Longevity of preserved Solanum lycopersicum L. seeds: physicochemical characteristics

Ex situ conservation of plant biodiversity has been increasingly used to prevent further loss of genetic resources. Seed banks, for example, shelter the passport data of germplasm, preserved in detail, and made available for easy access, actions included in the FAO’s Second Global Plan. We examined the deterioration of tomato seeds of different varieties stored for 10-year intervals at COMAV’s genebank. Samples were analyzed using the conventional Germination and Tetrazolium tests, as well as the non-conventional Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry techniques, to quickly identify the physiological status of the accessions. Fatty acid profile was also determined. The relationship observed between lipid behavior and seed deterioration under long time storage conditions was the same for both non-conventional and conventional techniques. The viability of the samples was not affected by storage time, however, all the employed methods permitted identifying differences between varieties or accessions of the same variety. The complementary methods helped us interpret a complex data set with many interacting factors, leading to rapid identification of seed quality, increasing processing efficiency in tomato seeds conservation.