The role of water in the cryopreservation of seeds

Abstract

Plant genetic resources are vitally important for human beings and the sustainability of the planet. Biodiversity conservation is the practice of protecting and preserving the abundance and variety of all species (Lambardi et al. 2004; Walters 2006). Neotropical ecosystems are submitted to constant pressure by human activity; in these ecosystems the number of plants at risk of genetic depletion or extinction and the loss of important genetic resources is continuously increasing. Preservation of plant biodiversity avoids the risk that species and plant varieties may become extinct, producing a definitive loss of their genetic variability. Preservation of plants only in field collections is risky, as valuable germplasm can be lost (genetic erosion) because of pests, diseases, and adverse weather conditions.