of sorghum seeds kept at different relative humidities and temperatures—see Table I—showed that relative humidity had a greater effect on seed longevity than temperature. Furthermore, it elucidated a crucial relationship: as seed moisture content rises, temperature adjustments become imperative for ensuring safe storage, and vice versa.
Harrington, in 1960, articulated three cardinal guidelines pivotal in designing storage facilities for seeds across multiple seasons. These guidelines stipulate that the sum of the relative humidity and temperature in degrees Fahrenheit should approach 100 for prolonged, safe storage. Moreover, every 1 percent reduction in moisture content doubles the storage life, while each 10°F drop in temperature doubles the longevity as well.
Applying these rules indicates that seeds stored at 8% moisture content maintain optimal viability twice as long as those stored at 9%. Similarly, seeds stored at 60°F retain their viability for twice the duration compared to those kept at 70°F. Additionally, a combined effect emerges: theoretically, seeds stored at 8% and 60°F could uphold good viability four times longer than those at 9% moisture and 70°F.
However, for seeds stored solely between harvest and the subsequent planting season, there’s a bit more flexibility. As long as the relative humidity stays low enough to support seeds at a reduced moisture content, it is possible to gradually raise the relative humidity-temperature index to 120–125 without severely degrading the seeds. This adjustment predominantly leans towards temperature, not exceeding 75°F.
3. Factors Affecting Seed Longevity: Moisture, Temperature, and More
Delve into J.F. Harrington’s findings on the impact of moisture content and temperature fluctuations on seed longevity. Expand on the correlation between these factors and their influence on the storage life of seeds.
In every seed production operation, maintaining seed viability and vigor in terms of germination from harvest to planting is crucial. To preserve the viability and vigor, care should be given at every level of processing and dissemination. With the exception of refractory seeds, which need a high moisture content for safe storage since once dried, viability is lost, harvested seeds of most conventional crops are typically dried and kept for at least one season until the start of the following growing season. For instance, Jack, Citrus, Coffee, Cocoa, Polyalthea, and so on. Senescence in these resistant seeds begins within the mother plant. The dry weather changes the seed’s moisture content, which lowers its viability. Certain seedlings need an after.
Certain seeds, like those of Pinus and Fraxinus, need to be ripened thereafter. Ageing begins at physiological maturity in the majority of agricultural crops, and it is irreversible. Therefore, if seeds do not produce sufficient plant stands in addition to robust and healthy plants, they are essentially worthless. Thus, proper storage is a fundamental need for seed production.
The reason for storing seeds
Naturally, seeds need to be preserved because there is typically a gap in time between harvest and planting. The seed has to be stored somewhere during this time. Although the primary justification for saving seed is the amount of time between harvest and planting, there are additional factors to take into account, particularly when storing seed for a lengthy period of time.
From the time of harvest until planting, the goal of seed storage is to keep the seeds in good physical and physiological condition. Acquiring sufficient plant stands is just as crucial as having robust, healthy plants.
Not every seed seller can sell all of the seed they produce for the upcoming planting season. Unsold seeds are frequently “carried over” in storage in preparation for selling in the next planting season. Some types, variations, and large quantities of seed do not transfer particularly well, which causes issues with seed storage.
In order to avoid having to generate the seed every season, seeds are also purposefully kept in storage for long periods of time.
For seeds of varieties with little demand, Foundation Seed Units and others have found this to be an economical and effective method. Certain types of seeds are kept in storage for long stretches of time in order to increase the percentage and speed of germination by giving the seeds adequate time to emerge from dormancy “naturally.”
Maintaining a sufficient capacity for germination and emergence is the goal of seed storage, regardless of the particular motivations behind it. As such, the facilities and practices employed in storage must be focused on achieving this goal.
STAGES/SEGMENTS OF SEED STORAGE
The storage time for seeds, in its broadest definition, starts when the seed reaches physiological maturity and ends when the embryonic axis begins to actively grow again, or germination. The storage periods themselves can be separated into:
- Post-maturation/pre-harvest segment: Period from physiological maturity to harvest (seed in field).
