The seed bank aims to use its collections not just for preservation but also for ecosystem restoration and combating biodiversity loss, serving as a genetic insurance policy for the planet's plant diversity.

Future efforts include utilizing stored seeds for ecological restoration, with the vault acting as a safeguard for the world's plant genetic resources.

Researchers are developing cryopreservation techniques, such as liquid nitrogen storage, to preserve tropical seeds with high water content that cannot survive freezing, thereby expanding the bank's capacity.

Experts emphasize that seed banks are vital for protecting genetic diversity within species, which enhances resilience against threats like climate change, disease, and habitat loss, especially as global populations increase.

The collection of 40,000 plant species represents vital genetic resources that could help restore ecosystems and aid in species recovery on a changing planet.

Viable seeds are sealed in glass jars or foil packets and stored at minus 20°C, with their lifespan doubled for every 1% reduction in moisture and 5°C decrease in temperature.

The seed bank, opened in 2000 and built to withstand disasters, maintains seeds at minus 20°C in a secure vault to prevent extinction and preserve biodiversity.

Kew has trained over 3,000 scientists from 70 countries in seed collection and storage, supporting global conservation efforts and launching a £30 million Seeds Future Fund to expand research and partnerships.

The Millennium Seed Bank at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in England is celebrating its 25th anniversary, having opened in 2000, and now holds over 2.5 billion seeds from around 40,000 plant species stored in a secure, climate-controlled vault.

Seeds are collected globally from wild plants in locations such as Madagascar, Thailand, Greece, and Arctic Sweden, then dried, cleaned, tested for viability, and stored if alive, with the process involving precise temperature and humidity controls.

The seed preservation process includes manual cleaning and germination testing to ensure seed viability before storage, with seeds sealed in glass jars or foil packets and kept at minus 20°C to extend their lifespan.

With nearly half of flowering plants at risk of extinction, seed preservation provides essential insurance for maintaining Earth's biodiversity and restoring ecosystems amidst climate change.