SEED STORAGE

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SEED STORAGE
➢ Good storage of seed maintain the planting value of harvested seed from
harvesting time to sowing time.
➢ The largest Germplasm storage bank in the word is situated at Colorado, USA.

Germplasm maintenance

In-situ Germplasm Maintenance:

➢ Protect Germplasm within its natural environment.
➢ It is more suitable than ex-situ Germplasm conservation.
➢ e.g. Natural parks, Biosphere reserve, Gene sanctuary (NBPGR establish 2
gene sanctuary at Meghalaya-Citrus and North east region-Banana, Mango,
Citrus, Sugarcane and Rice).
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Ex-situ Germplasm Maintenance :
➢ It conserves the seed or Germplasm away from its natural habitat. e.g.
➢ Kew garden in England.
➢ Plant/field gene bank : Mainly for recalcitrant seed, e.g., Malaysia-Oil palm,
Indonesia-Coconut, Philippines-Banana and India (Andaman and Nicobar)-
Banana
➢ Mass resources of composites (Simmonds, 1962 long term conservation),
➢ In-vitro conservations :
❖ Cold Storage : maintain at non freezing temperature 10 to 9 0C.
❖ Cryopreservation : Seed storage in liquid nitrogen at – 1960C temperature and
PEG is Cryoprotectant.
❖ Shoot-tip gene bank, Cell and organ bank, DNA bank.
❖ Seed gene bank: Seed types (Roberis : 1973)
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Orthodox seed Recalcitrant seed
It can be dried to 5% or less moisture Recalcitrant seed drop viability drastically
content without lowering their viability. if moisture reduces below 12-30%
It can be stored for longer period It cannot be stored for longer period
Moisture vapour proof container is the Moisture pervious container is the suitable
suitable container container
Seed viability with decreasing level of These seeds kill at sub-zero temperature
moisture and temperature
e.g., Cereals, Pineapple e.g., citrus, coconut, coffee, cocoa, tea,
rubber, oil palm mango jackfruit (forest
trees, fruit trees, tropical crop)
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SEED BANK COLLECTION
Base collection/Principle/Whole Active collection
collection
Long term storage Medium term storage
Storage at -200C Storage at 00C
Stored for up to 100 years Stored for 10 – 15 years
Moisture content 5% Moisture content 5%
Disturb only for regeneration. Used for evaluation, multiplication and
Size: 12000 seeds for heterogenous distribution, Maintained by multiplication
material and 4000 seeds for Base collection used for regeneration of
homogenous material active collection
 ACTIVE GERMPLASM COLLECTION MAINTAINED IN INDIA AND FOREIGN
India Germplasm Collection Institute
Central Institute of Cotton Research, Nagpur
Central Plantation Crop Research Institute, Kasaragdo
Central, Potato Research Institute, Shimla
Central Tuber Crop Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram
Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajamundry
Central Rice Research Institute Cuttack
Directorate of Oilseed Research, Karnal
Directorate of Wheat Research, Karnal
Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana
Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi
Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, Bangalore
Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur
National Research Centre for Groundnut, Junagarh
National Research Centre for Sorghum, Hyderabad
National Research Centre for Soybean, Indore
Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore
Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi
International Germplasm Collection Institute
CIAT, Columbia – Common bean, cassava, forage crop
IITA, Nigeria – Cowpea, root crops, rice
CIMMTY, Mexico-Maize, wheat, barley, triticale
IRRI, Manila, Philippines : Rice
CIP, Peru: Potato sweet potato
ICARDA, Syria: Cereals, legumes, forage
ICRISAT, Hyderabad- Chickpea, Groundnut, Pigeon Pea, Pearl Millet, Sorghum
AVRDA, Taiwan: Vegetables, Potato, Sweet Potato
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Types of Storage for Different Use :

