A group of researchers assert that storing seed in an oxygen-free environment will dramatically increase their longevity.
http://phys.org/news/2014-07-seeds-vital-longer-oxygen.html
The assumption (not verified in the study) is that it preserves the inherent antioxidants within the seed.
Their demonstration that oxygen is damaging to seed during storage was to place seed into a SCUBA tank under 200 bar oxygen, which significantly shortened the viability of the seed. [So, don't store your seed in a fully pressurized SCUBA tank!]
Their recommended method of removing oxygen from seed storage containers is to add a packet of iron dust, which scavenges the oxygen.
My concerns: First of all, there has been no long-term study of just how much longer such an approach might extend the viability of seed. Secondly, some varieties of seed are very sensitive to oxygen (e.g. lettuce), and some seed seems to be fairly insensitive to oxygen (e.g. tobacco) during storage. Finally, iron dust scavenges oxygen by oxidizing the iron--it rusts. This generates heat. [The little toe warmer packets that you can buy at the sporting goods store are nothing but a packet of iron filings that begin to rust as soon as you open the sealed packaging, and thereby gives off heat.]
So, I would suggest waiting for some time (say, about 20 years) to see what the long-term studies actually show, before adding packets of iron dust to your stored seed.
Perhaps a less problematic approach would be to obtain a small tank of nitrogen (N[sub]2[/sub]) with which to flush a seed container after each opening. Does Nitrogen damage the seed? I don't think that's been studied yet.
Bob
http://phys.org/news/2014-07-seeds-vital-longer-oxygen.html
The assumption (not verified in the study) is that it preserves the inherent antioxidants within the seed.
Their demonstration that oxygen is damaging to seed during storage was to place seed into a SCUBA tank under 200 bar oxygen, which significantly shortened the viability of the seed. [So, don't store your seed in a fully pressurized SCUBA tank!]
Their recommended method of removing oxygen from seed storage containers is to add a packet of iron dust, which scavenges the oxygen.
My concerns: First of all, there has been no long-term study of just how much longer such an approach might extend the viability of seed. Secondly, some varieties of seed are very sensitive to oxygen (e.g. lettuce), and some seed seems to be fairly insensitive to oxygen (e.g. tobacco) during storage. Finally, iron dust scavenges oxygen by oxidizing the iron--it rusts. This generates heat. [The little toe warmer packets that you can buy at the sporting goods store are nothing but a packet of iron filings that begin to rust as soon as you open the sealed packaging, and thereby gives off heat.]
So, I would suggest waiting for some time (say, about 20 years) to see what the long-term studies actually show, before adding packets of iron dust to your stored seed.
Perhaps a less problematic approach would be to obtain a small tank of nitrogen (N[sub]2[/sub]) with which to flush a seed container after each opening. Does Nitrogen damage the seed? I don't think that's been studied yet.
Bob