1. 1. Immature or mixed collectionsImmature seeds (eRH typically 85-100%) will not yet have acquiredmaximum storage potential. Withcareful handling, they can beripened until they reach maximumlongevity.Mixed collections need to behandled in a way that allowsimmature seeds to continueripening but minimises undueageing of mature seeds.Ideally, and if time permits, dividemixed collections and handlethe ripe and immature portionsseparately.If fruits look close to naturaldispersal changes in colour, fruitsdehiscing, etc. it is probablysafe to dry them using one of themethods described above.When seeds dont appear to beclose to natural dispersal, it is saferto dry them slowly for 1-2 weeks,under natural conditions. Dontremove seeds from fruits, or fruitsfrom branches or stems. If ambientconditions are particularly dry orhot, you may need to slow thedrying rate down, for example byenclosing the fruits in a permeablebag or ventilated container.Very immature seeds (eRH around100%) are not fully desiccationtolerant and need particularcare as rapid drying and/or hightemperatures may kill them. It isimperative that these seeds aregiven the opportunity to continuematuration and ripening.Once seeds have reached fullripeness treat them as othercollections and dry them fully, assoon as possible. It is especiallyimportant to process fleshy fruits assoon as they are ripe as seeds leftwithin ripe fleshy fruits may beginto age.Millennium Seed Bank Project, Wakehurst PlaceArdingly, West Sussex RH17 6TN, UK Copyright 2008, Board of Trustees, RBG Kewwww.kew.org/msbpPost-harvest handlingof seed collectionsTechnical Information Sheet_04 Kate Gold, Seed Conservation DepartmentThe effort put into collecting highquality seeds may be wasted if youdont handle collections carefullyafterwards. By following thesepractical guidelines you will beable to avoid unacceptable loss ofviability during collecting trips andensure that seeds arrive at the seedbank in good condition.Are all the seeds fully ripe?Seed collectors should assess seedmaturity prior to collection (seeTechnical Information Sheet_02) and ideally, avoid collectingimmature seeds. In practice,however, collections often containa range of seed maturities, fromseeds that have only just reachedmaximum dry weight through tothose at natural dispersal.If your collection contains more than10% immature seeds, follow theguidelines overleaf for immature ormixed collections.How dry are the seeds?Even when seeds are fully ripe,their moisture status at the time ofcollection may be high enough toplace them at risk of deteriorationthrough ageing or mould.Technical Information Sheet_04Equipment specificationsFurther readingProbert, R.J. (2003). Seed viabilityunder ambient conditions and theimportance of drying, pp. 337-365. In:R.D. Smith, J.D. Dickie, S.H. Linington,H.W. Pritchard and R.J. Probert (eds),Seed Conservation: turning science intopractice. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,UK.Smith, R.D. (1995). Collecting andhandling seeds in the field, pp. 419-456. In: L. Guarino, R.V. Rao and R. Reid(eds), Collecting Plant Genetic Diversity:technical guidelines. CommonwealthAgricultural Bureaux International,Wallingford, UK.Below: Effect of post-harvest seed moisture status on seed quality. The dotted line showstypical fluctuations in equilibrium relative humidity with ambient conditions.What is Relative Humidity (RH)?Water is held in the air as watervapour. The amount of watervapour in the air at a giventemperature is expressed asrelative humidity.% RH = water in a given mass of air x 100max. amount of waterthat could be heldWhat is moisture content (mc)?Seeds are weighed before andafter oven drying. Moisturecontent is expressed as weightof water removed, divided byeither the fresh weight or the dryweight of seeds x100. The maindisadvantage of this method is itsdestructive nature.What is equilibrium RelativeHumidity (eRH)?Seeds will gain or lose moisturedepending on the RH of thesurrounding air, eventuallyreaching equilibrium. eRH is ameasurement of the RH of theair at this equilibrium point. Themeasurement of eRH is fasterthan the traditional gravimetricmoisture content method and isnon-destructive (see TechnicalInformation Sheet_05).Planning aheadLook up the long-term climatedata for a particular region whenplanning a collecting trip.If conditions are likely to behumid and/or hot at the time ofcollection, you will need to plancarefully how you will handleseeds, especially during longertrips.It may be better to arrange toship collections back on a dailybasis if this is possible. If not,you will need to pack silica gelor some other kind of desiccantin order to dry seeds during thetrip.Additional notesPark the collecting vehicle in theshade, or at the very least, shadethe windscreen. Never leave collections inside aclosed vehicle in strong sunlight orhigh temperatures.Ensure that seeds are not physicallydamaged during post-harvestoperations as this reduces long-termstorability.Once transferred to the seed bank,collections can then be driedto around 15% eRH (4-7% mcdepending on seed oil content), therecommended moisture level forlong-term conservation