1. Foundation, Stock and Enforcement Seed : for several years and it requires
25% RH and 300C temperature.
2. Commercial Seed : It can be stored for few days to 6 – 8 months. Short term
storage seed.
3. Carry Over Seed : It can be stored for 16 – 20 months from one growing season
to the next sowing time. Medium term storage seed
4. Germplasm Seed : For a very long period (5 to 50 years) to preserve
Germplasm and breeder stock. It requires 50C to 100C temperature with 20 –
25% RH for storage. Long term storage seed.
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Factors Affecting Seed Longevity Under Seed Storage:

1. Genetic Factor:
❖ Crop species, oil content, cultivar decide seed longevity.
❖ The decreasing order of seed longevity: Starchy seed → Proteinaceous seed
→Oily seed.
❖ Onion, soybean, groundnut are poor storer.
❖ Wheat and cotton are medium storer.
❖ Rice and pulses are long time storer.
❖ Starchy seeds are more hygroscopic in nature.
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2. Seed moisture content : At high moisture level seed deterioration increases.

➢ 11 to 13% moisture: 6 months seed storage life.
➢ 10 to 12% moisture: 1 year seed storage life.
➢ 9 to 11% moisture: 2 years seed storage life.
➢ 8 to 10% moisture: 4 years seed storage life.
➢ Less than 4% moisture: desiccation of seed.
➢ The drying up to 5 – 8% moisture content in necessary for storage in sealed
container.
➢ The 10% seed moisture content is good in cereals for 1 to 1.5 years storage in
moisture pervious container.
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3. Relative Humidity and Temperature :
➢ RH and temperature are two most important factors influencing seed storage.
➢ At same RH and temperature, EMC (Equilibrium moisture content) of oil seeds is
lower than starchy seed
➢ The seed reduces viability at 80% RH and 25 – 30% temperature
➢ Harington thumb rule of safe seed storage (1973) : Seed longevity will be double
to every reduction in 1% of moisture content (up to 5 – 14% moisture level) and
decrease of 50C (100F) storage temperature (up to 00C to 500C (32 to 1220F)
temperature.
➢ Reduction in both temperature and moisture leads to maintain seed quality in
storage.

3. Provenance Effect :
➢ The seed harvested from high RH and temperature region have short viability in
comparison to low RH and temperature region.
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4. Oxygen Pressure :
The low oxygen pressure and high nitrogen and carbon dioxide enhance the seed
storability.

5. Activity of Organism :
➢ Fungi: Field fungi: Alternaria, Fusarium, Helminthosporium and storage fungi –
Aspergillus, Penicillium.
➢ Growth of storage fungi is restricted at low moisture and low RH, for e.g., 13%
moisture in cereals, 7 – 8% moisture in pulse, oilseeds and 68% RH.
➢ Insect growth is checked at moisture below 8% and temperature below 200C.
➢ The activity of mites increase above 60% moisture.
➢ Webbing of seeds indicate insect damage
➢ Charring of seeds indicate fungi damage
➢ The entry of rodents are checked by elevating the height of floor of godowns by
90 cm and 15 cm slip around the building.
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Organism Temperature Relative

Range For Optimum Range Humidity
Multiplication
Insects 21 – 42 0C 27 – 37 0C 30 – 95%
Mites 8 – 31 0C 19 – 31 0C 60 – 100%
Fungi 8 – 80 0C 20 – 40 0C 60 – 100%
Microbes 8 – 80 0C 26 – 28 0C 91 – 100%
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Seed Deterioration :
➢ Difference between seed and grain is genetic purity.
➢ Seeds produced are certified and labelled properly while grains are not
➢ Seeds can never be converted into grains unless it is directed by the seed
inspector.
➢ Genetic deterioration : is due to natural crossing, mutation, mechanical
mixture, volunteer plant, cytogenetic irregularities (chromosomal aberration).
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Genetic Deterioration Cause Prevention
Developmental variation If variety is grown in Seed production in
different agro ecological adaptable environments
conditions than its natural
conditions for several
consecutive generations
Mechanical contamination Volunteer seeds, use of Proper maintenance
(major source of the same seed drill for two
contamination) different varieties, growing
different varieties adjacent
to each other, using of
unclean threshing floor
and processing unit
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Genetic Deterioration Cause Prevention
Natural crossing In sexual crop By maintaining isolation
distance.
Genetic drift When a seed crop is Cultivating the seed crop
grown in a large area and in a smaller area as per
only a small quantity of the requirement.
seed is conserved for
sowing in the next year
and all genotypes will not
be represented in the next
generation
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➢ Biochemical deterioration: Protein decrease, free radical production.
➢ Physiological Biochemical deterioration: loss of germination.
➢ Physical deterioration: cracked seed coat, loss of seed weight.
➢ Molecular deterioration: loss of DNA.
➢ The formation of free radicals and causes deterioration of plasma membrane of
seed.
➢ Seed deterioration is highest during storage from harvest until processing.
➢ The loss of vigour leads to loss of viability.
➢ Rancidity take place in oil seed crops-castor, groundnut.
➢ Post harvest losses in India are estimated to be around 10 per cent, of which the
losses during storage alone are estimated to be 6.58 per cent.
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Classification of Entire Storage Periods :

