Title: 144-Year-Old Seeds Successfully Germinate in Michigan State University Experiment
In an unprecedented scientific experiment, seeds buried by botanist William Beal 144 years ago have begun to germinate, shedding new light on seed longevity and viability. The bottles, buried by Beal in 1879, were part of an experiment to study seed persistence in the soil and provide insights for managing weeds before the invention of pesticides.
Michigan State University (MSU) researchers recently published a study in the American Journal of Botany detailing the evaluation of the genomes of the plants grown from the seeds. The genetic testing revealed surprising results, challenging our understanding of long-lasting seed species and their viability in natural soil conditions.
“The biggest surprise to me is that the seeds germinated again,” said plant biologist Frank Telewski from MSU. “It’s amazing that something so old can still grow.”
Initially, 21 species and more than a thousand seeds were buried in each of the 20 bottles, with the aim of providing valuable information for farmers to manage persistent weeds. The experiment was designed to dig up a bottle every five years, but as time has passed, the time between excavations has been extended to every 20 years.
The recent excavation has led to the successful germination of several seeds, prompting the researchers to utilize the latest DNA analysis technology to identify the species growing from the seeds.
“The molecular genetics work confirmed the phenotypes we saw,” said plant biologist Grace Fleming from MSU. “The plants were Berbascum blattaria or moth mullein, and one hybrid of Berbascum blattaria and I’ve got a bunch of Spanish or common mullein.”
With four bottles still remaining, the experiment is set to run until 2100, with the bottles stored in a secret location to prevent tampering by outside individuals.
The study’s findings are significant as the question of seed bank longevity gains new relevance with implications for rare species conservation and ecosystem restoration. Ecologist Lars Brudvig from MSU emphasized the importance of the experiment in modern conservation efforts.
The enduring success of the MSU experiment sheds new light on the lifespan and viability of seeds, providing valuable insights for agricultural and conservation practices.