Press Release

Students help Kew's scientists to discover how long seeds can survive

School students across the UK are helping Kew's scientists in their hunt to discover just how long seeds can survive. Among the first to become involved are sixth formers from Ardingly College in West Sussex. And their work was filmed by BBC TV cameras.

"This is an opportunity for the young people to carry out meaningful research as part of their studies", says Kew's education research officer Sue Hunt. "By working with our scientists from the Millennium Seed Bank, based at Wakehurst Place, work by the various schools will be contributing to the planet's future."

As part of their Baccalaureate (similar to A Levels), the Ardingly pupils are artificially ageing seed from ten of the UK's native plants for 125 days. They were busy working in their laboratories last week when BBC cameras popped in to capture the action for a new series of ‘A Year at Kew’.

"Samples are taken at intervals, and a germination test carried out", explains Sue. "The Seed Bank's botanists will then know which ones they need to check more frequently in their quest to find out just how long various seeds can be stored."

The Millennium Seed Bank houses seeds from nearly all the UK's wild flowers, as a safeguard against extinction in the wild.

"This joint education and research project provides a real insight into scientific investigations which aid understanding of conservation", adds Sue. "As well as providing valuable data for Kew's work it is providing 'real life' research for the students."

The BBC Two programmes are due to be shown on Friday evenings through the autumn.

Ardingly College students Hannah Barry (from Cuckfield) and Laura
Burgess (of Danehill) taking part in the BBC Two series 'A Year at
Kew' which follows unique work by the Millennium Seed Bank
scientists, based at Wakehurst Place, which is involving schools in a
seed longevity study.

More details from the Learning Programme on 01444 894055.
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