1 Seed Storage

Seed Storage
Mirza Hasanuzzaman, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Agronomy
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University

Storage may be defined as the preservation of viable seeds from the time of collection until they are
required for sowing. When seed for crops can be sown immediately after collection, no storage is
needed. More often it is necessary to store the seed for varying periods which may be

1. Up to one year when both seed production and crop cultivation are regular annual events, but
it is necessary to await the best season for sowing.
2. 1 – 5 years or more when a species bears an abundant seed crop at intervals of several
years and enough seed must be collected in a good year to cover annual crop needs in
intermediate years of poor seed production.
3. Long-term storage for purposes of conserving genetic resources. The period of storage will
vary according to the seed longevity of the species and the storage conditions, but will be
measured in decades in species which are easy to store.

As the requirements become more exacting, the cost of storage facility per unit of seed stored
increases rapidly.

Types of storage requirements. The types of storage needed can be related to the time of storage
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expected and can be classified into four types:

a) Storage of commercial seeds

b) Storage of carry-over seeds
c) Storage of foundation seed stocks
d) Storage for germplasm seeds

Seeds are generally categorized into the following types:

Orthodox: Seeds that can be dried, without damage, to low moisture contents, usually much lower
than those they would normally achieve in nature. Their longevity increases with reductions in both
moisture content and temperature over a wide range of storage environments.

Recalcitrant: Seeds that do not survive drying to any large degree, and are thus not amenable to long
term storage.

Intermediate: Seeds that are more tolerant of desiccation than recalcitrants, though that tolerance is
much more limited than is the case with orthodox seeds, and they generally lose viability more rapidly
at low temperature.

Importance of seed storage

Seed storage is important to get adequate plant stands in addition to healthy and vigorous plants.

Purpose of Seed Storage

The purpose of seed storage is to maintain the seed in good physical and physiological condition from
the time they are harvested until the time they are planted.

Stages of seed storage:

The seeds are considered to be in storage from the moment they reach physiological maturity until
they germinate, or until they are thrown away because they are dead or otherwise worthless. The
entire storage period can be conveniently divided into following stages.

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 2 Seed Storage

1. Storage on plants (Physiologically maturity until harvest)

2. Harvest, until processed and stored in a warehouse.
3. In storages (Warehouses).
4. In transit ( rail wagons , trucks, carts, railway sheds , etc)
5. In retail stores.
6. On the user’s farm.

The seed quality, i.e germination and vigour, can be considerably affected at any of the stages
mentioned above , unless sound principles involved in seed storage are practiced and the seeds
properly handled.

Storage of seed on plants

Seeds are considered to be physiologically and morphologically mature when they reach maximum
dry weight. At this stage dry down or dehydration of the seed is common. Dry down continues after
physiological maturity until moisture content of the seed and fruit decreases to a level which permits
effective and efficient harvest and threshing. This stage can be termed as harvest maturity.

The seed quality is greatly influence by prevailing environmental conditions; from the time seeds
reach physiological maturity until harvest. Weathering damages are often a serious factor at this
stage. As a result of weathering damages, seeds of many crops, e. g Soybean, lose their viability and
vigour and are already low in germination even before they are harvested. Several factors such as
soil conditions, mineral nutrient deficiencies, during plant growth, water stress, high or low
temperatures, disease and insect damage, etc. may also deteriorate seed quality by reducing viability
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and vigour at physiological maturity.

It is, therefore, of the utmost importance, to maintain initial seed quality to the near maximum
attainable, by keeping weathering and other types of damages to the minimum possible. This would
mean raising a good health seed crop, early harvesting and adequate arrangements for seed drying.

Storage from harvest until processing

During the time of harvest seeds still have high moisture content. Seed deterioration can be rather
rapid during this period. Transport from field to threshing floors, threshing floors to processing plants
and at the processing plants, involves periods of storage during which deterioration can be rapid and
serious, if the moisture content is above 13%. At moisture contents above this range, molds may grow
on in the seed end heating may occur.

It is therefore, necessary to take the utmost care in handling of material after harvest. If harvesting
has been done above 13% moisture content, necessary arrangements for drying / aeration, etc, of
seeds are necessary to preserve seed quality. In addition, adequate care is necessary in handling the
seed materials at this stage so as to prevent mechanical mixtures and maintain lot identity.

Storage of seed in warehouse

It is customary for seed men and others interested in storage of seeds, to give primary attention to
rooms or buildings labeled as seed storages. Seed ageing, and loss of germination during storage,
cannot be stopped altogether, though it could be appreciably reduced by providing good storage
conditions. Seed longevity in storage warehouses depends upon a number of factors. Important
among them are:

Factors affecting seed longevity in storage

1. Kind / variety of the seed:

The seed storability is considerably influenced by the kind / variety of seeds. Some kinds are naturally
short-lived, e.g. onion , soybeans, peanuts, etc. The genetic make-up of the lines/ varieties in the
same kind also influences storability.