- Bulk seed segment: Period from harvest to packaging (bulk seed in aeration drying bins, surge bins, etc.).
- Packaged seed segment: Period from packaging to distribution (seed in Packages in warehouse).
- Distribution/Marketing Segment: Period during distributing and marketing (packaged seed in transit and / or retailer’s storehouse).
- On-farm segment: Period from purchase to planting of seed (seed in on-farm storage).
When a seed reaches its maximum dry weight, it is deemed physiologically and morphologically mature. The seed’s dry-down, or dehydration, is well advanced at this point. Following physiological maturity, dry-down continues until the fruit’s and seed’s moisture content drops to a level that enables efficient and successful harvesting and threshing. We can call this stage harvest ripeness. Physiological maturity and harvestable maturity are often separated by a period of time, which is the first part of the storage period. Any delay in harvesting the seed after it reaches harvest maturity lengthens the first storage phase, sometimes at the expense of the quality of the seed.
The harvest to the start of conditioning phase is the second part of the storage period. The same variables that impact seed quality throughout the packed seed portion of the storage period also impact seed stored in bulk storage or drying bins, grain wagons, and combines. The start of conditioning and packing mark the conclusion of the third storage period section. The packaged seed phase, which is the fourth part of the storage period, has already been discussed. The section for packed seeds is followed by storage before to and during planting on the farm, storage during distribution, and storage during marketing.
If good seed handling and storage practices are not followed, the quality of the seeds can be significantly impacted at any of the above-mentioned phases or segments.
Types of storage
The types of storage needed can be related to the time of storage expected. Broadly this can be classified into 4 types.
- Storage of commercial truthfully labelled and certified seed.
- Storage of carry over seeds.
- Storage of foundation seed stocks and enforcement seed samples.
- Storage of germplasm seeds.
As explained;
- Commercial seed storage: The greatest amount of storage is needed for this commercial seed storage from harvest to planting. The duration of storage is eight to nine months. For starchy seeds, the moisture level of the seed must be dried to 14%, and for oilseeds, to 11%.
- Overwhelming seeds: It could be necessary to carry over 20–25 percent of the seed that has been preserved for a second planting season. 1 to 1 and a half years may pass during storage. If the seeds are sufficiently dry for sealed storage, moisture penetration issues can be resolved by storing them in moisture-proof bags or metal containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Seed sample for enforcement and foundation stock: Reproducing foundation or stock seeds reduces genetic drift, hence it is preferable to keep enforcement and foundation seeds for a number of years. The storage room is only a small portion of the overall storage area because there aren’t many seeds involved; in fact, it’s frequently a small room inside a larger warehouse. To sustain viability, a certain mix of temperature and relative humidity must be given. It is best to have a mix of 25% RH at 30°C or below and around 45% RH at 20°C or lower. Making the space moisture-proof and employing a dehumidifier will help you get the necessary relative humidity (RH).
- Storage of germplasm seeds: It is necessary to store germplasm seeds for a very long time—possibly for several years. The lowest temperature that can be achieved cheaply and seed moisture in equilibrium with 20–25 percent relative humidity are basic conditions for such long-term storage. Rooms designed for germplasm storage can be kept between five and ten degrees Celsius and at thirty percent relative humidity. The samples that are being preserved are also perfectly dried.
4. Environmental Conditions and Seed Quality
Explore the significance of optimal storage conditions in preserving seed quality. Highlight the repercussions of inadequate storage conditions on seed vigour and germination. This section will draw upon empirical studies and scientific analyses to elucidate the impact of environmental factors on seed viability.
For agriculture, food security, and wild species protection, seed quality is crucial. Subpar seed performance threatens livelihoods and food security, resulting in significant financial losses. The mother plant’s exposure to environmental stressors has a significant impact on the quality of the seed. Climate change will make financial losses much more severe and make it harder for farmers to estimate seed quality and output.
