Seed bank design: seed drying rooms

The effective drying of orthodox seeds prior to cold storage is the key to successful seed banking. Drying prolongs storage life, allows seeds to tolerate extreme temperatures, prevents germination, and reduces attacks by predators and pathogens. For long-term conservation, the aim is to reduce seed moisture status to 15% equilibrium relative humidity (eRH) at 15oC. This is about 3-7% moisture content (on a fresh weight basis), depending on the oil content of the seeds. A dry room is the most appropriate drying method when you need to dry large quantities of seed at the same time. This information sheet explains how to set up a dry room.