Dear CPC Conservation Partners,

We are delighted to invite you to attend a free 90-minute webinar sharing insights from a four-year research study evaluating the survival of seeds from CPC’s genebanked collections of wild rare plants native to the US. 

How long do seeds live in conservation seed banks? Exploring the results of an in-depth assessment of germination viability, RNA integrity, and lipid biophysics in 100 wild rare plant species

Wednesday, August 21, 2:00-3:30 PM ET / 11:00 AM-12:30 PM PT

REGISTER HERE

The Seed Longevity Study assesses viability of seeds of over 100 species that were placed in freezer (-20C) storage between 1985-2010. Most of the seeds show no signs of deterioration – a testament that seed banking offers an efficient, cost-effective strategy for ex situ conservation. However, genebanking seeds from wild species presents many challenges, and the study applies some novel approaches to measure the progress of aging, namely fragmentation of RNA and biophysical behavior of lipids. Changes of these parameters were inferred by comparisons with freshly harvested seeds from the same population and will be used to predict longevity under genebanking conditions. This research was conducted collaboratively by the Center for Plant Conservation, USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation, and 24 CPC Conservation Partners from throughout the United States.

This webinar will feature informative presentations on the following topics, followed by ample time for live audience Q&A:

• The importance of characterizing seed longevity for seed bank curation: Study goals and design – Dr. Katie Heineman, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

• Assessment of viability and aging of seeds that have been stored for 20-30 years through the lens of classic viability assays and emerging techniques measuring RNA integrity and lipid thermal behavior – Lisa Hill, Dr. Hannah Tetreault, and Dr. Christina Walters, USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation 

• Next steps and new frontiers: Predicting seed longevity at species and population levels and contributing factors, such as life form and geographic traits – Dr. Katie Heineman, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

We encourage you to forward this webinar invitation to any relevant members of the conservation, botanical, genebanking, or academic community to register for this webinar. This webinar will also be recorded and can be circulated to interested parties after the presentation.

We thank the Institute for Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant MG-245983-OMS-20 for providing generous funding to support this research project.

REGISTER HERE FOR THIS FREE WEBINAR!

Sincerely,

Center for Plant Conservation National Office