A reevaluation of the ideal storage conditions and fresh insights into the effects of stress on seed quality are necessary in light of the impending concerns of climate change and food security. In order to characterize seed quality and perturbation resilience, EcoSeed brings together a collection of eminent European specialists in convergent sciences and seed science.
To establish the regulatory switchboards that underlie the seed phenotype, EcoSeed integrates cutting-edge “”omics””, epigenetics, and post-“”omics”” techniques, such as nuclear and chromatin compaction, DNA repair, oxidative and post-translational changes to macromolecules. With an emphasis on seed after-ripening, vigor, viability, and storability, special attention is paid to the stress signaling hub, which controls seed destiny from development through storage, germination, and seedling development.
A key component of the EcoSeed project’s design is the translation of newly discovered information from models to agricultural and wild species, which will revolutionize our comprehension of the regulatory switchboards that control the fate of seeds.
Plant breeders, the seed industry, and conservationists will all benefit from the new “omics” data and novel indicators for seed quality produced by this initiative.
In this approach, EcoSeed will not only take the lead in resolving issues related to guaranteeing seed quality and storability, but it will also help related businesses better tap into established and developing markets.
5. Key Principles of Seed Storage: Practical Insights
Kobus van Huyssteen’s advice on key storage principles serves as a practical guide for farmers. Discuss tips such as maintaining a dry storage area, regulating temperature, preventing pest infestations, and avoiding contamination from adjacent products.
Although the primary goal of seed storage is to save seed from one season to the next, farmers and seed businesses frequently find it advantageous or necessary to store seeds for at least two to three years, and sometimes longer.
There are several reasons for this:
- Seed yields and seed quality (germination and vigor) can be unpredictable due to growing conditions, and
- market demand for certain crops can vary significantly from year to year. Market demand can be strongly influenced by media coverage of certain varieties, which can quickly fall in or out of favor depending on media exposure, and market demand can also be influenced by the psychological effects of poor growing conditions from the previous season.
National catastrophes (such as war, disasters, or media “feeding frenzies”) during peak ordering season can have a significant impact on seed sales, as can cold, overcast winter weather that lasts late into spring.
Though sales to market producers are more predictable from year to year, many gardeners may purchase more on impulse; as a result, seed demand is not perfectly foreseeable, and much of the seed sold in commerce is not sold the year after it was generated.
Since seed is frequently saved for future use and its germination regularly assessed, it is essential to comprehend how seed harvesting, processing, and storage impact the seed’s viability and longevity.
Since seeds are living, brittle organisms, early in the plant life cycle, factors like soil nutrition can have an impact on how long a seed will last.
While providing the best conditions for crop growth and health is the cornerstone of seed quality, the factors that can have the biggest impact on seed viability and vigor are harvesting, extraction, cleaning, transportation, and storage.
Seed can easily become damaged at any of these stages. For instance, if the soil is zinc deficient, the quality of the seed will be negatively affected. (Zinc is a co-factor in many enzyme reactions in the life of the seed and the maternal plant).
This publication’s goal is to offer recommendations for reducing seed damage and optimizing seed viability and vigor throughout pre-harvest and post-harvest processing.
SEED HARVESTING AND EXTRACTION
The two types of seed harvesting and cleaning techniques are called dry processing and wet processing. Dry processing is the process of harvesting seed from plants that have already reached maturity and dried out, such as beans, broccoli, corn, lettuce, okra, onions, sunflower, and turnips.
Wet processing is used when the mature seed is enclosed within a fleshy fruit or berry. Examples of wet processed seed plants include cucumbers, melons, and tomatoes. Some vegetables can be either dry processed or wet processed, for example, peppers, and squash.
Harvesting: There is an ideal time to harvest each type of plant, but variables like weather, climate, disease, insects, birds, or predatory mammals may force you to harvest the seed at a time that is less than ideal. The fundamental guideline for harvesting is to let the seed mature for as long as possible on the plant without the seed or fruit becoming diseased or overly ripe.
