This publication provides an approach by which conservationists can determine whether or not long-term seed storage is feasible for a particular species, i.e. whether or not that species shows orthodox seed storage behaviour, and provides advice on the implementation of the protocol, examples of ways in which the results from seed storage studies could be misinterpreted due to confounding factors, as well as several alternative approaches for estimating seed storage behaviour prior to carryng out actual investigations with the seeds. In particular, the latter section introduces the concept of a multicriteria approach for estimating seed storage behaviour.

"This publication is the result of a joint collaboration between IPGRI, the University of Reading and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew..." "The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) is an autonomous internatinoal scientific organisation operating as part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). IPGRI's mandate is to advance the conservation and use of plant genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations."--Page V.

Seed storage behaviour. Types mof seed collections. Conditions for long-term storage. Conditions for medium-term storage. Drying seed and determining moisture content. Hemetic containers. The size of acessions and the volume of the coldroom. Eletricity supply and maintaining gene bank services in emergency. Temporary or alternative seed storage facilities. Monitoring gene bank environments. Air-lock. Ancillary facilities. Safety precautions. Selecktion of site.

An introduction to seed storage behaviour. Classification of seed storage behaviour. Characteristics of orthodox seeds. Characteristics of recalcitrant seeds. Characteristics of intermediate seeds. Factors leading to the misinterpretation of seed storage behaviour. Approaches to predict seed storage behaviour. Distribution of species which show orthodox, intermediate and recalcitrant seed storage behaviour between plant families.

This Manual, based on a regional training course, attempts to clarify most of the concepts and scientific principles for establishing and managing field genebanks. It deals with teh following subjects: the role of field genebank in a complementary conservation strategy, the current status of seed and in vitro and cryopreservation, legal aspects, choice of material and practical aspects of laying out the field plots and planting

Substantial progress has been made in seed science during the past few years, emphasizing its important role in advancing plant biotechnology, agriculture, plant resource management, and conservation. Providing comprehensive coverage of the latest seed science research including germination,. dormancy, development, and desiccation tolerance, this book also details the most advanced methods and practices in seed biology, ecology and technology.

It is a distressing truism that the human race during the last millennium has caused the exponential loss of plant genetic diversity throughout the world. This has had direct and negative economic, political and social consequences for the human race, which at the same time has failed to exploit fully the positive benefits that might result from conserving and exploiting the world's plant genetic resources. However, a strong movement to halt this loss of plant diversity and enhance its utilisation for the benefit of all humanity has been underway since the 1960's (Frankel and Bennett, 1970; Frankel and Hawkes, 1975). This initiative was taken up by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, 1992) that not only expounds the need to conserve biological diversity but links conservation to exploitation and development for the benefit of all. Article 8 of the Convention clearly states the need to develop more effective and efficient guidelines to conserve biological diversity, while Article 9, along with the FAO International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources, promotes the adoption of a complementary approach to conservation that incorporates both ex situ and in situ techniques.