Scientists Unveil Longest-Lasting Seeds for Doomsday Vaults

7:10 AM ETDeveloping

Science Desk

In Short: In 2023, scientists identified mung beans and common beans as the most viable for long-term storage, crucial for future agricultural recovery.

In 2023, researchers at the Australian Grain Genebank (AGG) conducted germination tests on seeds stored for decades, identifying mung beans and common beans as the most viable for long-term storage. These findings are crucial for future agricultural recovery in the event of a disaster.

The tests, which included 3,861 stored batches of six tropical crops, revealed that mung bean seeds remained highly viable even after 45 years in storage. At least 90 percent of the mung bean seeds could still germinate, indicating their potential to produce plants. This makes them a key candidate for inclusion in doomsday seed banks.

The study also highlighted the importance of genebanks in maintaining the viability of crop seeds. "As long as genebanks continue to collect viability data and work in collaboration to share information on seed longevity, our understanding of the observed longevity of species will continue to grow," the study authors concluded.

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