For example, in dry climates beans can usually be allowed to mature and dry in the field; however, during wet humid weather, it is best to harvest early and allow the beans to continue maturing and drying under cover. In the Mid-Atlantic and South, frequent and daily thunderstorms along with high humidity levels may play a significant role in determining how and when seed is harvested.
Dry seed processing (pods, capsules, seed heads, etc.): The matured seed undergoes color changes during maturation, ranging from green to yellow-green to yellow, light brown, dark brown, or dark gray. When seeds are ready to be processed, the entire pod, capsule, or seed head will turn brown and dry.
Legumes and brassicas frequently develop a split along one side of the pod; this is the best time to collect the seed, before the pods start to open and scatter their seed. Ripening and maturation may be uneven within the pod or capsule, uneven on the plant, and uneven within the stand of plants. For this reason, the pods of many plants are harvested individually.
Certain plant families, like the Asteraceae (Aster family), have a smaller percentage of viable seed in the head, and the seeds continue to mature after collection. Most flower seed heads are not ready to harvest until the flower head has dried completely to the base including a short section (approximately ¼”) of the supporting stem.
Because of this, it is advisable to avoid harvesting seeds too soon. Some seeds, like those of sunflower and lettuce, may mature in the capsule or pod before the pod has turned entirely brown. Most seeds mature by becoming deeper in color.
A good seed crop can be ruined quickly by rain or seed predators; plants that produce umbels (members of the carrot family, or Umbelliferae) can usually be left in the field to harvest until the umbels are dry. Seeds can start out white, turn green or tan, and then brown or black. Once the seed pods, capsules, and seed heads start to mature, it is important to check the crop every day.
To deal with crops that mature their seed unevenly, pull the plants and hang them upside down to dry under cover; this allows the seed to continue maturing on the plant while the plant dries. Certain members of this family mature their seed unevenly, causing some seeds to scatter while other seeds in the umbel continue to mature.
This process is frequently applied to lettuce. Knowledge of when to harvest relies on experience as well as familiarity with various species and crops. Following harvest, seeds are separated from surrounding plant material by threshing; prior to threshing, air-drying the seeds is crucial.
Harvested material should be stored in a well-ventilated room with low humidity; during this time you should be aware of insects, especially weevils that feed on the seeds. Plant material should be spread out in thin layers until all plant material is dry; otherwise, mold, decay, and heat from decay will cause damage to the seeds.
When a plant is ready to be threshed, it should be brittle. It is best to thresh outside on a dry day. Mechanical force is applied using a controlled pressure and a shearing motion. This can be done manually or with a machine. There are numerous ways to thresh seed.
Beans and okra, among other plants with pods, can be threshed by stuffing the pods into a big feed sack, tying it shut, and letting it fall to the ground to be kicked, stepped on, jogged on, or danced on in a twisting motion; turn the sack frequently to redistribute the plant material for more threshing.
Plant material is spread out on a concrete slab and then gently walked on with a twisting motion to break open the flower heads; care must be taken not to apply so much pressure that the seed is abraded or broken (especially a concern with angular-shaped seed). When using this method, it is best to use running shoes or other soft-soled shoes because seeds can develop hairline cracks and splits from too much pressure.
Another way to extract seed is to place seed heads on a piece of plywood. To thresh brassica seeds, throw plant material in a large wheelbarrow or on a large tarp, and while wearing gloves, twist and wring the plant material through your hands until the seed breaks free from the pods.
A rolling pin can be used to crush small seed heads; a threshing box can be used for threshing small lots of seed. To extract the seed, place a wooden cement float above the material and squeeze and twist until the seed breaks away.
This is comprised of a wooden box with outward-sloping sides that is open at the top and one end, and long sides and bottom covered with corrugated rubber floor matting. The seed is placed inside the box, and to remove the seed from the heads, a rubbing board that is also covered in rubber is moved back and forth across the seed.
