Germination of 110-year-old cereal and weed seeds, the Vienna Sample of 1877. Verification of effective ultra-dry storage at ambient temperature

Abstract

After 110 years of hermetic sealed storage at temperatures between 10 and 15°C and at a moisture content of 3.12%, Hordeum vulgare showed 90% germination and Avena sativa 81%. In addition, some seeds of Agrostemma githago, Lolium temulentum, Sinapis alba, Sinapis arvensis, and Vaccaria hispanica were still capable of germinating. This demonstrates that ultra-dry, long-term seed storage under ambient temperature conditions can successfully be achieved with the intention of cutting down risks and costs in germplasm conservation.