Kew's Millennium Seed Bank is helping to improve seed banking worldwide
We are always looking for new ways to improve seed conservation. Our work in seed banking technology aims to improve the techniques, equipment and methods that we use and share this knowledge with our partners.
A hygrometer used to check the moisture status of seeds before collection
Technologies needed for seed banking
All stages of the collecting and banking process require careful monitoring of seed moisture. This includes measuring how wet seeds are whilst still out in the field and through the cleaning and drying process. We also need to monitor the performance of containers and develop tools to predict seed germination requirements.
Some of the equipment used in seed banking
- Drying facilities to reduce moisture content of seeds prior to storage
- Aspirators to separate mature seeds from empty seeds and extraneous plant material
- X-ray machines to assess the proportion of empty or damaged seeds in a collection
- Hygrometers for non-destructive measurement of the water status of seeds
- Hermetically sealed containers in which to store the seed
- Cold rooms in which to store the collections
- Temperature-specific and illuminated incubators for germination testing
Bank your own seeds using our Mini Seed Bank
Discover more about our work...
- Helping to improve seed drying and storage in Mali and Burkina Faso
- The MSBP provided equipment and training to our partners in Malawi
- The Millennium Seed Bank project has helped to design banking facilities in Tasmania
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