Extracting seed:
Depending on the species, different fruits have different extraction methods: melons and cucumbers are cut in half, the seed and surrounding fruit pulp are scraped out, and then the entire fleshy fruit is fermented along with the extracted seed; watermelons have a gel surrounding the seed that contains germination inhibitors. Soft fruits like tomatoes are chopped up, mashed, and then fermented.
Fermentation is a natural process that happens to some extent as fruits decompose; when fermentation is done in a controlled manner, the microorganisms, primarily yeast, break down the gel thus releasing the seed while killing bacteria and fungi that cause most seed-borne diseases. Temperature and length of fermentation are important factors in this process. The presence of the gel also makes handling and drying of the seed difficult.
The length of the fermentation depends on temperature and usually lasts three days at a temperature of 70 to 75oF (21 to 24oC). Length of fermentation may also depend on variety; for example, high-sugar varieties may take longer to ferment, up to four days. With rare exceptions, fermentation periods longer than three days risk damaging the seed. With the mash, seed-borne diseases will not be eliminated if fermented too long, but if fermented too long, the seeds may sprout prematurely.
A Corona grain mill is a very useful tool to use for extracting the seed of eggplants and hot peppers. The grinding plates on the mill are set wide enough apart to break up the fruit without grinding the seed. As an example, pepper seeds are extracted from the fruits by mashing, but the fermentation process may only last 24 to 48 hours. Although eggplant is not a watery fruit, it can be mashed and fermented for about 48 hours.
Though some people use a food processor and blender set on low speed to extract the seed of hot peppers and eggplant, I would not recommend using a blender because it is easy to damage the seed. Small peppers can be put directly into the mill, whereas larger fruits like eggplant are cut into small cubes before processing. The mill must be disassembled and cleaned thoroughly before processing another variety.
There are differing opinions about adding water to the fermenting mixture; some believe it slows the fermentation process and causes premature sprouting, but in my experience, this has not been an issue. Instead, a food processor with a thick (approximately 1/8″) blade works well as long as there is enough water in the processor, the speed is as slow as possible, and the processing time is as short as possible.
This is not a problem as long as the ferment is not diluted any more than maybe 10 to 20 percent by volume. Whether or not to add water depends on the thickness of the mash and the variety; some produce a very thick mash that is difficult to stir, while others produce a watery mash that stirs easily.
Three times a day, in the morning, midday, and evening, the mash should be stirred; if the mash is too thick to stir easily, the nutrients will not circulate easily; stirring also helps to better control seed-borne diseases; if the mash is not stirred, a white mold that smells bad forms on top of the mash.
A properly fermenting mash should not smell bad and should have little to no white mold on top (a small amount of white mold is harmless and can be stirred back into the mash, but a heavy overgrowth should be removed). This mold can discolor (darken) and damage seeds at the top of the mash, which will later have to be hand picked out of the dried seed.
Washing seed:
Once the fermentation process is finished, the seeds are cleaned to get rid of pulp, fruit and debris fragments, and low-quality seed. It helps to strain the mash with your fingers to remove larger chunks of pulp before washing the seed, which is especially helpful for tomato seed.
In order to ensure that the mash is sufficiently diluted—the higher the specific gravity, the more dissolved solids there are in the mash—add a volume of water that is at least twice the volume of mash. Depending on the variety, this process may or may not result in floating pulp.
Proper washing of the seeds will be more challenging if the specific gravity is high (high concentration of soluble solids). Poor quality seeds tend to float off with the wash, while good seeds sink to the bottom. The washing process is repeated until the wash water turns clear.
While most good seeds sink, some vegetables have very light seed and need special attention when washing; for instance, a good deal of good pepper seed tends to float instead of sink when washing; this can be prevented by slowly adding the wash water so as not to cause tiny air bubbles to stick to the seeds and make them buoyant.
Even with this safety measure, there are some watermelon varieties, such as some that require extra care when washing, as the good seeds tend to float rather than sink. In these cases, the best method for washing the seed is to pour the wash through a ¼” hardware cloth screen, and then use a hose to force pulp through the screen.