➢ Post Maturation/Pre Harvest Segment : Period from physiological maturity to
harvesting (seed in field).
➢ Bulk Seed Segment : Period from harvesting 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).
➢ Seed storage conditions should be dry and cool
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Miscellaneous Points :
➢ Hermetic storage : used for high value and low volume seed.
➢ The RH and temperature are two main factors that affect the life span of seed
under storage.
➢ Due to oxidation of phenol, seed coat darkening occurs during storage.
➢ Mid storage correction : Given by Dr. Basu, chemical used for this is KH2PO4.
➢ The height of seed bag should not be more than 6 – 8 bags or 15 – 20 feet and
restacked every 3 months for free aeration.
➢ Seed lot can be fumigated in air tight conditions with Aluminum phosphide
@3g/m3.
➢ The viability equation given in 1980 by Ellis and Roberts (Father of seed
viability).
➢ The Abcisic acid can be used to avoid ice crystal formation in the recalcitrant
seed under low temperature condition of seed storage.
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➢ Intermediate Seed : Neem, Radish
➢ Microbiotic Seed : A seed having a short life span. (less than 3 years viability)
e.g., Onion soybean, groundnut.
➢ Mesobiotic Seed : 3 – 15 years viability of seed e.g., Barley, carrot
➢ Macrobiotic Seed : 15 years to 100 years viability of seed e.g., Legumes,
Trifolium, lotus and lupin.
➢ Silica gel used as a desiccant for storage of seed.
➢ Silica gel maintains EMC with RH at 45%. Dose of silica gel is 1 kg/ 10 kg of
seed. It turns to Pink colour with the absorption of moisture and reactivated at
1750C.
➢ Good heat insulator in seed storage building are glass wool, saw dust and
mineral wool for long term storage.
➢ Fair conductor of heat in seed storage building is wood.
➢ Poor conductor of heat in seed storage building is stone.
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➢ Fumigants like Hydrogen cyanide, methyl bromide are used in seed storage
room for 24 hrs exposure and for Hydrogen phosphide for 3 to 7 days.
➢ The godowns are sprayed with Malathion 50 EC or 0.25% Nuvan for insect free
storage.
➢ Seed lots can be fumigated with Aluminium phosphide @ 3 gm/cu.m in air tight
condition for 7 days.
➢ Seed bag should be restacked once in 3 months for free aeration.
Number of normal seedlings
➢ % of germination = × 100
Total number of seeds germination

Seed yield
➢ Seed Multiplication ratio (SMR) =
Seed rate

Weight of pure seed

➢ Purity % = × 100
Total weight of working sample
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𝑚2 −𝑚3
Seed moisture content: × 100
𝑚2 −𝑚1
❖ Where,
❖ 𝑚1 = Weight of the empty container with its cover.
❖ 𝑚2 = Weight of the container with its cover and seeds before drying.
❖ 𝑚3 = Weight of the container with its cover and seeds after drying.

Weight of impure seed

➢ Impurity percentage or dockage = × 100
Total weight for working sample