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FLORABANK GUIDELINES - Native Seed Storage
FLORABANK GUIDELINES - Native Seed Storage
FLORABANK GUIDELINES - Native Seed Storage
N AT I V E S E E D S TO R A G E
FOR R E V E G E TAT I O N
Low-cost storage
Many people store native plant seed quite Think of seed storage as a learning process.
effectively without spending a lot of There has been very little research on storing
money. Low-cost storage can be very Australian indigenous plant seed and most
effective in the short term if basic rules are guidelines are based on research conducted
understood and followed. However, not all for agricultural industries. Sharing your
seed can be stored at low cost for all experiences and understanding with others
purposes. will help to overcome this lack of
knowledge. After looking at storage systems
In general, we store seed to maintain it in a
all over Australia, we developed this
viable condition from the time of
guideline with our recommendations for
collection until the time of sowing. Storage
good, low-cost storage for the short term
time varies according to the purpose for
(up to 5 years). It covers room temperature,
which you store it. In revegetation work,
air-conditioned and refrigerated storage
for example, seed is generally collected
useful for periods up to 5 years, depending
with the aim of sowing it as soon as
on the species stored. This typically covers
possible in the next growing season. A
seed storage for revegetation purposes.
storage period of 2 or 3 years for most of
your seed might be appropriate, with a There are other FloraBank guidelines for
maximum storage time of 5 years. In improving storage practices. The Australian
comparison, the conservation of a species Network for Plant Conservation has
through storage of seed may involve excellent Germplasm Conservation Guidelines
periods in excess of 10 or 20 years over for Australia (long-term storage).
which viability must be maintained.
Remember that the longer you need to
store seed, the more expensive it becomes.
So what do we recommend?
Firstly, you should think about domestic fridge. You can move to more
the following. sophisticated storage options, such as
low-temperature and low-humidity
1. The basic requirements for good storage, if the need arises.
storage are to ensure that seed is:
3. It is much cheaper to only use
• collected from fruit that is fully refrigeration for the seed that won’t keep
mature at room temperature or in air-
• well dried and cleaned conditioning. Many Australian plants,
particularly those with hard-coated seeds
• stored in airtight containers (acacias), store easily at room
• stored at constant temperature, and temperature for years. Many rainforest
species with soft or fleshy seeds (acmena,
• at all stages the subject of thorough
syzygium) may last only a matter of
record-keeping.
weeks, or up to a year, and many must be
2. It is more important to dry seed well stored in a fridge.
and store it in an airtight container
4. You need to learn which species can be
than to store it at low temperature.
stored viably at room temperature and
Start off with room temperature storage
which species require refrigeration. Start
and introduce air-conditioning or
by developing your understanding of the
refrigeration later if you need to. Don’t
broad groupings of Australian plants – at
just assume that you need refrigerators
genus level – and how their seed is rated
or a walk-in cold storage to store seed.
in terms of its natural viability and its
Many commercial seed merchants don’t
expected storage life.
have such facilities, or use a small
Guidelines: native seed storage for revegetation
5. Draw up a list of species you will collect pillow. Press down on the inflated bag with
and group them into those that you your hands to see if you can squeeze the air
think will store at room temperature out. If you can easily do this – pick another
and those that you know will not. supplier. These bags do allow moisture in
6. Plan a low-cost storage. through the plastic over time, so select
heavy duty bags rather than thin ‘sandwich’
• Plan as dry a storage area as you can. bags. Place one bag inside another for a
• Plan as cool a storage area as you can. better seal, added strength or storage of
But be careful, many cool buildings larger seedlots.
are also damp.
Storage containers
• Plan a storage area that you can easily
The filled plastic bags should be stored in
work in as you will spend a lot of
strong containers for protection and to
time in it. Is it easy to keep clean,
maximise storage space. If possible, use
easy to keep dry, easy to keep cool?
standard sized containers that are airtight
Choose a well-lit storage area and use
or have a well-fitting lid and are not
opaque containers to keep your seed
transparent. All manner of new plastic
in the dark.
storage containers or recycled containers
• Plan a storage time limit for seed (coffee tins, honey containers) may be used.
suitable for your work.
Square stackable containers with lock-
• Storage space is expensive because it down lids are available from large
involves building ownership and supermarkets, camping stores and plastic
maintenance or rental of space. It is manufacturers in a variety of sizes. Thirty-
therefore important to understand litre containers suit floor-level bulk storage
your needs and not to over-cater for but when storing seed on shelves use
them. It may be cheaper for you to smaller sized containers (approximately
rent space that you don’t have to 15 litres) that are reasonably full with
maintain. The cheapest option is to 6 to 8 kilograms of seed. If you are
obtain free or sponsored storage prepared to pay more, you can purchase
space. A seedbank needs areas for containers (usually barrels) with a rubber
receiving and drying seed, seed seal. If you can only find clear plastic
cleaning, storage, packaging and containers, simply paint them with water-
dispatch, germination testing, office based paint to keep the seed in the dark.
and record-keeping, and a pleasant
If using recycled containers, avoid using
place to sit and talk to your clients.
a big mixture of shapes and sizes. Go for
Here we are concerned only with
the cheapest option with the least hassles.
storage, which is one of the smallest
But remember that a standard system of
users and lesser considerations in the
closed containers does not cost a lot
space requirements for most
(20 containers at $15 each = $300)
community seedbanks.
and has many advantages.
Published by FloraBank with the assistance of Bushcare – a program of the Your Comment
Commonwealth Government’s Natural Heritage Trust. The FloraBank partners The FloraBank guidelines are a consolidation of existing information and draw on
are Greening Australia, CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products through the the practices observed at seedbanks across Australia as well as the expertise and
Australian Tree Seed Centre, and the Australian National Botanic Gardens. technical understanding of the Australian Tree Seed Centre at CSIRO Forestry
FloraBank is funded by the Bushcare program of the Natural Heritage Trust and Forest Products, Greening Australia’s Seedbanks and the Australian National
and operates under the ‘Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia Botanic Gardens Seedbank. The guideline present, as far as is known by the
and Greening Australia Limited in relation to financial assistance for authors, best practices. However, they are drafts because we recognise that other
FloraBank’. people may have better approaches, and that best practices change with time.
Also, our climate and vegetation is diverse and not all practices are equally
© FloraBank 1998. applicable across Australia. If you would like to comment on any of the
This document is copyright. However, you may use material from the guidelines, or have practices or knowledge you would like to share with others,
document for your personal, public or commercial use provided that you please contact the FloraBank Coordinator.
ensure that the source of this material is clearly referenced to the FloraBank
authors. You may not, however, modify, alter or edit any material from the
document without the express prior written permission of FloraBank.
All enquiries to:
Disclaimer
FloraBank Coordinator
The information contained in this document is provided for the purpose of
general research and policy development only and should not be relied upon Greening Australia
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FloraBank partners do not assume liability of any kind whatsoever resulting
from any person’s use or reliance upon the content of this report. Email: greenaus@ozemail.com.au