Seed Storage

AIM of SEED STORAGE

• general: to preserve or maintain seed physiological and

genetic quality throughout the storage period by minimizing
the rate of seed deterioration

• farmers: to preserve planting stocks from one season to

the next
• seed companies: maintain seed quality for the longest
duration possible

• plant breeding programs: maintenance of germplasm

over time
SEED DETERIORATION

loss of quality or vitality from a high to a low level

CONCEPTS OF SEED DETERIORATION

1. an inexorable process

2. an irreversible process

3. varies among seed population

SIMPLIFIED INTERRELATIONSHIP OF THE VARIOUS DETRIMENTAL
CHANGES THAT OCCUR WITHIN THE SEED DURING THE PROCESS
OF DETERIORATION

unfavorable conditions (high T, RH and seed MC)

or
improper seed post-harvest handling (mechanical damage, presence of microorganisms)

enhancement of uncontrolled biochemical reactions within the seed

(production of free radicals, fatty acids, accumulation of toxic compounds)

enzyme deactivation and degradation

+
damage to cell organelles especially the membrane

disruption or curtailment of repair mechanisms at the molecular level

SEED DETERIORATION
SEED STORAGE STAGES
CLASSIFICATION OF SEEDS ACCORDING TO
SEED STORAGE BEHAVIOR:
A Glance at History

535 AD Ssu-Hsieh Chia recognized two methods of

seed storage for cereals and chestnut

1846 Alfonso de Candolle conducted a systematic

survey of seed longevity

1908 Ewart classified seeds according to life

duration under optimum conditions as
microbiotic, mesobiotic and macrobiotic
1973 James C. Delouche classified seeds as
poor, intermediate, and good storers
E.H. Roberts classified seeds as orthodox
and recalcitrant

1984 Hanson classified seeds as desiccation-

tolerant and desiccation-sensitive

1990 P. Berjak classified seeds as

poikilohydrous and homoiohydrous

R.H. Ellis and T.D. Hong introduced the

intermediate seed category
 SEED STORAGE BEHAVIOUR
CATEGORIES

1. ORTHODOX

2. RECALCITRANT

3. INTERMEDIATE
ORTHODOX

• dries out naturally on the mother plant to a low MC of

20% or less
• can be dried to low MC (<5%) without damage
• can be stored at low temperature
• examples are rice, corn, beans, vegetables, and fruit
trees like pili, Annona sp.

Cold temperature, low humidity, low seed moisture

RECALCITRANT
• do not dry out normally on the mother plant, shed in moist condition
(50-70%MC)
• seed larger than orthodox but embryo is only 15% of that of
orthodox
• killed if MC is reduced below some high critical values (12-30%)
• susceptible to freezing injury or chilling if stored at 0C or 10-15C
• examples: seeds of aquatic species; large-seeded species (e.g.
coconut); wild rice; tropical fruit crops like mango, jackfruit, cacao,
rambutan, lanzones, etc.

Warmer temp., high humidity, high seed moisture

INTERMEDIATE

• can withstand desiccation to around 10-12% MC and

can be stored successfully in hermetic containers
• lose viability more rapidly at low temperatures (<10C)
than at warmer temperatures (12-21C)

• examples:
Coffee oil palm
Papaya Citrus sp.
Neem star apple
Chico royal palm
tea
Characteristics of orthodox versus recalcitrant
and intermediate seed (Thomsen 2000).
Orthodox seed Recalcitrant and intermediate
seed
Desiccation tolerant Desiccation sensitive
Tolerate low temperatures Can be sensitive to temperatures
below 15oC
Has low moisture content at Has relatively high moisture content
shedding at shedding
Includes dormant and non-dormant Usually no dormancy
species
Perennial, annual, woody and Mostly perennial and woody species
herbaceous species
Found in all ecosystems Often found in humid ecosystems (if
very desiccation sensitive)
Usually small seeds Often large, fleshy seeds
FACTORS AFFECTING SEED
LONGEVITY
I. Seed
II. Other living organisms
III. Physical environment of storage
I. Seed
1. Genetic factor
• Short-lived seeds
– Lettuce, soybean, onion, peanut

Name of crop Length of time which seed

retain its viability
Onion 1 year
Beans, carrot, and chili 2 years
Radish, luffa, gourds, and peas 3 years

Cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, 4 to 5 years

spinach, muskmelon, and
watermelon
 • Long-lived seeds
– Lupin seeds buried deep in a Canadian peat bog  10,000
years old
– Indian lotus from a Manchurian lake bed  1,000 years old
– Canna, Abizia, Goodia and Trifolium  100 years old

2. Pre-storage factor

3. Seed composition and structure

• starchy vs. oily seeds
• large vs. small seeds

4. Hard seed and dormancy

5. Seed maturity
• immature vs. mature seeds

6. Seed damage
• physical
• physiological

7. Seed moisture content

• High vs. low vs. very low

8. Seed quality (viability and vigor)

• Vigorous vs. non-vigorous seeds
HYGROSCOPICITY
water molecules
in the air
evaporation
(desorption)
water near
the seed’s
surface

absorption

evaporation > absorption = seeds dry up

absorption > evaporation = seeds increase in MC

evaporation = absorption = EQUILIBRIUM MC

II. Other living organisms

1. Fungi
2. Bacteria

3. Insects
4. Rodents
5. Birds

III. Physical environment of storage

1. Temperature
– affects rate of enzyme activity
2. RH
• affects seed MC: high RH = high MC
– Increases hydrolytic enzyme activity
– Enhances respiration
– Increases fatty acids

