SEED STORAGE 
SUGGESTIONS 
High germination and freedom from insect 
damage are the rewards of proper seed stor- 
age. Since large amounts of seed are car- 
ried over each year by merchants, food 
processors, and commercial growers, stor- 
age is a matter of considerable economic 
importance. In the following paragraphs we 
will outline a few of the things we have 
learned about seed storage and make rec- 
ommendations based on our own experience. 
We hope these may prove helpful as a guide 
for improving storage conditions or as a 
start for further experimentation. Many 
variables can affect the longevity of seed, 
and we can take no responsibility for re- 
sults obtained in other places and under 
other conditions than those with which we 
have worked. 
WHAT MAKES SEED DIE? The exact 
physiological processes involved in loss of 
seed viability and vigor are not known, but 
it is well established that this loss of life 
takes place faster when either the temper- 
ature or the relative humidity in the storage 
area is higher.1 Either high temperature or 
high humidity alone will shorten the life 
iH. Loole, Vi. K. Toole, and H, A, Gorman, 
“Vegetable Seed Storage as Affected by Temperature 
and Relative Humidity,’ USDA Technical Bulletin 
No. 972, October 1948. 
Margaret Taschler, a Corneli analyst, counts tomato 
seed germination in our main laboratory—one of the 
best equipped in the country. 
span of stored seed; if both temperature 
and humidity are high, loss of life is ex- 
tremely fast. Unfortunately, these unfavor- 
able conditions exist pretty generally in the 
southeastern quarter of the country, where 
much seed must be carried over each year 
for early fall planting. 
TO PRESERVE GERMINATION AND 
VIGOR, KEEP SEED AS DRY AND AS 
COOL AS YOU CAN. 
HOW CAN SEED BE KEPT DRY AND 
COOL? There are many ways, of course. 
Most cities of any size have commercial cold 
storage plants, and many seedsmen use these 
facilities to protect their carryover seeds 
from summer heat and humidity. Dry cold 
storage is much preferred to the type in 
which moisture is not controlled. 
A dry storage room can be built in your own 
warehouse, and offers some advantages 
over commercial cold storage. First, the cost 
is smaller in the long run. Further, the seed 
is always available, in case a particular item 
should be needed early. Such a room should 
be made as air-tight (and therefore mois- 
ture-tight) as possible. The drying can be 
accomplished by one or more electric de- 
humidifiers, which currently sell for a little 
over $100 each. One such unit should give 
good results in a room up to about 2,500 
cubic feet in volume. The condensing type 
A general view of Keystone Valley Farm, in St. Louis 
County, where our pan vegetable trials are con- 
ucted. 
