Question

How long do the seeds remain viable after they are dispersed?

Answer 1

The ability of an embryo to start germinating is known as seed viability. It is also known as the capability of a plant structure to exhibit properties of life such as growth and germination. It is the extent or degree to which the seeds remain alive.

Complete answer:
Seed viability is determined by a wide variety of factors. And it also differs from species to species. Some seeds only have the ability to remain viable for only a few months. On the other hand, several other species produce seeds that have the capability to remain viable over the course of many years. The seeds which remained dormant for the longest period of time are the seeds produced by Lupinus arcticus which was found and excavated from the regions in the Arctic Tundra. The seeds remained dormant over a period of 10,000 years. It then germinated and flowered.

On the other hand seed of a Date Palm tree was found viable after a period of 2000 years. The average lifespan of most of the seeds is between 10 to 15 years. The seeds of Willow plants have the shortest viability period and it remains viable for only less than a week. Certain conditions are important for maintaining seed viability. They are anaerobic, cold, and dry conditions, whose application is made use in the storage of seeds in seed banks.

Thus we can say that Some seeds remain viable only for a few months, whereas many seeds remain viable for several years.

Note: The post-harvest factors that affect seed viability are:
- Temperature
- Moisture
- Relative humidity
- Chemicals
- Light
- Presence of pests

The pre- harvest factors that determine seed viability are Pollination, presence of seed coat, presence of microflora. The microflora that affect the viability of seeds are field and storage fungi.