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 3 Seed Storage

2. Initial seed quality:

The seed lots having vigorous, undeteriorated seeds store longer than deteriorated lots. Depending
upon the severity of damage, or degree of deterioration, e.g. extent of weathering damage,
mechanical injury, flat, wrinkled or otherwise damaged seed, even seed lots of good germination, at
the beginning of storage, can and do decline rapidly within a few months.

The important implication of this is that only high quality seed should be carried over. The mediocre
quality seed may be retained only for the next plating seasons. The low quality seed should invariably
be rejected.

3. Moisture Content:

The amount of moisture in the seeds is probably the most important factor influencing seed viability
during storage, over most of the moisture range, the rate of deterioration increases as the moisture
content on seed storability.

Moisture content and storage life of cereal seeds at temperatures not exceeding 90° F for seeds of
high germination and high vigor at start of storage.

Seed moisture content (%) Storage life

11 to 13 ½ year
10 to 12 1 year
9 to 11 2 years
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8 to 10 4 years

It is important to note that very low moisture content (below 4%) may also damage seeds due to
extreme desiccation. Since the life of seed and its span largely revolves around its moisture content, it
is necessary to dry seeds to safe moisture contents. The safe moisture content, however, depends
upon storage length, type of storage structure, kind/verity of seed, type of packaging material used.

4. Relative humidity and temperature during storage:

Relative humidity and temperature by far are the most important factors determining the storage life of
seeds. Seed attain a rather specific and characteristics moisture content when subjected to given
levels of atmospheric humidity. This characteristics moisture content is referred to as equilibrium
moisture content, for a particular kind of seed at a given relative humidity, tends to increase as
temperature decreases and as deterioration progresses. Thus the maintenance of seed moisture
content during storage is a function of relative humidity and to a lesser extent of temperature, at
equilibrium moisture content, there is no net gain or loss in seed moisture content. Seed placed in an
environment with a relative humidity higher or lower than that with which its moisture content is in
equilibrium, will gain or lose moisture until an equilibrium is established with the new environment. In
sealed storage, seed moisture content determines the relative humidity of the environment in the
containers.

Establishment of moisture equilibrium in seeds is a time dependent process. It does not occur
instantaneously. A period of time is required, the length of which varies with the seed kind, initial
moisture content, the average relative humidity and the temperature. Under open storage conditions,
seed moisture content, fluctuates with changes in relative humidity. However, normal diurnal
fluctuation in relative humidity has little effect on moisture content. Table gives the equilibrium
moisture content for important field and vegetable crops.

Temperature also plays an important role in life of seed, although if does not appear to be a
controlling one. Within the normal range of biological activity of seeds, insect and moulds increases as
temperature increases. The higher the moisture content of the seeds, the more they are adversely
affected by temperature. Decreasing temperature and seed moisture, therefore, is an effective means
of maintaining seed quality in storage.

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 4 Seed Storage

Low temperatures are very effective in maintaining seed quality, even through relative humidity might
be quite high. Good cold storage for seed should not exceed 60% in relative humidity.

The following simple rules put forth by Harrington are a useful guide as well as measure of the effect
of moisture content, temperature and relative humidity on seed aging:
 A one percent decrease in moisture content nearly doubles storage potential of seed.
 A 10 °F decrease in temperature nearly doubles storage potential of seed
 Good seed storage is achieved when the percentage of relative humidity in storage
environment and the storage temperature in degree Fahrenheit add up to one hundred but
the contribution from temperature should not exceed 50 °F.

5. Effects of fluctuating environment conditions on viability:

There have been a few reports to the effect that fluctuating conditions are harmful, however, at
present there is not a priori reason to suppose that change in temperature, or moisture content ,
would in itself be deterious save, possibly , for very rapid changes in seed moisture content.

6. Oxygen pressure:

Recent researches on the role of a gaseous environment on seed viability indicate that increases in
pressure of oxygen tend to decreases the period of viability.

7. Other Factors:

Factors besides those discussed above that affect storage life are the direct sunlight on the seed,
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number of times and kind of fumigation, effect of seed treatment, etc.

General Principles of Seed Storage

In view of the various factors affecting seed viability in storage, the following principles emerge as
necessary for good storage.
a) Seed storage condition should be dry and cool.
b) Effective storage pest control.
c) Proper sanitation in seed stores.
d) Before placing seeds into storage they should be dried to safe moisture limits, appropriate for
the storage system.
e) Storing of high quality seed only, i.e well cleaned, treated as well as of high germination with
vigor and good pre-storage history.
f) Determine seed storage needs in view of period or length of storage time, and prevailing
climate of the area during storage period.

