Science
- Research
- Australian 'Bush Potato'
- Australian freshwater algae
- Australian fungi
- Biology of Myrtaceae
- Botany of Botany Bay
- Cotton Wilt
- Cycas - ancient survivors
- DNA of ground orchids
- DNA studies of Elaeocarpaceae
- DNA studies of Restionaceae
- Ecology of Cumberland Plain Woodland
- Evolution and conservation
- Evolution of Cyperaceae
- Evolution of Proteaceae
- Evolution of Vallisneria
- Floristic Lists of NSW
- Fungal leaf spot on eucalypts
- Fusarium wilt
- Habitat fragmentation
- Lepidoziaceae - southern liverworts
- Marine algae
- NSW Seedbank
- NSW Vegetation Classification & Assessment Project
- Phythophthora in national parks
- Plants, vegetation, landscape, country
- Seed biology
- Seeds for the Future
- She-oaks - tough survivors
- Soilborne plant diseases in Vietnam
- Terrestrial orchids
- Trees of Papua New Guinea
- Wollemi Pine
- NSW Herbarium
- Science staff
- Our resources
- Scientific publications
Seed biologyDr Amelia Martyn, Seed Research Officer & Dr Cathy Offord, Senior Research Scientist
Research into seed germination, dormancy and longevity for the SeedQuest NSW project continued in 2007-08, as an essential component of the partnership between the NSW Seedbank of the Botanic Garden Trust and Millennium Seed Bank Project of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK). Understanding germination and breaking seed dormancy are critical for future utilisation of the seed resource. More than 800 germination tests have been completed for species banked as part of SeedQuest NSW, with more than 600 tests exceeding 75% germination. These successful germination tests indicate the initial viability of each collection and give confidence that healthy living plants can be regenerated from banked seeds. Seed longevity (rapid ageing) studies have been conducted for 46 NSW species, with results to be combined with other Australian seedbank partners for publication. Studies on difficult-to-germinate species have focused on the NSW Rutaceae. Research on germination of three species of Boronia was presented at Seed Ecology II, the 2nd International Society for Seed Science meeting on Seeds and the Environment in Perth in September 2007. A review of seed quality and germination for Rutaceae species held at the NSW Seedbank is in preparation. Significant efforts have been made to educate seedbank practitioners in best-practice techniques for seed handling, storage and germination. This was done through formal training, community talks and seedbank tours, and the drafting of updated germplasm guidelines (through ANPC). For more information see NSW Seedbank.
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