Storage Longevity Research Articles

Consumer’s perception and preference on fresh vegetables (Carrots, Egg plants, Okra and Pepper) coated with wax of shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa) oil

Carrot, garden eggplant, okra and pepper were coated with melted shea butter oil by robbing it around the vegetables and then stored for a period of twenty days. The coated fruits took longer time to deteriorate when compared with the uncoated fruits signifying that coated vegetables fruits with edible coating material increases the shelf life and storage longevity. This fact has led the consumers to accept that shea butter is a very good edible coating material that can extend any food material. Some consumers accepted shea butter with mixed feelings. Reasons for their mixed feelings are that some do not take shea butter; they prefer vegetables and fruits in their natural form or processed. The findings from the study showed significant difference in the number of people preferring the freshly coated vegetables from uncoated vegetables and also the differences observed between the vegetables.

Effect of simulated flooding during rice seed development and maturation on subsequent seed quality

AbstractThe resilience of seed quality in rice (Oryza sativaL.) to flooding was investigated. Pot-grown plants of thejaponicacv. Gleva, theindicacv. IR64, and the introgressed line IR64-Sub1 were submerged in water, to simulate flooding, for 3‒5 days at different stages of seed development and maturation. Mean seed weight, pre-harvest sprouting, ability to germinate, and subsequent longevity in air-dry storage were assessed. Whereas seed quality in both IR64 and IR64-Sub1 was resilient to submergence, in Gleva the longer the duration of submergence and the later in development when plants were submerged the greater the pre-harvest sprouting. Thousand seed dry weight was reduced more by submergence in Gleva than IR64 or IR64-Sub1. At harvest maturity, few pre-harvest sprouted seeds were able to germinate upon rehydration after desiccation to 11‒12% moisture content. Seed longevity of the non-sprouted seed fraction in air-dry hermetic storage (40°C, 15% moisture content) was not affected greatly by submergence, but longevity of thejaponicarice was less than that of theindicarices due to the former's steeper seed survival curves. Longevity of the twoindicarices was predicted well by the seed viability equation and previously published estimates of viability constants for rice. The greater dormancy of IR64 and IR64-Sub1, compared with Gleva, enhanced resilience to pre-harvest sprouting and reduced thousand seed dry weight from plant submergence. There was little or no effect of plant submergence on subsequent air-dry storage longevity of non-sprouted seeds in any genotype.

A comparison of partial dehydration and hydrated storage-induced changes in viability, reactive oxygen species production, and glutathione metabolism in two contrasting recalcitrant-seeded species

This study compared the responses of Avicennia marina and Trichilia dregeana seeds, both of which are recalcitrant, to partial dehydration and storage. Seeds of A. marina exhibited a faster rate of water and viability loss (± 50% viability loss in 4 days) during partial dehydration, compared with T. dregeana (± 50% viability loss in 14 days). In A. marina embryonic axes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production peaked on 4 days of dehydration and was accompanied by an increase in the GSH:GSSG ratio; it appears that the glutathione system alone could not overcome dehydration-induced oxidative stress in this species. In A. marina, ROS and axis water content levels increased during hydrated storage and were accompanied by a decline in the GSH:GSSG ratio and rapid viability loss. In T. dregeana embryonic axes, ROS production (particularly hydrogen peroxide) initially increased and thereafter decreased during both partial dehydration and hydrated storage. Unlike in A. marina embryonic axes, this reduced ROS production was accompanied by a decline in the GSH:GSSG ratio. While T. dregeana seeds may have incurred some oxidative stress during storage, a delay in and/or suppression of the ROS-based trigger for germination may account for their significantly longer storage longevity compared with A. marina. Mechanisms of desiccation-induced seed viability loss may differ across recalcitrant-seeded species based on the rate and extent to which they lose water during partial drying and storage. While recalcitrant seed desiccation sensitivity and, by implication, storage longevity are modulated by redox metabolism, the specific ROS and antioxidants that contribute to this control may differ across species.

