seedbank

Seed banks are facilities or institutions that collect, store, and manage seeds from plants to conserve genetic diversity and support agricultural research, breeding, and restoration projects. They archive both crop species and their wild relatives, aiming to safeguard plant resources against extinction, natural disasters, and changing environmental conditions.

Seed banks operate as ex situ conservation programs, complementing in situ conservation in natural habitats. They hold seeds from crops, vegetables, trees, and wild species, and may also preserve seeds from local landraces and traditional varieties to maintain broad genetic bases for resilience and adaptation.

Storage and handling focus on maintaining seed viability over time. Orthodox seeds are dried to low moisture and kept at low temperatures, commonly around -18°C (or lower) in specialized facilities, with desiccants and airtight packaging. Recalcitrant seeds, which lose viability when dried, require alternative methods. Seed viability is regularly tested, and seeds are regenerated when germination rates decline.

Seed banking involves collection, cleaning, drying, packaging, labeling, and record keeping. Inventory systems track provenance, species, accession numbers, storage location, and regeneration cycles. Some seed banks operate as national programs, while others are international, regional, or private collections. Notable facilities include national seed banks and large-scale backups such as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Challenges include funding, infrastructure, and energy security, as well as legal and ethical issues related to access, benefit sharing, and intellectual property. The international community supports seed banks through treaties, networks, and collaboration to ensure seed availability for research, breeding, and restoration.