New EU-project to enhance seed quality

Massive economic losses are suffered by farmers and the seed trade alike due to poor seed quality. European scientists have committed themselves to unravel how environmental stresses to the mother plant will impact upon seed quality, and if seed storage conditions can be improved to enhance seed quality. The €3 million project is coordinated by the University of Innsbruck. Photo: In the project EcoSeed three crop species, barley, sunflower and cabbage will be studied together with the model plant Arabidopsis, to see how drought and elevated temperatures suffered by the mother plant, impact upon seed quality. Credit: Rainer Sturm / Pixelio.de - Every seed has a life of its own. Information received during its development on the mother plant determines its quality: how long a seed can be stored, if it will be dormant (see below), if it will germinate readily after storage and if it will grow into a healthy, vigorous new plant. Seed quality is further influenced by storage conditions, and is essentially important to agriculture and industry.