Experiments in preserving and revitalizing pine, onion, and okra seeds

Abstract

In view of the somewhat contradictory reports on the preservation of seeds at low temperatures (1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 ) and the agricultural importance of seed preservation and revitalization the following study on seed preservation and revitalization  was undertaken. This study, started in 1954, was designed to explore general condition for preserving seed of !ong leaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill. ) which are extremely sensitive to adverse storage conditions; to increase germinability by breaking dormancy; and to revitalize age seeds. The idea for the pre ervation of seeds was to apply Kaloyerea dehydrofreezing method (6) on pine seed , and his starch phosphate treatment against rancidity (7) on onion and okra seeds. For restoring loss of viability of aged seeds various treatments were tried, among which ultrasonic treatment and soaking in extract from fresh seeds or pollen were more extensively used. In the application of dehydrofreezing method to seed preserevation the correlation between the moisture content of the seeds and the preservation of their viability had to be investigated.

Citation

Kaloyereas, Socrates A.; Mann, William, Jr.; Miller, Julian C. 1961. Experiments in preserving and revitalizing pine, onion, and okra seeds. Economy Botany. 15(3):213-217.