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Old July 5, 2015   #42
carolyn137
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
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Vladimir, I understand that they were donated to the Czech gene bank in 1957 which makes them about 58 yrs old now. What I don't know, but you might, is how OFTEN the gene bank grows out varieties to keep seed stock viable.

And I ask b'c when one looks at the accessions in the US gene bank, the PC Grin, there are many accessions that are listed, but never grown out b'c they are extinct.

So two kinds of listings, one for accessions still available and other listings for accessions no longer available and the latter comprises the largest majority of listings, I've been there to read, so I know.

And also noting that the world record for waking up old seed was when the precursor to the USDA stations was in Cheyenne, WY was closed and all seeds moved to the new USDA station in Ames, IA and in Cheyenne the tomato seeds were stored in filing cabinets at ambient temps and when germination was assessed in IA they were able to wake up seeds, I forgot how many varieties, not many, that were 50 yo. I once had a scientific report about that which was sent to me by someone at the Fort Collins, CO backup USDA storage facility but in all the moves I made somewhere that paper was lost along with some others I also lost.


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