Seed Bank

Seed bank is a facility that stores seeds of various plants to conserve plant species and to preserve genetic diversity for the future. In general, the process of cleaning, drying, storing and testing seeds in order to preserve their viability for future use is known as seed banking. It is rapidly becoming one of the most valuable and effective ex situ methods to maintain biodiversity. The seeds of many species are typically remain viable for more than 20 years if they kept at constant temperature of -20°C and at low humidity around 4%. Without controlled storage conditions, several seeds lose their viability within one year of collection. However, because seed DNA degrades with time, the seeds must occasionally replanted and new seeds collected for another round of long-term storage.

Seed Bank Objectives

• Conserve a critical and viable piece of Omani wild plants by storing seeds especially of native, endemic and endangered species
• Achieve genetic resource conservation at the community level to prevent rare and threatened native species from getting extinct
• Contribute to scientific and research projects by providing a further seed supply source as a supportive tool for educational purposes
• Engage several parties, including farmers and anyone who has an interest in agriculture, to contribute in seed variety improvement, conservation, and propagation

List of Available Seeds