High-temperature stress during drying improves subsequent rice (Oryza sativa L.) seed longevity

AbstractPost-harvest drying prolongs seed survival in air-dry storage; previous research has shown a benefit of drying moist rice seeds at temperatures greater than recommended for genebanks (5–20°C). The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a temperature limit for safely drying rice seeds, and to explore whether the benefit to longevity is caused by high-temperature stress or continued seed development. Seeds of two rice varieties were harvested at different stages of development and dried initially either over silica gel, or intermittently (8 h day–1) or continuously (24 h day–1) over MgCl2 at temperatures between 15 and 60°C for up to 3 days. Seeds dried more rapidly the warmer the temperature. Subsequent seed longevity in hermetic storage (45°C and 10.9% moisture content) was substantially improved by increase in drying temperature up to 45°C in both cultivars, and also with further increase from 45 to 60°C in cv. ‘Macassane’. The benefit of high-temperature drying to subsequent longevity tended to diminish the later the stage of development at seed harvest. Intermittent or continuous drying at high temperatures provided broadly similar improvements to longevity, but with the greatest improvements detected in a few treatment combinations with continuous drying. Heated-air drying of rice seeds harvested before maturity improved their subsequent storage longevity by more than that which occurred during subsequent development in planta, which may have resulted from the triggering of protection mechanisms in response to high-temperature stress.

Ageing-regulated changes in genetic integrity of two recalcitrant seeded species having contrasting longevity

Storage longevity of two contrasting recalcitrant seeded species was studied relative to oxidative metabolism and DNA damage under ambient storage (25 ± 2 °C, 50 ± 2% relative humidity). The present study was aimed to investigate the ageing-induced amendments in two recalcitrant seeded species, Madhuca latifolia and Shorea robusta. These are economically important tropical trees and are exploited extensively in commercial sectors. Fresh seeds of M. latifolia and S. robusta lost their germinability within 35 and 8 days after harvest, respectively, under ambient storage (temperature 25 ± 2 °C, relative humidity 50 ± 2%). To untangle the possible mechanisms involved in deteriorative changes in respective seeds, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and changes in DNA content, oxidation, fragmentation and polymorphism, and DNase activity were monitored. The results revealed significant (2.1–7.3 folds) upsurge in ROS levels in these seeds. In contrast, remarkable fall in DNA content of embryonic axes (3.8 fold and twofold) and cotyledons (6.7 fold and twofold) of M. latifolia and S. robusta seeds, respectively, were observed. Moreover, enhanced oxidation (8.9–18.8 fold) and fragmentation (2.1–2.8 fold) of DNA along with increased (9.9–25.3 fold) DNase activity were observed in axes and cotyledons of respective seeds, revealing active participation of ROS in oxidation (r = 0.96, p < 0.05), and of DNase in fragmentation (r = 0.94, p < 0.05) of DNA. Dendrogram of RAPD unveiled significant alterations in similarity coefficients of aged and non-aged seeds of both the species. Thus, overall results concluded that loss of viability of M. latifolia and S. robusta seeds was closely associated with ageing related changes such as over accumulation of ROS, fall in DNA content, increased oxidation, fragmentation and DNA polymorphism, and DNase activity.

Analysis of Seed Storage Data and Longevity for Agastache rugosa

Analysis of Seed Storage Data and Longevity for Agastache rugosa

Wheat seed weight and quality differ temporally in sensitivity to warm or cool conditions during seed development and maturation.

Background and aimsShort periods of extreme temperature may affect wheat (Triticum aestivum) seed weight, but also quality. Temporal sensitivity to extreme temperature during seed development and maturation was investigated.MethodsPlants of ‘Tybalt’ grown at ambient temperature were moved to growth cabinets at 29/20°C or 34/20°C (2010), or 15/10°C or 34/20°C (2011), for successive 7-d periods from 7 DAA (days after anthesis) onwards, and also 7–65 DAA in 2011. Seed samples were harvested serially and moisture content, weight, ability to germinate, subsequent longevity in air-dry storage and bread-making quality were determined.Key ResultsHigh temperature (34/20°C) reduced final seed weight, with greatest temporal sensitivity at 7–14 or 14–21 DAA. Several aspects of bread-making quality were also most sensitive to high temperature then, but whereas protein quality decreased protein and sulphur concentrations improved. Early exposure to high temperature provided earlier development of ability to germinate and tolerate desiccation, but had little effect on maximum germination capacity. All treatments at 15/10°C resulted in ability to germinate declining between 58 and 65 DAA. Early exposure to high temperature hastened improvement in seed storage longevity, but the subsequent decline in late maturation preceded that in the control. Long (7–65 DAA) exposure to 15/10°C disrupted the development of seed longevity, with no improvement after seed filling ended. Longevity improved during maturation drying in other treatments. Early (7–14 DAA) exposure to high temperature reduced and low temperature increased subsequent longevity at harvest maturity, whereas late (35 or 42–49 DAA) exposure to high temperature increased and low temperature reduced it.ConclusionsTemporal sensitivity to extreme temperature was detected. It varied considerably amongst the contrasting seed variables investigated. Subsequent seed longevity at harvest maturity responded negatively to temperature early in development, but positively later in development and throughout maturation.

