Jonathan Drori: Why we’re storing billions of seeds


Imagine a world where we lost all our seeds?

it’s been estimated that each year 1–2% of crop diversity is lost and more than 75% of genetically diverse crops present at the beginning of the 20th century are now gone.

Here’s an interesting talk presented by Jonathan Drori who has a background in producing BBC TV documentaries.

Jonathan Drori encourages us to save biodiversity — one seed at a time. Reminding us that plants support human life, he shares the vision of the UK Millennium Seed Bank, which has stored over 3 billion seeds to date from dwindling yet essential plant species.

Jonathan Drori: Why we’re storing billions of seeds

Collecting Seeds
Don’t try and save seeds from hybrid plants varieties if you desire the plant to resemble it’s parent. Seeds from hybrid varieties end up producing a various mix of offspring. A lot of these hybrid plants end up having quite different characteristics than the parent.

What is the best way to store seeds?
Seeds should always be kept dry, cool (close to 4º C if possible) and dark. The refrigerator (NOT the freezer) is a good place to store seeds, preferably inside a film canister, to avoid light and moisture condensation. In the absence of a fridge, the back of a closet is OK, as long as your seeds are not exposed to moisture, heat or excesses of light. Some people recommend placing them in envelopes placed between the pages of old newspapers.