Category: 2020

Despite the global pandemic, genebanks efforts to secure duplicate seed samples at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault are still ongoing. This week, some 15 000 new seed samples from seven genebanks were carried into the Seed Vault for safe, free-of-charge and long-term storage.

By depositing 2,922 samples of seeds from its large pea collection, John Innes Centre in the United Kingdom became the 88th insitute to send its seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
The Germplasm Resource Unit at JIC, which hosts some of the most comprehensive wheat, barley, oat and pea collections in the world, prioritized peas for its first seed deposits in the Seed Vault.

We need more knowledge to fully answer the question: How long can seeds stay alive? That question is crucial for seed genebanks and research institutes working with plants and seeds. It is known that seeds of good quality can stay alive for several decades and even for centuries. However, there are differences between species and between seed qualities due to different conditions during production and preparing of the seeds. To improve this crucial knowledge, a new seed longevity experiment, comprising seeds of 13 globally important crops, has started in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The experiment is planned to go on for 100 years.

The global community has committed to end hunger by 2030 and has identified genetic diversity
as an important target. Most food production starts with a seed, whether the crop is consumed by
humans or as feed to farmed animals. Major reports in recent years stress the need for genetic
diversity.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault received the largest seed deposit since its 2008 opening on February 24, 2020. In recognition of the importance of this deposit, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg invited fellow members of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocacy Group to participate in the seed deposit, and then to attend the Svalbard Seed Summit to prepare and present an Arctic Call to Action on Food Security and Climate Change. The members who attended braved an arctic snow storm and temperatures of 20°C to cheer on representatives of 28 genebanks who were depositing their seeds in the Seed Vault.

The Cherokee Nation – both its people and its tradition – were part of the 24 February seed deposit at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, making it the first US-based tribe to safeguard its culturally important seeds in the Seed Vault. The deposit included the Cherokee Nation’s indigenous maize, beans and squash seeds. The Cherokee Nation also has its own seed bank, which was inspired by the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and now provides seeds to tribal citizens who are interested in growing traditional Cherokee crops.

For the first time, seeds of species maintained in situ in meadows have been deposited in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.