Use of Collections for Research
Using seeds for research
The MSBP partners carry out wide-ranging research based on the collections made through the project.
Seed studies include those to better understand seed storage requirements, germination processes and requirements, dormancy behaviour and diagnostic characterisation.
In addition, studies of the herbarium vouchers include the comparative observation, characterisation, and analysis of plant material to better understand its identification and distribution.
Sub-samples of seed collections are also distributed to other organisations (offered via the Seed List). Previous use of seed from the MSB in research has been very diverse, including medical, environmental and pure research.
The table below gives some indication of the types of use of MSB collections during the past eight years.
| Sustainability focus | Case | Country |
| Water | - Counteracting dryland salination - Combating desertification
|
- Australia - Pakistan -Egypt |
| Energy | - Seeking photosynthetically efficient species
|
- USA |
| Health | - Culturing threatened medicinal plants - Improving and controlling the quality of essential oils
|
- Pakistan
- Brazil |
| Agriculture | - Understanding the poisoning of livestock by "locoweeds" - Exploring unconventional forage legumes - Preventing the accidental introduction of "new" weeds
|
- Canada
- Mexico - Israel |
| Biodiversity | - Discovering the causes of alien species invasiveness
|
- USA |
| Chemicals | - Remedying heavy metal contamination - Understanding the transmission of herbicide resistance between weedy species
|
- USA
- USA |
The potential impacts of such work are enormous when set against its potential effect on human lives and wealth.