Application of drum compost and vermicompost to improve soil health, growth, and yield parameters for tomato and cabbage plants

Utilization of different types of solid wastes through composting is important for environmental sustainability and restoring soil quality. Although drum composting is an efficient technology, the possibility of heavy metal contamination restricts its large-scale use. In this research, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of water hyacinth drum compost (DC) and traditional vermicompost (VC) on soil quality and crop growth in an agro-ecosystem cultivated intensively with tomato and cabbage as test crops. A substantial improvement in soil health was observed with respect to nutrient availability, physical stability, and microbial diversity due to the application of drum compost and traditional vermicompost. Moreover, soil organic carbon was enriched through increased humic and fulvic acid carbon. Interestingly, heavy metal contamination was less significant in vermicompost-treated soils than in those receiving the other treatments. The use of VC and DC in combination with recommended chemical fertilization effectively stimulated crop growth, yield, product quality, and storage longevity for both tomato and cabbage.

Pre-harvest 1-methylcyclopropene application affects post-harvest physiology and storage life of the cut rose cv. Carola

We evaluated and optimized the effects of an alternative pre-harvest application of the non-toxic ethylene action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP)on the physiology and storage life of the cut rose (Rosa hybrida) cv. Carola. Cut rose was treated with a single pre-harvest liquid formula spray of 10 μL·L-11-MCP or a single treatment of a modified atmosphere packaging of 50-μm thick polyethylene film (PE50), or a combination of the two (1-MCP+PE50), and the effects on vase life, storage life, and cold storage senescence related physiological changes were evaluated. Cut rose subjected to the pre-harvest 1-MCP spray treatment had the longest storage life (26 days), while those subjected to PE50, 1-MCP+PE50, and the untreated control treatment had mean storage lives of 22, 19, and 16 days, respectively. Additionally, the pre-harvest 1-MCP spray treatment significantly extended the vase life of cold-stored flowers for zero or six days, by 27.08% and 42.55%, respectively. The pre-harvest spray treatment significantly suppressed respiration intensity, ethylene production, soluble protein degradation, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) production, and ACC oxidase activity. The 1-MCP+PE50 treatment compromised all the effects of the 1-MCP treatment except the effect on soluble protein content. We conclude that a pre-harvest 1-MCP spray treatment has positive effects on the vase life and storage longevity of cut rose, and that combining this treatment with a PE50 package diminishes these effects.

Pengaruh Penambahan Gliserol pada Media Perbanyakan terhadap Daya Simpan Biofungisida Trichoderma

