29. Seed bank in permafrost soils of North-East of Russia

Abstract

There are ways of long-term conservation of the genetic vegetative resources, the part of plants most convenient for storage are seeds, each of which carries a unique set of genes. Creation of storage banks of seeds is the most rational way of conservation of a biodiversity of plants since this method has appreciable advantages over others because of simplicity and low labor input. In 1977–1978 in the underground laboratory of Institute of Permafrost of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, located 12 m deep in the thick permafrost soils, the joint experiment on long storage started more than 10 thousand samples of seeds of bean cultures from the collection of N.I. Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry. The temperature of the permafrost soils are stable during the whole year fluctuating within limits – 4–8 °C. Intermediate results of experiment showed that after 33-year storage, seeds of bean and cereal cultures kept high germination (at level of 90–100%) and good morphological characteristics, and level of chromosomal aberration did not exceed 1–2%. These data testify to high safety of plants at a physiologically normal processes proceeding in seeds of plants in the conditions of natural cold at temperatures near — 6,0 °C. Our previous research showed that decreasing storage temperature did not improve the safety of seeds, on the contrary at — 18 °C level of chromosomal aberration increased in 3–4 times. Storage of similar seeds in standard conditions (refrigerator chambers) within 11–13 years led to decreasing of germination to 50–80 % with levels of chromosomal aberration of 6–28 %. Within 28–30 years storage of seeds became impractical. In 2011 at the expense of budget funds of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) reconstruction of the mine No. 2 located in the territory of Institute of Permafrost began. Depth of this mine is 12 m. Here the first turn Federal seeds cryostorage of cultural, rare and endangered species of plants (in total more than 100 thousand samples) will be placed, and a further seed collection is planned to enlarge 6–7 times. It is proposed that the future area of cryostorage will be 1900 sq.m. Terms of implementation of the project – 2013–2015, an estimated cost – 4,5 million euro. Now the first “left-luggage office” of seeds where at the expense of natural cold the constant temperature −6 ± 0,5°C is held is ready. In 2012 this chamber will be completely equipped and will be ready to contain 100 thousand samples. The storage is planned to fill with the samples which are storing at present in collection of N. I. Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry and any other samples of seeds of infrequent and economic valuable types of plants.