Seed cryopreservation of seven Spanish native pine species

Abstract

Summary Progressive forest decline requires the development of conservation strategies to avoid the loss of genetic diversity. Among the ex situ methods for the preservation of forest tree germplasm, conventional seed banking is considered the most efficient method for the majority of species. However, in some forest trees the rapid decrease of seed viability requires new storage methods. Cryopreservation (storage at ultralow temperatures, < ‐130 °C) offers great promise for long-term storage of forest tree seeds. In this paper the effect of storage in liquid nitrogen (‐196 °C) on seven Spanish pines was evaluated. For most of these species, no significant differences were found in seed germination before and after cryopreservation. Only in P. pinea did cryopreservation negatively affect seed viability.