&lt;em&gt;The storage longevity of biofungicide containing &lt;/em&gt;Trichoderma virens &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; T. amazonicum &lt;em&gt;to controll the whithe root diseases (WRD) in rubber plants is important to know to remain effective when applied. The composition of the multiplication medium in the &lt;/em&gt;T. virens&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="text-decoration: line-through;"&gt;dan&lt;/span&gt; and &lt;/em&gt;T. amazonicum&lt;em&gt; biofungicide can affect the longevity and viability of conidia during storage. The objective of the research was to determine the effect of glycerol addition in the multiplication medium of &lt;/em&gt;T. virens &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; T. amazonicum&lt;em&gt; biofungicide during storage. The research was conducted at the Laboratory of Plant Protection, Indonesian Industrial and Beverage Crops Research Institute (IIBCRI), Sukabumi, from January to July 2014. The experiment used a completely randomized design with 8 treatments and 3 replications. The biofungicidal formula consisted of: (1) glycerol addition (0%, 3%, 6%, and 9%) in the multiplication medium of &lt;/em&gt;T. virens&lt;em&gt; and (2) glycerol addition (0%, 3%, 6%, and 9%) in the multiplication medium of &lt;/em&gt;T. amazonicum&lt;em&gt;. Each multiplication was mixed with a carrier (talc), dried, then packed in a plastic bag and stored for 4 months. Observations were carried out each month, including: the amount of conidia, &lt;/em&gt;Trichoderma&lt;em&gt; sp. population, and water content. The results showed that the addition of glycerol to multiplication medium was able to maintain the viability of &lt;/em&gt;T. virens&lt;em&gt; and &lt;/em&gt;T. amazonicum&lt;em&gt; and the storage longevity of the biofungicide. The addition of 6% to 9% glycerol in the multiplication medium of &lt;/em&gt;T. virens&lt;em&gt; and &lt;/em&gt;T. amazonicum&lt;em&gt; showed the highest concentration, yielding conidia up to 7.98 x 10&lt;sup&gt;7 &lt;/sup&gt;– 8.59 x 10&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt; conidia/g and population abundance of 11.67 x 10&lt;sup&gt;3 &lt;/sup&gt;– 14.67 x 10&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; cfu/g in biofungicide stored for 4 months.&lt;/em&gt;

Development of ability to germinate and of longevity in air-dry storage in wheat seed crops subjected to rain shelter or simulated supplementary rainfall

AbstractClimate change will alter rainfall patterns. The effect of rainfall during seed development and maturation on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seed quality (ability to germinate normally; air-dry longevity in hermetic storage at 40°C with c. 15% moisture content) was investigated in field experiments (2011, 2012) by providing rain shelter or simulating additional rainfall. High ability to germinate was detected from mid seed filling until after harvest maturity. Subsequent longevity was more sensitive to stage of development. It increased progressively, reaching maximum values during maturation drying at 53–56 days after anthesis (DAA), 5–11 (2011) or 8–14 (2012) days beyond mass maturity; maximal values were maintained thereafter in 2011; longevity declined with further delay to harvest in 2012. Post-anthesis protection from rain had no major effect: in later harvests longevity was slightly greater than the control in each year, but in 2011 wetting treatments were also superior to the control. Wetting ears at all stages of development reduced longevity immediately, but considerable recovery in subsequent longevity occurred when seeds re-dried in planta for several days. The greatest damage to longevity from ear wetting occurred with treatments at about 56 DAA, with poorest recovery at 70 DAA (i.e. around harvest maturity) in absolute terms but at 56–70 DAA relative to gross damage. Hence, seed quality in a strongly dormant wheat variety was resilient to rain. Net damage was greatest from rain late in maturation. The phase of seed quality improvement in planta was dynamic with deterioration also occurring then, but with net improvement overall.

Storage longevity of passion fruit squash

The present investigation on the storage longevity of passion fruit squash was carried out in the Experimental laboratory of the Department of Pomology and Post Harvest Technology, Faculty of Horticulture, Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar during 2007-08. Four treatment combinations of both yellow and purple passion fruit squash with different concentrations of sugar and preservatives were evaluated for extending the storage life of squash. In yellow passion fruit squash T 3 (6.38 °Brix) and in purple passion fruit squash T 4 (8.23 °Brix) were found to have very less percentage change of TSS over initial value after six month of storage. The acidity value among various treatments, T 3 for yellow passion fruit squash and T 4 for purple passion fruit squash had recorded minimum percentage change in acidity over initial after six month of storage. The ascorbic acid content in different treatments for both yellow and purple passion fruit squash were found to decrease throughout the storage period. Considering mould count after six month of storage, T 3 was found best treatment both for yellow and purple passion fruit squash. The effect of KMS was better for suppressing mould growth than sodium benzoate. It was observed that hedonic score for yellow and purple passion fruit squash was decreased with increase in storage period. The yellow passion fruit squash prepared with 250 ml juice + 460 g sugar + 290 ml water + 1 g citric acid + 0.6 g KMS as preservative and the purple passion fruit squash prepared with 250 ml juice + 475 g sugar + 275 ml water + 2.5 g citric acid + 0.75 g sodium benzoate as preservative have been found to be the best treatment for the storage life.

