Freezing tomato seeds?
 

I recently read at Johnny's that they are introducing (next year, if the dates posted are correct) a "new" old strain of Wisconsin 55. It piqued my interest because WI55 supposedly has some tolerance to Septoria.

A University of Wisconsin worker had frozen seeds of (or close to) the original strain in the 60's, and it had been successfully germinated to be re-introduced [U]next[/U] November.

[URL]http://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/tomatoes/slicing-tomatoes/wisconsin-55-organic-tomato-seed-3406G.html#q=wisconsin&lang=en_US&start=1[/URL]

I've certainly heard about storing seeds in the freezer, but had never heard anything about really long-term storage that way. Searches didn't produce anything very meaningful. Anyone have any other information about long-term freezing of tomato seeds?

-GG

Yes, long-term storage of seeds in seed banks is done at freezing temps. I googled [U]seed storage freezing[/U] and here's one result:
[url]https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/propagation/seeds/does-freezing-kill-seeds.htm[/url]

I tried and it killed the seeds

There are proper & improper ways to freeze.

[QUOTE=slugworth;720077]I tried and it killed the seeds[/QUOTE]

Freezing seeds and then recovering them depends on the moisture content of the seeds when they are frozen. Too much and the freezing moisture expands so much that the outside surfaces of the seeds cracks and then freezing drying takes place and the germplasm is destroyed. Seed Banks reduce the internal moisture levels to a very low percentage and this prevents the "expansion destruction".

Many of us here in the "amateur" world put our seeds into the freezers and hope for the best. I, for one, will not allow my seeds to be subjected to those killing temps. Room temperature in paper or hermetic sealed containers (repurposed medicine bottles) is the only methods I use.

[url]http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=18090[/url]

I think the above link to here at Tville should answer some questions being asked.

And yes,I used to freeze tomato seeds but before doing so you put in your bottle or whatever,that's what I used,discarded Scintilation bottles,you have to put a dessicant in the bottle, many meds come with those wee packets, and dry the seeds down to about 6 to 8 % moisture content, and you test for that by using NOT litmus paper (pH) but similar but similar paper strips that indicate moisture level.

SSE keeps some frozen seeds at SSE at minus 20 or so,but also sent backup seeds to I think it was Cheyenne, WY where they were kept in large metal cylinders at I think minus 80F Centigrade.

IMO what it comes down to for each person is how long they want to freeze seeds. For next year, doesn't make sense to me,just put some seeds in a #1 coin envelope and just seal it shut with tape and keep at ambient room temp. 3 years, 5 years,etc.? That's a decision that only each person can make.

It's also good to know that with regard to tomato seed that heart varieties in particular don't remain viable that long. And yes, a search here at Tville exists where that was discussed.

Aha,if storing them at home in a fridge freezer,thaw out the bottle they are in to room temp, before removing a few since if you don't do that moisture gets in and that's the way to end up with moldy seeds.

My best save were 22 yo seeds of September Dawn that were sent to me and just stored in a garage in a glass canning jar,with a label on the jar re the info I just gave.

Carolyn

Thanks. I didn't think of the (mentioned) Seed Banks originally, but I've seen pictures of (supposedly) a real seed bank somewhere in Denmark or Norway. Then searching "world seed bank" Bing returned this:

[URL]https://www.bing.com/search?q=world+seed+bank&pc=MOZI&form=MOZTSB[/URL]

22 years is impressive! My best is about 10 years, but then I don't know how old the seeds were when I got them -- presumably only a few years at most.
Just curious about this stuff.

[QUOTE=Greatgardens;720092]Thanks. I didn't think of the (mentioned) Seed Banks originally, but I've seen pictures of (supposedly) a real seed bank somewhere in Denmark or Norway. Then searching "world seed bank" Bing returned this:

[URL]https://www.bing.com/search?q=world+seed+bank&pc=MOZI&form=MOZTSB[/URL]

22 years is impressive! My best is about 10 years, but then I don't know how old the seeds were when I got them -- presumably only a few years at most.
Just curious about this stuff.[/QUOTE]

I know all about Svalbard.

One of the so called higher up SSE persons STOP,I decided to look for the thread here at Tville, and here it is.

[url]http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=17546&highlight=Svalbard+seed+storage[/url]

Please see my post #3.

Ok,you need to now know who Cary Fowler is.

[url]https://www.google.com/search?q=cary+fowler+seed+bank&hl=en&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiuseX-0freAhUCTt8KHT3tBKMQ_AUICSgA&biw=1706&bih=815&dpr=1[/url]

And why do you think the following person is now known as Amy Goldman Fowler.Yes,they got married. And yes Amy gave huge amounts of $$$ to SSE for this and that.

For several decades those of us who listed so many varieties in the Annual yearbook were sent money if we sent back seeds of those varieties to SSE. I don't know of anyone who took the money,they just returned the seeds and the money.

We were always told that our seeds would be safe with them and not distributed elsewhere. Well you saw from the post above what really happened. Seeds for not just tomatoes were also sent. All without our permission.

Then as members got their 4 issues of SSE Heritage magazine we saw Amy wrapped in mufflers and fur coats,entering what was called the Dooms day Vault and posing for pictures with Cary, and on and on.

I was NOT the only SSE member who was upset since we had not been told the truth about what would happen to our seeds.

Another way of looking at it,and I jest a bit, but love rules all,doesn't it?

Amy and Cary were married.

Amy and I were best friends for many years. She lived in Dutchess County south of where I was.She would drive up to the farm where I was growing several hundreds of tomato varieties as well as then teaching at a local liberal college. And then she would pick tomatoes to take back home to process the seeds.

And many times I drove down to her place as well.

Carolyn

Did Amy write a book about heirloom melons?

Donna

[QUOTE=SpookyShoe;720111]Did Amy write a book about heirloom melons?

Donna[/QUOTE]

Yes she did Donna and another book about squash and another one about tomatoes as well,I think I'm missing one.

I helped her with the melon and squash ones in terms of background for certain ones she wanted to include in her book.She asked first about me helping her,not the reverse.

As time went on she hired some folks to do research work,problem was they didn't know much about the areas they were supposed to be doing something about which led to many errors, especially in the tomato book..

Carolyn

Being a billionaire opens a lot of doors for you and buys a lot of help.
: )

Donna

[QUOTE=SpookyShoe;720160]Being a billionaire opens a lot of doors for you and buys a lot of help.
: )

Donna[/QUOTE]

It sure does. Today being Friday,that's the day I write out two checks,one for Martha who helps me here at home,she is the compassionate one and gives me a slip of paper with her hours so I can calculate what I owe her.

Then there's Freda,who Never writes down her hours,she just says I owe her X amt of money.

Martha will say thank you when I hand her her check,but I got a real shock this AM when Freda said Thank you to me as she walked out.

Maybe that had something to do with when I said what I was NOT going to do for Xmas this year for both of them.;):D

Carolyn