Drying seed:
After washing, seeds should be dried fairly quickly to avoid mold growth or premature sprouting. In the Mid-Atlantic and South, seeds should not be dried in the sun or anywhere the temperature rises above 95oF (35oC). Dark colored seeds are particularly susceptible to sun drying damage, so they should be dried in a climate-controlled environment using fan ventilation. Drying seeds in this way, combined with ceiling fans and air conditioning, ensures that they dry safely and quickly.
The seeds should be spread out in thin layers (no thicker than ¼” for small seeds) and stirred several times a day until they feel dry. After the seeds feel dry, they should cure for an additional two to three weeks. Curing is the last step in the drying process, where the seeds can be placed in a container as their moisture content decreases and they come into equilibrium with the relative humidity.
First-time growers frequently make the mistake of drying squash seed on newspaper, which adheres permanently to the seed coat. No one wants to read the daily news on the surface of squash seed. Instead, use plywood, window screen, or any other hard, non-stick surface. Avoid using paper towels, newspaper, cardboard, or cloth.
6. Constructing an Ideal Seed Store: The Structural Blueprint
Reducing seed loss during and after harvest is crucial to meeting the growing population’s demand for food grains both now and in the future. Seeds are stored for different lengths of time to guarantee appropriate and balanced public distribution throughout the year. Post-harvest losses in India are estimated to be approximately 10%, of which 6.58 percent is lost during storage alone. However, with the introduction of improved agricultural technology, producers can now afford to store the seeds for longer periods of time with minimal loss.
For best storage performance,
- The produce must be thoroughly cleaned and graded,
- Dried to the safe storage moisture level of 10-12 % for cereals and 7-9% for oil seeds (on wet basis) for a safe storage period of 6-12 months.
- Storage structures should to be properly repaired, cleaned and disinfected,
- Structures should bear the load of seeds stored and do not permit contact/
exchange with outside humid air, - Structures should be constructed in the coolest part of the house/ farm.
An ideal storage facility should satisfy the following requirements
- It ought to offer the best defense against things like rain, insects, mold, rodents, birds, and moisture in the ground.
- It ought to offer the facilities required for cleaning, reconditioning, loading, unloading, disinfection, and inspection.
- It should shield grain from extreme moisture and heat that encourages the growth of mold and insects,
- It need to be affordable and appropriate for the given circumstance.
Seeds can be stored in bulk or in bags.
(a) Bulk (open) storage
- It is preferred over bag storage for the following reasons
- Large quantities of food grain can be stored
- No difficulty in loading and unloading of grain
- No need to purchase storage containers like gunnies
- Insect incidence is less than bag storage, even this can be eliminated by fumigation in situ
- Avoids waste from leaking bags
- Easy inspections- saves labour and time.
(b) Bag storage
- The majority of commodities are kept in gunnies. Short-term storage is a benefit of storing in ags. Storage in bags necessitates a significant amount of labor, but only requires a minimal investment in permanent structures and equipment.
- Bags are easily handled for marketing purposes and can be stored beneath a ceiling made of alvanized iron sheets or covered with plastic when grain is meant for very early forward movement.
- Because the bags are stacked on racks with enough space between them, there is no sweating of the bags; however, the initial cost is high, and the infestation can readily be picked up and retained even after treatment.
7. Managing the Seed Store: Best Practices
Pests found in stored goods can be controlled using behavioral techniques (such as light, probe, and pitfall traps) or a variety of chemical and non-chemical preventive and curative measures. Following the acquisition of a facility, several actions must be performed to guarantee the safe storage of grains. These actions include:
1. Before storage
– Examining the building for leaks of rainwater and making sure there are enough drainage systems in place
- Cleaning the building and surrounding area
- Determining the building’s capacity
- Applying pesticides
- Making security and firefighting plans
- Fixing broken equipment
2. After receipt of seed
- Examining the grain for variety and sound quality;
- Carefully examining the grain for infestation, if any, and determining the type and extent of the infestation;
- Examining the grain for excess moisture, heat from prior storage, and musty or rancid odors;
- Segregating and salvaging any damaged or wet grain using available facilities, and verifying the weight received.