RH in combination with temperature Effect on seeds

RH + T(0C) = 80 or higher seeds will start to deteriorate in 1-9

months
RH + T(0C) = 70 safe storage is extended to about 18
months
RH + T(0C) = 30 to 45 most seeds will survive for 3-5 years
RH + T(0F) = 100 or less safe for seed storage (Harrington, 1973)

RH + T(0F) = 120 (as long as T contributes no 1-3 years safe storage (Bass, 1967)
more than half of the total)

RH = 40-50% and T = 50C 10 years or longer (Toole, 1957)

NOTE: although T and RH interact to determine seed longevity, control of RH
and its subsequent effect on seed MC is more critical than storage T in
achieving optimum storage conditions

3. Gases
– Low O2 and high CO2
An absorption isotherm, showing relationship of seed
moisture content with relative humidity of air, at a given
temperature.
Harrington’s rule of thumb

– for every 1% decrease in MC of the seed, the

lifespan is doubled or increased by half (within a
range of 5-15%)
– for every 5oC decrease in temperature, the lifespan
is doubled or increase by half (within 0–50o C
range)

– the combined effect follows the formula:

L = 2m x 2t
where L = no. of times the lifespan is improved
m = no. of times % MC dropped
t = no. of times temperature dropped
 Example of Harrington’s rule of thumb

Unshelled peanut

Given: half-life of 6 months when stored at 30oC and 12%

MC
? 25oC and 10% MC

L = 2m x 2t
= 22 x 21
=8

At 25oC and 10% MC, half-life of unshelled peanut

will be 48 months or 4 years
Maximum Moisture content for sealed storage
MC (%) Crop seed

8 Beet group – beet, chard, spinach

Endive
Okra
Peas
Sweet corn
Lima bean
7 Carrot group – carrot, celery, parsley, parsnip
French bean
6 Cucurbit group – cantaloupe, cucumber, gourds, melons,
squashes, watermelon
Tomato group – eggplant, pepper, tomato
Amaranth
Lettuce
Onion group – chive, leek, onion
5 Cabbage group – broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese
cabbage, collards, mustard, radish
TYPES OF SEED STORAGE

1. CONDITIONED STORAGE
• controlled temperature and RH
• for preserving germplasm and certain high value seed stocks
• example: IRRI’s genebank
a. base collection
– -18 to -20 C
– RH not controlled
– 50 to 100 years viability
– monitoring of viability every 10 years
b. medium or active collection
– 1 to 2 C
– controlled RH
– 25 to 50 years viability
– monitoring of viability every 5 years
• costly
• applicable for orthodox seeds
2. CRYOGENIC STORAGE
• storage in liquid nitrogen: -196oC
• for maintaining valuable seed germplasm over prolonged periods
• minimal costs compared to conditioned storage
• applicable for most agronomic crops

3. HERMETIC STORAGE
• use of moisture-resistant or hermetically-sealed containers
• maintain seeds at safe storage MC levels
• for long term seed storage  up to 10 years or more
• seed MC = 2-3%
• remove ambient air (O2) and replace it with specific gases known
to prolong seed storage life (CO2)
4. CONTAINERIZED STORAGE
• use of closed containers and chemical desiccants such as
saturated salts solutions or acid solutions
• common desiccant: silica gel treated with cobalt chloride
(indicator dye) which turns from blue to pink when RH > 45%
• seeds placed in metal box
• 1 kg desiccant : 10 kg seeds
• several years storage if RH < 45%

• advantages
• no need to construct buildings
• lower maintenance costs
• metal box is rodent/insect and MC-proof
• no fungi damage because RH < 45%
• need frequent inspection of silica gel
• other desiccant: charcoal, sawdust, rice
SAFE CONDTIONS FOR STORAGE
UNDER TROPICAL CONDITIONS
Safe storage conditions  maintain seed quality without
loss of vigor for 3-10 years (Harrington, J.F., 1958)

1. SHORT TERM

2. MID-TERM
3. LONG TERM
 3 LEVELS OF STORAGE CONDITIONS:
(does not include seed storage for genetic resources conservation)

1. SHORT TERM (1 to 9 months)

• conditions that will maintain seed quality from harvest to the next
planting season
• General rules:

Temp. RH MC of seed
(0C) (%) (%)
30 45  11 for seed rich in protein and carbohydrates
 7 for oily seed

20 60  9 for oily seed

 12 for seed rich in protein and carbohydrates
2. MID-TERM (9 to 18 months)
• conditions that will permit carry-over storage of high quality seed
to have stock with seed production failures
• General rules:

Temp. RH MC of seed
(0C) (%) (%)
30 40  6 for oily seed
 10 for seed rich in protein and carbohydrates
20 50  7 for oily seed
 11 for seed rich in protein and carbohydrates
10 60  9 for oily seed
 11 for seed rich in protein and carbohydrates
3. LONG TERM
• cool and dry conditions will maintain the quality of seed for many
years in storage
• General rules

Temp. RH Safe storage time

(0C) (%) (years)
10 45 5
4 30 5 to 15
The effect of different packaging materials on the moisture
content of creeping red fescue seed (Grabe and Isely, 1969)
The effect of different packaging materials on the
germination of creeping red fescue seed (Grabe and Isely,
1969)
Storage containers
Indigenous storage containers
Manuvu’ Indigenous Storage houses
African Indigenous Storage Houses
Rice Seed Storage in the Cordilleras
Indigenous Methods of Seed Storage
The End