NKUA Seed Bank
An Introduction to NKUA Seed Bank (Plant Genetic Resources Bank) of Native Plants of the Greek Flora (Τράπεζα Σπερμάτων ΕΚΠΑ)
The seeds of ‘higher’ plants (seed plants: gymnosperms and angiosperms) constitute not only the propagation units and carriers of genetic variation but also the most resistant structures of seed plants. Under appropriate conditions of low temperature and low seed water content, seeds are capable of surviving for considerably long periods – ranging from decades and centuries to even millennia. For this reason, numerous Seed Banks have been established worldwide (currently more than 1,500) with the aim of safeguarding plant diversity through ex situ conservation. Particular emphasis is placed on rare and threatened plant species, by storing seed accessions that may be used for the regeneration of new plant individuals, if and when this becomes necessary.
The NKUA Seed Bank of native plants of the Greek flora was established in 1991, at the Laboratory of General Botany (Section of Botany, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) and is the oldest Seed Bank dedicated to native plants in Greece. The Bank was co-founded by Assistant Professors (now Professors Emeriti) Kyriacos Georghiou and Costas A. Thanos, who have accumulated extensive experience and expertise in seed biology and plant conservation (both in situ and ex situ). Their expertise is documented through numerous scientific publications, conference presentations, and participation in more than 40 research and applied projects each, in which they have served or continue to serve as scientific coordinators or leaders of the NKUA research teams.
The primary objective of the NKUA Seed Bank and its supporting research team is the conservation of the Greek and Cypriot native plant diversity, with particular emphasis on endemic, rare and threatened taxa. In addition to ex situ conservation through long-term seed storage, the research team is actively engaged in detailed studies of seed germination physiology and ecology. An “offline” database is maintained, containing comprehensive information on all seed accessions hosted in the NKUA Seed Bank.
The members of the Seed Bank research team are highly experienced and well qualified in both in situ and ex situ plant conservation research and applications. Over the three decades since its establishment, the NKUA Seed Bank has developed several important international collaborations and has participated as a founding member in two major international networks: (1) ENSCONET – the European Native Seed Conservation Network (established in 2010), and (2) GENMEDA – the Network of Mediterranean Plant Conservation Centres (established in 2010). A long-standing collaboration is also maintained with the Millennium Seed Bank of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world, for the ex situ conservation of Greek phytodiversity.
At the national level, the NKUA team has been particular active in partnerships and know-how transfers with several botanical gardens. Most notable is the close cooperation with the Mediterranean Plant Conservation Unit at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh-CIHEAM). The MAICh Seed Bank serves as an exemplary regional seed bank dedicated to the flora of Crete, and its design, establishment and operation have benefited substantially from the contribution of the NKUA team. This collaboration continues, and a number of duplicate Cretan seed accessions are currently hosted in the NKUA Seed Bank.
Today, the NKUA Seed Bank hosts approximately 1,300 seed accessions representing nearly 900 native plant taxa from the Greek and Cypriot floras. The majority of these accessions correspond to rare and threatened taxa, including 213 Greek endemics and 49 Cypriot endemics, and are intended for long-term storage. Considering the austere economic environment and the occasionally unstable availability of resources and personnel, the number of accessions preserved is highly satisfactory. Most seed collections have been carried out by members of the research team and their collaborators, in the context of various research and applied projects related to nature conservation and management. The enrichment of the Seed Bank with new accessions is ongoing at a steady and reasonable rate.
Despite intermittent funding limitations, the NKUA Seed Bank and the NKUA Research Team of Plant Physiology and Conservation Biology possess substantial expertise and high-standard infrastructure. Facilities include three freezing chambers for long-term seed storage, seven modern germination (growth) chambers, one freezer, a dedicated desiccation room equipped with multiple drying cabinets for reducing seed water content, a stereomicroscope coupled with a digital microscopy camera, field cameras, GPS units, a drone, meteorological sensors and data loggers, precision sieves, and a wide array of tools for handling and cleaning. All activities are conducted within a fully equipped Laboratory of Seed Biology. Seed collection and handling strictly follow standardised international protocols, and laboratory members are thoroughly trained in the relevant guidelines (e.g. ENSCONET 2019, CPC 2019), ensuring both the high-quality seed accessions and the broadest possible representation of genetic variation within collected populations.
In parallel with its research activities, the NKUA Seed Bank and the Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Conservation Biology place strong emphasis on the education and training of new researchers in plant conservation biology (both in situ and ex situ) and seed biology in general. Over the past three decades, approximately 40 undergraduate Diploma Theses and around 20 PhD Dissertations have been successfully completed on topics directly related to these fields.
