Editing Seed bank (section)

{{Short description|Backup seed storage}}
{{About|human-curated repositories of seeds|other uses|Seed bank (disambiguation)}}
[[File:Seedbank.jpg|thumb|240px|Seedbank at the USDA Western Regional Plant Introduction Station]]

A '''seed bank''' (also '''seed banks''', '''seeds bank''' or '''seed vault''') stores [[seed]]s to preserve [[genetic diversity]]; hence it is a type of [[gene bank]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Breman |first1=Elinor |last2=Ballesteros |first2=Daniel |last3=Castillo-Lorenzo |first3=Elena |last4=Cockel |first4=Christopher |last5=Dickie |first5=John |last6=Faruk |first6=Aisyah |last7=O’Donnell |first7=Katherine |last8=Offord |first8=Catherine A. |last9=Pironon |first9=Samuel |last10=Sharrock |first10=Suzanne |last11=Ulian |first11=Tiziana |date=2021-11-03 |title=Plant Diversity Conservation Challenges and Prospects—The Perspective of Botanic Gardens and the Millennium Seed Bank |journal=Plants |language=en |volume=10 |issue=11 |pages=2371 |doi=10.3390/plants10112371 |doi-access=free |issn=2223-7747 |pmc=8623176 |pmid=34834734|bibcode=2021Plnts..10.2371B }}</ref> There are many reasons to store seeds. One is to preserve the genes that plant breeders need to increase yield, disease resistance, [[drought tolerance]], nutritional quality, taste, etc. of [[crop]]s. Another is to forestall loss of genetic diversity in rare or imperiled plant species in an effort to conserve [[biodiversity]] ''ex situ''. Many plants that were used centuries ago by humans are used less frequently now; seed banks offer a way to preserve that historical and cultural value. Collections of seeds stored at constant low temperature and low moisture are guarded against loss of [[genetic resources]] that are otherwise maintained in situ or in field collections.{{cn|date=April 2024}} These alternative "living" collections can be damaged by [[natural disaster]]s, outbreaks of disease, or war. Seed banks are considered [[seed libraries]], containing valuable information about evolved strategies to combat plant stress, and can be used to create [[genetically modified]] versions of existing seeds. The work of seed banks often span decades and even centuries. Most seed banks are publicly funded and seeds are usually available for research that benefits the public.{{cn|date=December 2023}}