of orthodoxseeds. Never freeze collections until theseeds are fully dry.Description Model/Product SupplierPortable relative humidity logger withmini probeHygroClip SC04 sensor with HygroLog-Dunit. Battery operated.Range: -40 to +100C ( 0.3C);0 to 100% RH ( 1.5%RH).Rotronic Instruments (UK) Ltd.www.rotronic.comData loggers for measuring ambientrelative humidityTiny Tag and Tiny View loggers.Range: -30 to +50C ( 0.2C);0 to 100% RH ( 3% RH).Gemini Data Loggers (UK) Ltd.www.geminidataloggers.comPlease note that the above equipment is used by the Millennium Seed Bank Project and has been chosen carefully using our many years experience. The list ofsuppliers is for guidance only and does not represent an endorsement by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The manufacturers instructions must be followedwhen using any of the equipment referred to in this Information Sheet.A safe moisture level forcollections in the field is around50% equilibrium relative humidity(eRH). Collectors need to takemeasures to promote drying ofdamp collections and ensure thatmoisture levels of drier collectionsdo not rise. Seed life spanapproximately doubles for every10% reduction in seed eRH.What are the ambientconditions?The rate at which seeds age duringthe post-harvest period depends onthe ambient relative humidity (RH)and temperature.RH has a greater impact on seedlongevity than temperature. Forexample, seeds will die fasterunder ambient conditions of 24Cand 70% RH than in a warmer,but drier, environment of 50% RHand 30C. As a general rule, anambient daytime RH of 50% or lesswill help to maintain seed quality.Remember that RH rises as thetemperature falls; a 10C overnightfall in temperature could causedry collections to absorb enoughmoisture to place them at high riskof ageing.Even if you are not able to measureseed moisture status or ambient RHand temperature you can still makeinformed decisions about post-harvesthandling.Above: A hygrometer can be used in the fieldto measure seed eRH and ambient conditions,informing post-harvest handling decisions.Above and below: Sansevieria collectionbefore and after ripening. Note colourchange as fruits reach maturity.Right: Seed collections spread out onnewspaper in an air-conditioned room,during a collecting trip.Seed development stageEquilibrium relative humidity (%)100SeedformationReserveaccumulationDispersal/post-harvestPost-abscissionripeningWet:highrisk ofmouldWet:risk ofageingDry:safe inshort termEquilibriumrelativehumidity (eRH)ImmatureOptimum time to collect908070605040
2. 2. Fleshy fruitsFleshy fruits are best kept inaerated plastic bags until theycan be processed. Open the bagsdaily to avoid mould and possiblefermentation.Over-ripe fleshy fruits, or thosethat have been damaged orcrushed during collecting mayrequire partial or full cleaning.Remove as much flesh as possiblefrom the fruits, using a sieve andcool running water.Leave the seeds to air-dry ona fine wire mesh or thick filterpaper before packing them intocloth bags.Allow the seeds to dry slowlyunder ambient conditions for 1-2weeks before transferring to seedbank dry-room conditions (15C,15% RH).Drying with desiccantsAny hygroscopic substance (silicagel, dried seeds such as rice ormaize, charcoal, etc.) can be usedto remove moisture from seeds,providing that the eRH of thedesiccant is lower than the eRHof the seeds. If seeds are verywet it is better to dry them for 2-3 days under ambient conditionsbefore using the desiccant. Thiscan be done even if the daytimeambient RH is relatively high (70-80%).Once the bulk water has beenremoved, transfer the seedsto a sealed container with thedesiccant, allowing seed moistureto be reduced to a safe level(~30% eRH). Use a silica gel:seedweight ratio of 1:1 To dry seedsto the same level using charcoal,use a weight ratio of 1:3.Change the drying agentregularly to speed up dryingtime. Regenerate desiccants inthe sun during the day and thenuse them to maintain seed dryingat night, in sealed containers.Seed Maturity Stage Seed Moisture StatusAmbient Conditions(daytime RH < 50%)Dry(daytime RH > 50%)HumidImmature 85 - 100% eRH Hold intact fruits under shaded,ambient conditions for 1-2 weeks*Natural dispersal< 50% eRHDryHold in loosely packedbags in a well ventilated,shady location. Minimisemoisture absorption atnight.Transfer to seed bank assoon as possibleORDry with desiccantWet room> 50% eRHDry in thin layer, in wellventilated location.ORPlace in air-conditionedMinimise moistureabsorption at night.* Remove seeds from fleshy fruits as soon as morphological signs (e.g. fruit colour) indicate that they arefully ripe. Allow to dry slowly under ambient conditions before transferring to a cool dry-room. Take note of the prevailingweather conditions - if it hasrecently rained, seeds may bewetter than expected. Observe seed and fruitmorphology - seeds enclosed withinindehiscent fruits may be at a highmoisture level. Seeds which have only justreached the point of naturaldispersal may be at a high moisturelevel, even if ambient conditions aredry and warm.Depending on seed moisturestatus, ambient conditions andseed maturity, handle collections asfollows:Dry (