3. During storage
- Maintenance of cleanliness;
- making sure aeration is provided where needed; monitoring for leaks following rainstorms;
- inspecting the area for insects, rats, and mites every two weeks;
- keeping an eye out for any signs of progressive deterioration;
- applying pesticides as needed based on observations;
- making arrangements for segregation, salvage, and processing in cases where damage from leaks of water or other sources may have occurred.
8. Seed-Specific Considerations: Testing and Germination Rates
Depending on the kind of plant material that is available, a practitioner can take a number of factors into account before making seed collections. (See “Questions to Ask before Acquiring a Conservation Collection” and “Questions to Ask to Determine the Most Efficient Way to Preserve the Plant Tissue Long-Term.”) In certain situations, you might need to conduct preliminary laboratory trials to ascertain whether or not seeds are viable, or whether or not they are desiccation tolerant.
Conventional freezer storage, which is relatively inexpensive and highly accessible to many institutions, is used to store seeds that are capable of withstanding temperatures as low as -18°C + 3°C. These seeds are referred to as orthodox (see “What is a ‘Orthodox’ Seed?” below). The goal is typically to store the seeds for a long period of time (> 20 years). If the seeds are not desiccation tolerant (also known as exceptional species, recalcitrant, or intermediate; see “What Is a ‘Recalcitrant’ Seed?” and “What Is a ‘Intermediate’ Seed?” below) or you are only able to collect shoots rather than seeds, refer to the CPC Best Practice Chapter “Alternatives to Conventional Seed Banking.”
To help practitioners keep orthodox seeds alive for as long as possible so that the seeds may be used for future reintroductions to the wild, a number of steps must be taken to bring wild seeds into the seed laboratory for processing before placing the seeds into cold storage. We cover each of these steps in this chapter, and we urge practitioners to follow the NEW practices to increase the longevity of seeds in storage.
Conclusion: Nurturing the Future Harvest
In order to ensure seed viability, effective seed storage following sourcing (harvesting or purchasing) is essential for restoration practitioners and native seed producers. Poor quality seeds can be sown, wasting both financial and natural resources.
General conclusions based on research on related species can be drawn when working with native species whose storage behavior is unknown, and standard procedures can be cautiously implemented. Nevertheless, research should be done to determine whether particular storage conditions are required and how long seeds can be stored before they significantly lose viability.
Implications for Practice
- Maintaining seed viability and boosting the success of restoration efforts depend on appropriate seed storage.
- When working with unknown species, the seed storage behavior should be ascertained using a protocol to know how to store its seeds.
- Following seed collection and prior to seed storage, using research-based protocols, seed moisture content should be assessed.
- Based on the seed storage behavior, seeds should be packaged for storage in an appropriate airtight container and dried to the proper level of moisture content and relative humidity.
- For orthodox species, seeds can typically be stored at −18°C for more than five years, while seeds from recalcitrant species should be kept moist at ≥10°C for less than a year.
We sincerely hope that the knowledge we were able to give you is beneficial. For more in-depth information, read through our other interesting blog posts, and do not forget to tell your friends and family about them. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to stay updated with premium details.
If you have any questions or comments, kindly use the space provided below.
Disclaimer: AgriTalker does not necessarily endorse or represent the views and opinions expressed by its writers. The opinions expressed in any content contributed by our writers or bloggers are their own, and it is not meant to disparage any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, business, person, or thing.
The information is provided as accurately as possible, and although we try to keep it current and accurate, we make no explicit or implied representations or warranties of any kind regarding the availability, suitability, accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the website or the data, goods, services, or related graphics on the website for any purpose. As a result, you bear all the risks associated with relying on such information.
EXTRA: Be sure to consistently check https://www.agritalker.com/ for an abundance of valuable resources, including tips, news, and updates on agriculture and farming practices, to stay informed and enhance your expertise in the field