Currently, Dr Maria Doussi serves as the administrative coordinator of the NKUA Seed Bank while Professor Emeritus Costas A. Thanos holds overall scientific responsibility. Additional members of the team include Professor Emeritus Kyriacos Georghiou, Dr Spyridon Oikonomidis, and the external collaborators/researchers Dr Katerina Koutsovoulou and Apostolis Kaltsis (MSc).
The NKUA Seed Bank of native plants of the Greek flora was established in 1991, at the Laboratory of General Botany (Section of Botany, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) and is the oldest Seed Bank dedicated to native plants in Greece. The Bank was co-founded by Assistant Professors (now Professors Emeriti) Kyriacos Georghiou and Costas A. Thanos, who have accumulated extensive experience and expertise in seed biology and plant conservation (both in situ and ex situ). Their expertise is documented through numerous scientific publications, conference presentations, and participation in more than 40 research and applied projects each, in which they have served or continue to serve as scientific coordinators or leaders of the NKUA research teams.
The primary objective of the NKUA Seed Bank and its supporting research team is the conservation of the Greek and Cypriot native plant diversity, with particular emphasis on endemic, rare and threatened taxa. In addition to ex situ conservation through long-term seed storage, the research team is actively engaged in detailed studies of seed germination physiology and ecology. An “offline” database is maintained, containing comprehensive information on all seed accessions hosted in the NKUA Seed Bank.
The members of the Seed Bank research team are highly experienced and well qualified in both in situ and ex situ plant conservation research and applications. Over the three decades since its establishment, the NKUA Seed Bank has developed several important international collaborations and has participated as a founding member in two major international networks: (1) ENSCONET – the European Native Seed Conservation Network (established in 2010), and (2) GENMEDA – the Network of Mediterranean Plant Conservation Centres (established in 2010). A long-standing collaboration is also maintained with the Millennium Seed Bank of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world, for the ex situ conservation of Greek phytodiversity.
At the national level, the NKUA team has been particular active in partnerships and know-how transfers with several botanical gardens. Most notable is the close cooperation with the Mediterranean Plant Conservation Unit at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh-CIHEAM). The MAICh Seed Bank serves as an exemplary regional seed bank dedicated to the flora of Crete, and its design, establishment and operation have benefited substantially from the contribution of the NKUA team. This collaboration continues, and a number of duplicate Cretan seed accessions are currently hosted in the NKUA Seed Bank.
Today, the NKUA Seed Bank hosts approximately 1,300 seed accessions representing nearly 900 native plant taxa from the Greek and Cypriot floras. The majority of these accessions correspond to rare and threatened taxa, including 213 Greek endemics and 49 Cypriot endemics, and are intended for long-term storage. Considering the austere economic environment and the occasionally unstable availability of resources and personnel, the number of accessions preserved is highly satisfactory. Most seed collections have been carried out by members of the research team and their collaborators, in the context of various research and applied projects related to nature conservation and management. The enrichment of the Seed Bank with new accessions is ongoing at a steady and reasonable rate.
Despite intermittent funding limitations, the NKUA Seed Bank and the NKUA Research Team of Plant Physiology and Conservation Biology possess substantial expertise and high-standard infrastructure. Facilities include three freezing chambers for long-term seed storage, seven modern germination (growth) chambers, one freezer, a dedicated desiccation room equipped with multiple drying cabinets for reducing seed water content, a stereomicroscope coupled with a digital microscopy camera, field cameras, GPS units, a drone, meteorological sensors and data loggers, precision sieves, and a wide array of tools for handling and cleaning. All activities are conducted within a fully equipped Laboratory of Seed Biology. Seed collection and handling strictly follow standardised international protocols, and laboratory members are thoroughly trained in the relevant guidelines (e.g. ENSCONET 2019, CPC 2019), ensuring both the high-quality seed accessions and the broadest possible representation of genetic variation within collected populations.
In parallel with its research activities, the NKUA Seed Bank and the Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Conservation Biology place strong emphasis on the education and training of new researchers in plant conservation biology (both in situ and ex situ) and seed biology in general. Over the past three decades, approximately 40 undergraduate Diploma Theses and around 20 PhD Dissertations have been successfully completed on topics directly related to these fields.
Currently, Dr Maria Doussi serves as the administrative coordinator of the NKUA Seed Bank while Professor Emeritus Costas A. Thanos holds overall scientific responsibility. Additional members of the team include Professor Emeritus Kyriacos Georghiou, Dr Spyridon Oikonomidis, and the external collaborators/researchers Dr Katerina Koutsovoulou and Apostolis Kaltsis (MSc).