The impact of bacteriospermia on boar sperm storage and reproductive performance

Bacteriospermia is a documented risk to reproductive performance when using extended boar semen for artificial insemination. A substantial list of bacteria have been recovered from boar semen attributed to fecal, preputial, skin, and hair microorganisms, with these and other environmental bacteria from processing areas identified in doses prepared for artificial insemination. Gram-negative bacteria are most commonly recovered from extended doses, including both Enterobacteriaceae and environmental contaminants, such as those that inhabit water purification systems. The method of processing, distributing, and storing fresh liquid boar semen before insemination plays a role in bacterial growth dynamics and the degree to which the bacteria may damage the sperm or affect the sow. Not all bacterial isolates or contamination levels have the same impact on sperm, with multiple factors governing if and when storage longevity will be reduced through sperm-to-sperm agglutination, impaired motility, acrosome disruption, or loss of membrane viability. Suboptimal reproductive performance can occur because of reduced fertilizing capacity of the sperm or induction of a uterine environment hostile to sperm and/or embryonic survival. Effective bacterial control strategies are necessary to minimize the risk of bacteria contaminating extended semen doses, including monitoring programs designed for quick detection and intervention, should the need arise.

IMPROVEMENT OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL SORGHUM BEERS QUALITY AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF PLANTS EXTRACTS FOR THEIR STABILIZATION: A REVIEW

In Africa, various kinds of traditional alcoholic beverages commonly named sorghum beers or opaque beers, have been recorded and described. These drinks have a central role in peoples' cultures and play fundamental socioeconomic function. Their brewing involves malting, mashing, souring, straining, boiling and two successive steps of fermentation which occur at ambient conditions. A primary lactic fermentation, or souring stage, confers the souring taste and storage longevity. The alcoholic fermentation is usually initiated by pitching wort with a portion of previous brew. The beverage thus obtained is unstable. Since the African sorghum beers fermentation process is run by uncontrolled inoculation under no standard hygienic conditions, producers have a major problem to make a good beer with a long shelf-life. In other hand, recently the disappearance of many active synthetic substances in foods protection has resulted to a renewed interest in naturally occurring substances. In parallel to these disappearances, the regulatory environment incites strongly to increase the use of alternative methods to chemical control. This review aims to summarize works about African traditional sorghum beers stabilization and potential applications of plants extract for their natural preservatives.

Can chlorophyll fluorescence be used to determine the optimal time to harvest rice seeds for long-term genebank storage?

AbstractChlorophyll fluorescence (CF) analysis was explored as a potential tool to identify the optimal time to harvest rice seed germplasm for maximum storage longevity. Seeds of 20 diverse genebank accessions were harvested at 24, 31, 38 and 45 d after peak flowering (DAF) and half of each seed lot was sorted by hand, following normal practice at the T.T. Chang Genetic Resources Center. CF analysis was carried out on both non-sorted and sorted seeds, while storage experiments were carried out on sorted seeds. Seed longevity (the time for viability to fall to 50%, p50) was significantly correlated with the skewness, kurtosis, mode and mean of the CF histograms when the data for every accession at all the harvest times were included in the correlation analysis. However, these correlation coefficients were ≤ 0.481. The correlation coefficient between p50 and DAF was similarly low (0.461). For individual accessions, there was wide variation in the correlation coefficients. While for some accessions, there appeared to be a strong relationship between p50 and mean CF that could be used to guide when to harvest seeds in the field, for other accessions, a unique mean CF to inform when to harvest seeds or for use in seed sorting could not be identified; this was also true for DAF over the harvesting schedule used in this study. Given the number and diversity of accessions managed by a genebank, it seems unlikely that CF analysis would be an appropriate tool to help manage the regeneration or processing of seeds intended for storage in the genebank.

Seed storage longevity of Hosta sieboldiana (Asparagaceae)

Seed storage longevity of Hosta sieboldiana (Lodd.) Engler was studied. Mature and immature seeds of H. sieboldiana were stored immediately after collection at −20°C and 5°C with a moisture content of about 65%. In addition, the seeds were dried to either about 10% or 5% moisture content (MC) and then stored at either −20°C or 5°C. Seeds of H. sieboldiana were desiccation-tolerant but short-lived, with the P50 (the time required to reduce germination to half of the maximum germination) under storage conditions ranging from 0.5 to 221.9months and 2.3 to 56.7months for mature and immature seeds, respectively. Seed longevity of H. sieboldiana was increased by decreasing moisture content, but the responses of the seeds to temperatures were different from typical orthodox seeds. The dry seeds of H. sieboldiana (~5% to 10% MC) lost viability more quickly at −20°C than at 5°C. Storage allowed immature seeds to continue some maturation, but the longevity of these seeds was generally shorter than that of the mature seeds stored under the same conditions.

