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AOBPreview published online on February 22, 2006
Annals of Botany, doi:10.1093/aob/mcl035
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Received September 15, 2005
Revised December 5, 2005
Accepted January 9, 2006

Article

Temperature Sensitivity of the Low-moisture-content Limit to Negative Seed Longevity-Moisture Content Relationships in Hermetic Storage

R. H. ELLIS 1 * and T. D. HONG 1

1 Department of Agriculture, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading RG6 6AR, UK

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
R. H. ELLIS, E-mail: r.h.ellis{at}reading.ac.uk


  Abstract

• Background and Aims The negative logarithmic relationship between orthodox seed longevity and moisture content in hermetic storage is subject to a low-moisture-content limit (mc), but is mc affected by temperature?

• Methods Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) seeds were stored hermetically at 12 moisture contents (2-15 %) and five temperatures (-20, 30, 40, 50 and 65 °C) for up to 14·5 years, and loss in viability was estimated.

• Key Results Viability did not change during 14·5 years hermetic storage at -20 °C with moisture contents from 2·2 to 14·9 % for red clover, or 2·0 to 12·0 % for alfalfa. Negative logarithmic relationships between longevity and moisture contents >mc were detected at 30-65 °C, with discontinuities at low moisture contents; mc varied between 4·0 and 5·4 % (red clover) or 4·2 and 5·5 % (alfalfa), depending upon storage temperature. Within the ranges investigated, a reduction in moisture content below mc at any one temperature had no effect on longevity. Estimates of mc were greater the cooler the temperature, the relationship (P < 0·01) being curvilinear. Above mc, the estimates of CH and CQ (i.e. the temperature term of the seed viability equation) did not differ (P > 0·10) between species, whereas those of KE and CW did (P < 0·001).

• Conclusions The low-moisture-content limit to negative logarithmic relationships between seed longevity and moisture content in hermetic storage increased the cooler the storage temperature, by approx. 1·5 % over 35 °C (4·0-4·2 % at 65 °C to 5·4-5·5 % at 30-40 °C) in these species. Further reduction in moisture content was not damaging. The variation in mc implies greater sensitivity of longevity to temperature above, compared with below, mc. This was confirmed (P < 0·005).

Keywords: Red clover Trifolium pratense, alfalfa Medicago sativa, hermetic seed storage, seed longevity, seed viability equation, temperature, seed desiccation, critical moisture content, equilibrium relative humidity, Q10.
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