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Determining Storage Requirements
Several authors have examined patterns in seed storage behavior (see references) that can help collectors. Begin with a literature review to check if any previous research has been done on your taxon. You can check congeners, but beware that this is not always reliable or conclusive. Our Hawaiian colleagues have found quite varying storage behavior within a single genus (Walters, Weisenberger and Clark, personal communications). Many factors determine variation in seed tolerance to desiccation or freezing. The following are some general patterns observed in seeds that tend to withstand orthodox storage or not.
Trait Likely to Be Orthodox (Desiccation and Freezing Tolerant) Questionable Tolerance to Orthodox Storage Habitat Arid is especially likely; If it is not growing in a wetland, it is is likely Wetland, riparian Conditions in nature Seeds normally experience dry down and/or hard freezes Seeds normally remain moist and do not experience hard freezes Season of seed production Not spring Spring Life form Not tree Trees Seed bank Persistent Not persistent Dormancy With dormancy No dormancy Seed moisture content at time of maturation Dry when it is naturally shed from plant High (30%–70%) Seed size Very large (avocado seeds aren’t desiccation tolerant) or very small (orchid seeds and fern spores require storage in liquid nitrogen) Plant Groups with High Proportion of Desiccation Sensitive Seeds Plant Groups with Predominantly Orthodox Seeds ANITAGrade Arecales Ericales Fagales Icacinales Laurales Magnoliales Malpighiales Myrtales Orchidaceae Oxalidales Santalales Salicaceae Sapindale Solanaceae Poaceae Asteraceae Brassicaceae
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