This document discusses different types of seed storage. It describes bag storage which uses waterproof warehouses and follows sanitation practices. Bulk storage also meets basic requirements but requires more insulation. Seeds stored in bulk need frequent turning to prevent deterioration. Conditioned storage carefully controls temperature and humidity but is costly. Cryogenic storage places seeds in liquid nitrogen at -196°C for long-term preservation. Hermetic storage seals seeds in air-tight containers. Containerized storage uses desiccants to regulate humidity in closed containers. The document concludes by outlining preferred long-term storage conditions of -18°C or less in air-tight containers at 3-7% moisture.

1. Prof. Kumari Rajani
Department of Seed Science & Technology
Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour
Types of Seed Storage
(SST 513)

2. Bag storage: warehouses should be constructed with water –proof
walls ,roofs and floors. Other requirements like sanitation, fumigation
should be followed as and when required.
Bulk storage: structure should meet basic requirements similar to
those of a bag storage. However, sidewall insulation is more
important in a bulk storage structure.
Bulk stored seed often needs to be moved from one bin to anther to
break up any undesirable hot spots and to equalize the temperature
of the seed to prevent translocation.
A motor-driven fan with a suitable duct system supplies the small
amount of air needed for aeration.
Ventilation should be encouraged within and between stocks.
Seeds stored in bulk requires frequent turning to prevent
deterioration due to heating.
Commercial large scale storage
Prof. Kumari Rajani

3. 1. Open storage
It is preferred over bag storage for the following reasons:
 Large quantities of food grain can be stored
 No difficulty in loading and unloading of grain
 No need to purchase storage containers like gunnies
 Insect incidence is less than bag storage, even this can be
eliminated by fumigation in situ
 Avoids waste from leaking bags
 Easy inspections- saves labour and time.
1. Open storage 2. Bag storage
Storage conditions where seeds are
exposed directly or indirectly to ambient
relative humidity (and sometimes also
temperature); for example, in a paper bag,
cloth bag, or a similar material which
permits seed moisture content to be
influenced by ambient relative humidity.
Bulk Storage
Prof. Kumari Rajani

4. 2. Bag storage
Commodities are mostly stored in
gunnies.
Storage in bags requires considerable
labour, but the minimum investment is
enough on permanent structures and
equipment.
The storage in bags has the advantage
of being short-term storage.
Prof. Kumari Rajani
Bag storage can be done under a roof galvanized iron sheets, a
plastic covering where grain is intended for very early onward
movement.
Bags can be easily handled for marketing purpose.
There is no sweating of bags as they are arranged in racks with
proper interbag space, but, initial cost is high and they can easily
pickup infestation and retain even after treatment.
Bulk Storage

5. Copeland and McDonald recommended four principal
types of seed storage conditions
1. Conditioned Storage
2. Cryogenic storage
3. Containerized seed storage
Prof. Kumari Rajani

6. Carefully controlling temperature and relative humidity.
It is too costly for storing seed lots of agricultural crops ,but it
is extremely valuable to preserve germplasm and other valuable
seed stocks.
While evaluating the economics of seed storage the following
criteria should be taken into account.
Types of seeds to be stored
Length of the storage period
Quality of seed stored
Loss of seed weight during storage.
Conditioned Storage
Prof. Kumari Rajani

7. Cryogenic Storage
Seeds are placed into
liquid nitrogen at -196°C.
There is little detrimental
physiological activity,
prolonging the storage life of
seeds.
Safe and cheaper than
conditioned storage.
Limited in storage capacity.
Long term storage of
valuable germplasm.
Prof. Kumari Rajani

8. Hermetic Storage
Packaging seeds in an air-tight, moisture-resistant
containers or hermetically sealed containers for storage
and marketing.
Metal cans were completely effective in maintaining
seed moisture at the initial 5% level.
Air can be replaced by specific gasses lo slow
deterioration
Using this method seeds can be stored upto 10 years
or longer.
Prof. Kumari Rajani

9. Containerized seed Storage
When storing small samples, chemical desiccants can be used to
regulate moisture
Humidity is regulated in a closed container by use of chemical
desiccants like sulfuric acid (H2SO4), saturated salt solutions, silica
gel treated with cobalt chloride, which serves as an indicator dye,
turning from blue to pink when RH exceeds 45%.
This type of storage system is cheaper and insects-rodent and
moisture proof.
Advantages
• Construction of storage facilities are not necessary
• Maintenance is minimal
• Metal boxes are rodent-, insect-, and moisture-proof
• Seeds are not damaged by storage fungi since they are at
45% RH Prof. Kumari Rajani

10. The storage conditions recommended by FAO and
International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)
formerly International Board for Plant Genetic
Resources (IBPGR) for long-term seed conservation.
For long-term storage for genetic conservation of
agricultural seeds, a temperature of -18°C (64°F) or less in
air-tight containers at a seed moisture content of 3-7%
(w.b.) has been recommended as the “preferred” standard
for most species and -10° C as an “acceptable” standard
for those species known to have an intrinsic high
viability (IBPGR 1976).
Preferred Storage Condition
Prof. Kumari Rajani