Construction features for good seed warehouse:

a) Warehouse should have no windows and have only one door constructed of metal which can
be sealed properly and locked.
b) The material used for construction may be stone, concrete, brick, metal or wood. Regardless
of the material, the foundation should be made of stone or concrete and should extend 90 cm
above the ground level.
c) The floor must be paved and any cracks that may develop must be repaired.
d) Construction of the floor, walls and ceiling of the storage should be such that no cracks exist
which can harbor insects. All cracks around openings, e.g Electric conduits, ventilation
openings, and doors should be thoroughly sealed.
e) Ventilation openings should be screened against birds and insects.

Effect of storage condition on the activity of organisms associated with seeds in storage:

There are six main types of organism associated with seeds in storage, namely

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 5 Seed Storage

Measures for pest and disease control:

Sanitation:

Good sanitation in the seed store is necessary for protection from insects and rodents. All spilled
seeds or floor sweepings should be immediately removed. Discarded seed and cleanings should be
carried away, not just dumped outside the door and left to harbor storage insects. In addition to
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cleanings, the floor and walls should be sprayed with a residual insecticide as often as required. In a
well – maintained store, spraying once a year may be quite satisfactory. The recommended materials
and rates are DDT 50 WP @ 1 to 2 g m–2 , Malathion 25 WP @ 1.25 g m–2. Malathion should not be
used on such surface as brick, cement and concrete.

Seed treatment:

An insecticide combined with a fungicide may be applied as a protectant. The most commonly used
insecticide is DDT. DDT also has the advantage of long duration.

Fumigation:

Once the seed storage is completely free of insects, the most serious source of reinfestation is
infested seed which is brought in seed may be brought from the field already infested, or it may be
transferred from an infested storage. Such infestation is controlled by fumigation. Rather than
fumigating the whole storage, it is better to have a fumigation room, or to fumigate the seed on a
concrete floor under a tarpaulin before it enters the main storage room. The fumigation room should
have its own door to the outside, and only after fumigation, should the seed be brought in to storage
area.

Fumigation is effective only in gas-tight storage. Numerous effective fumigants are available.
However, there is a small safety margin between the dose that is toxic to insects and a dose that will
cause loss of germination or vigor of seed. Reasonably safe fumigants at temperatures below 30 °C
and seed moisture below 12% are the following.

Dosage Exposure period

–3
Methyl Bromide @ 16 to 32 mg m 24 hours
–3
Hydrogen cyanide @ 32 to 64 mg 24 hours
Hydrogen Phosphide 5-10 tablets per ton (Phostoxin, Phosphine) 3-7 days

Seed Moisture Content:

To prevent damage from storage fungi, it is best to store seeds which have been well-dried to safe
moisture content limits.

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 6 Seed Storage

Temperature control in seed storage

As mentioned earlier, temperature is one of the most important environmental factors, which influence
seed viability and vigor during storage, the lower the temperature, the longer the seeds maintain
germination capacity, thus temperature control is an important consideration in building a seed
storage.

Temperature control may be achieved in one of the following ways:

1. Ventilation
2. Insulation
3. Refrigeration

These methods are not mutually exclusive, and normally used to supplement each other.

Ventilation:

Ventilation could be used to reduce seed temperature and seed moisture content, if used judiciously.
In addition, it also helps prevent hot spots from developing, the formation of convection air currents;
and maintenance of uniform seed moisture content and temperature.

Time of ventilation:

Whenever the outside temperature of air and relative humidity are low enough to benefit the seeds,
either by reducing seed temperature or seed moisture content, the ventilating fans (exhaust fans) can
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be turned on.

Precautions to be taken during ventilation:

 The moisture content of the seed should not be allowed to increase to a value in equilibrium
with air relative humidity above 65%
 The seed temperature should not increase above 33 °C for more than few hours.

Insulation:

Insulation of seed storage is done to reduce the flow of heat from the warmer exterior , through the
walls , roof, floor of the storage to the cooler air and seeds in storage. Heat flow depends upon:
1. Temperature difference between the two places in the material. Heat flow is twice as fast with
a 20° temperature differences as with a 10° C difference.
2. Distance the heat must flow. Heat flows twice as fast through one inch of insulation as
through two inches of the same material.

Refrigeration:

The basic objective of refrigeration is to keep the storage temperature below the usual ambient
temperatures. An alternative to refrigeration is storing the seeds dry, either by using dehumidification
or by drying and storing in sealed containers. Refrigeration often becomes necessary for carry-over
seeds, special kind of seeds, foundation seed and nucleus seed/ breeder seed.

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