Syah's e- Portfolio

Title:  Banking seeds as a kind of “ genetic insurance”.

Group members:

1. Wun Shun Jie                                                  D20081032268
2. Cheng Hooi  Lee                                              D20081032290
3. Wan Mohd Syahiran Bin Wan Sabarudin        D20081032317
4. Mohd Asyraf  Bin Zuraimi                               D20081032260

Course Title      :  Plant Physiology

Course Code     :   TBF 3023

Group                :     A

Semester            :     3

Lecturer            :     Dr. Hasimah Alimon

Objectives :

1. To understand the characteristics of different seeds and classify them in correct groups.
2. To know the methods of preserving seeds.
3. To learn about the importance of seed saving banks.
4. To gain useful experiences and external knowledge from this mini project.
5. To be alert and concern towards endangered and feel thankful with availability of seeds nowadays.
6. To create awareness about the knowledge and importance of banking seeds in the correct ways in public due to our rapid increasing populations and decreasing foods on this beloved Earth.
7. To build rapport and cooperation among group members.

Significances:

1. Seed banking allows seeds to survive in varied physical environments.
2. To benefit the many end uses of each crop and deter wasting of useful seeds.
3. Many useful plants that were developed over centuries are now longer used  for commercial agriculture and are becoming rare.
4. Storing seed as a guard against catastrophic events like natural disasters, outbreak of disease or war.
5. Variations of seeds according to evolutionary processes and long-term species’ survival.
6. Provide seeds for research.
7. To ease seed selection in variable growing conditions.

Methods:

1. Different herbal seeds are collected from in-situ herbal garden in UPSI while seeds of fruits and vegetables are collected from ex-situ public locations.
2. These seeds are observed carefully by both naked eyes and dissecting microscope.
3. These seeds are dried and labelled correctly based on their local and species names.
4. Seeds are then classified based on their physical variations such as colours, textures, shapes, leathery, weight, sizes and longevity.
5. Their variations are recorded.
6. A simple seed bank is created at home.
7. Seeds are also preserved at laboratory by using chemical solutions.