Area of Focus: Seed Conservation

Created: Jan 05, 2007
Updated: May 31, 2007

Seed Conservation

Definition

Seed conservation refers to the practice of protecting the abundance of biological diversity of plant genes and seeds from loss and extinction, and ensuring the preservation of those genetic resources and seeds for the use of future generations. There are one hundred seedbanks on the planet with 3 million samples of seeds.

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Among the techniques of ex situ conservation, seed banking is by far the most efficient and cost-effective method available. Drying seed and placing it in cold storage is a relatively simple way of conserving large amounts of germplasm in a small space.

Related WiserEarth Portals

Conservation Biology
Domesticated Plant Conservation
Farm Ecosystem Management
Endemic Plant Species Protection
Gardening

Featured Organization

Save our Seeds Tn_jap1

Save our Seeds is dedicated to keeping conventional and organically grown seeds free of genetically modified organisms. In a joint petition 300 organisations representing over 25 million members and 200.000 individual citizens of Europe demand a strict EU law to protect the purity of seeds. Seeds are the kernals of life, the foundation of our food supply and humanities oldest heritage.

Links

Frontier: Environmental Research & Conservation SEE
Primal Seeds
Organic Seed Alliance

Keywords
plant diversity, biodiversity, protection, preservation, seed collection, seed bank, genetic diversity, cultural plants, nonhybrid seeds, open-pollinated plant varieties, plant genetic resources, agriculture, environmental sustainability, tree nursery

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