The Effect of Submergence on Rice Seed Quality

Flooding is a major constraint to rice production in many areas. The unpredictable nature of flooding events, including varying depth, duration and timing make it difficult to manage. Changes in the global climate are predicted to alter weather patterns resulting in more frequent heavy storms and sea level rise, which will exacerbate the problem. Therefore, improving our understanding of the impact this stress has on rice production and the development of methods for managing this stress are needed. This study set out to examine submergence effects at different ripening stages on subsequent rice seed quality. We grew japonica rice cv. Gleva and two indica cvs. IR64 and submergence-tolerant IR64Sub1, under controlled environment conditions. Plants were then subjected to full-submergence for 4d at 10, 30 and 40 days after anthesis (DAA), or not (no submergence control). Seeds were harvested 47 DAA and examined for agronomic traits. For all conditions and cultivars, submergence led to a decrease in seed weight, size and a substantial loss in yield. There was a 16-44% yield reduction, particularly when simulated flooding occurred at the initial stage of seed development (10 DAA). Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) was detected from seeds submerged at 30 DAA or later in cv. Gleva. When submerged at 40 DAA, more than 65% of seeds of Gleva sprouted, compared to less than 1% from either IR64 or IR64Sub1. The impact of submergence was greatest on yield, seed weight and size, whereas the extent of any detrimental effect on subsequent seed storage longevity of non-sprouted seed storability was small. In conclusion, our data showed that submergence negatively affected rice seed production, but was dependent on genotype.

Ex situ plant conservation initiative in developing country: Nepal as a case study

With the increased loss of plant biodiversity, the ex situ seed conservation has become of strategic importance. International treaties and conventions encourage more developed countries to cooperate in providing financial and other supports for the establishment and maintenance of ex situ conservation facilities in developing countries. In this regard, the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (Nepal) and the Ev-K2-CNR (Italy) set up the Himalayan Seed Bank, with the goal of establishing ex situ seed conservation facility of rare, endemic and endangered plants in Nepal. Here, we discuss the importance of training on seed curation, management and research for the seed bank operators in developing countries. Particular attention is given to the procedures for providing power supply and for optimizing seed longevity in dry storage. Finally, the importance of duplicates in high-standard international seed banks is also discussed.

Continuous-wave Terahertz Imaging Applied to Detect Infestations Caused by Insects in Grain

Detection infestations caused by insects in grain are important control measures for ensuring storage longevity, seed quality and food safety. The efficiency of the continuous wave terahertz imaging method to detect infestations caused by insects in wheat kernels was determined in this study. A continuous wave terahertz experimental setup was designed for recording of THz images corresponding to different infestations caused by different life stages of insects. The experimental results indicate that the absorbance is generally highest for un- infested wheat kernels and decreased at later growth stages from THz pseudo-color images. Our study intended to demonstrate how the method of continuous wave Terahertz imaging could be applied to detect Infestations Caused by Insects in Grain.

Ex situ Conservation and Cryopreservation of Orchid Germplasm

Premise of research. Orchids are among the most enigmatic of plant species. Yet the Orchidaceae comprises more species at risk of extinction than any other plant family. The collection and storage of orchid germplasm—principally seeds and associated mycorrhizal fungi but also protocorm-like bodies using encapsulation and vitrification techniques—allows for secure ex situ conservation. This article reviews the approaches and techniques used for the ex situ conservation of orchid germplasm, with a focus on seed banking and the use of cryopreservation techniques to improve the longevity of germplasm.Pivotal results. It is increasingly apparent that cryopreservation—the storage of germplasm at ultra-low temperatures (e.g., in liquid nitrogen)—is required for the long-term and low-maintenance conservation of all types of orchid germplasm. For orchid seeds, desiccation tolerance is common, but longevity in storage is poor. Cryopreservation of orchid seeds shows promise, but some complexities in low-temperature ...