siemenvarastona

Siemenvarasto is the Finnish national seed bank that maintains a large collection of plant genetic material for conservation and research purposes. The institution was established in the early 1990s as part of Finland's effort to preserve biodiversity and to support sustainable agriculture. It is managed by the Finnish Agricultural Research Institute and operates under the legal framework of the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

The seed bank stores thousands of accessions of native and cultivated crops, including cereals, legumes, root vegetables and medicinal plants. Seeds are kept in a climate-controlled facility with temperatures ranging from -18 °C to +4 °C and relative humidity below 5 %. The bank follows international best practices for seed storage, including regular germination testing, seed quality assessment, and regeneration cycles to prevent genetic drift. The infrastructure includes backup power generators and a redundant data system to protect against loss of information.

Siemenvarasto plays a crucial role in the international network of gene banks, participating in exchange programs with the Global Plant Genetic Resources Bank and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. By providing a secure repository for plant varieties that are under threat from climate change, disease, or market pressures, the bank contributes to global food security and supports research in plant breeding, genetics, and ecology.

Public access to the seed collection is tightly regulated. Researchers and breeders may request samples for scientific study, subject to licensing agreements that ensure compliance with national and international regulations on the preservation and use of genetic resources. The database of the seed bank is publicly searchable and includes information on origin, botanical classification, and conservation status for each accession.