The FAO’s Genebank Standards

The conditions for acquisition currently laid out in the FAO’s Genebank Standards recognize the need to avoid conservation of immature seeds, seeds that have been exposed to the elements for too long, and to ensure that seeds are handled carefully after collection and before they are transferred to controlled conditions.

• 4.1.2 Seed collecting should be made as close as possible to the time of maturation and prior to natural seed dispersal, avoiding potential genetic contamination, to ensure maximum seed quality.
• 4.1.3 To maximize seed quality, the period between seed collecting and transfer to a controlled drying environment should be within three to five days, or as short as possible, bearing in mind that seeds should not be exposed to high temperatures and intense light, and that some species may have immature seeds that require time after harvest to achieve embryo maturation.
• 4.1.5 The minimum number of plants from which seeds should be collected is between 30 to 60 plants, depending on the breeding system of the target species.