Ex Situ Conservation of South Australia’s Threatened and
Priority Flora
An International Partnership supported by the Department for Environment
and Heritage (South Australia) and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Millennium
Seed Bank Project (United Kingdom)
Year 1 Report
(1st September 2003 – 31st August 2004)
Activity 1: Enhance and strengthen the capacity of the Botanic Gardens of
Adelaide to collect and effectively conserve South Australia’s threatened
and priority plant species using appropriate seed banking and collecting
technologies.

Since commencement of the project, two technical officers (Ms Midori Jones and Mr
Daniel Duval) have been appointed to the Seed Conservation Centre (SCC). Both are
employed on a full time basis for an initial period of three years. Ms Jones was
appointed in February 2004 and Mr Duval in April 2004. Prior to these appointments
casual staff were employed to assist with seed activities.

Over the past six months Ms Jones and Mr Duval have completed a number of training
courses including advanced 4WD training, first aid and liquid nitrogen safety handling.
Ms Jones and Mr Duval are enrolled to participate in the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
“Seed Conservation Techniques Course” in September 2004.

Regional Department for Environment and Heritage threatened plant project officers
from Kangaroo Island, Eyre Peninsula and the South East have been engaged in
project planning and assisted with seed collecting. During the next 12 months
involvement will be increased to include the Rangelands, Northern Agricultural Districts
and Greater Mount Lofty Ranges. Refer to Figure 1 for regional locations.
Figure 1. South Australian Biodiversity Planning Regions

During the first year of the Project, four University students (two from Flinders
University and two from the University of South Australia) have provided volunteer
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hours to assist in seed collection, processing and testing. In addition, two volunteers
(Mrs Ronda Atkinson and Mrs Margaret Walker) have commenced seed study projects
at the SCC. It is anticipated that their involvement will be on going.

Ms Jenna Currie, an undergraduate student at the University of Adelaide has
commenced an Honours research project at the SCC to complete the requirements for
a Bachelor of Agricultural Science. Ms Currie will spend 12 months at the SCC and is
investigating the germination requirements of two endangered native plant species
endemic to Kangaroo Island. In 2005 the SCC is offering four additional Honours
research projects. One project looking at the suitability of cryostorage for an
endangered Compositae has secured a student and will commence in January 2005.

Seed collecting and conservation guidelines have been developed for the SCC and are
currently in draft form. These will be further developed following SCC staff attendance
at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew “Seed Conservation Techniques Course” in
September 2004. It is anticipated they will be finalised by the end of 2004.

Dr Phillip Ainsley was a member of the organising committee for the Firth Australian
Workshop on Native Seed Biology (supported by Australian Centre for Mining
Environmental Research), and attended the workshop that was held in Brisbane
(Queensland) 21st – 23rd June 2004.

Dr Phillip Ainsley, Midori Jones, Daniel Duval and Trevor Christensen (Manager,
Scientific Services) attended the inaugural meeting of the Australian Partners to the
Millennium Seed Bank Project, held in Brisbane (Queensland) 24th – 25th June 2004.

Ms Midori Jones attended a three-day “Fruit and Seed Morphology” workshop
conducted by Dr Wolfgang Stuppy (MSB) that was held in Brisbane (Queensland) in
March 2004.

Funds from the Project have been used to procure the following equipment: Rotronic
equilibrium relative humidity unit, laptop computer, -20C freezer, KimSeed vacuum
separator, Thermoline germination cabinet with diurnal controls (x2), hand held GPS
unit, Olympus digital camera with microscope mount, field maps and upgrade of
collecting kit.

Additional funds (external to the Project) were used to procure cryopreservation
equipment.

A competition was run to assist in the development of a name for the Millennium Seed
Bank South Australian Partnership. A wide variety of community and volunteer groups
associated with Plant Conservation throughout South Australia were approached and
asked to come up with a name for the Partnership. In total 30 submissions were
received. The name that has been tentatively selected is SACRED Seeds (an
acronym for the South Australian Collection of Rare and Endangered Seeds). Further
checking is underway to confirm the suitability of this name.
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Activity 2: The number of long-term seed collections of threatened and
priority South Australian flora increased using the most current and
improved methodologies.

An annotated target species collection list has been compiled. This document lists
over 1,600 species and provides information on taxonomic classification, distribution
and conservation status.

During 2003/2004, field trips to collect seed were undertaken in the Eyre Peninsula
(x3), Yorke Peninsula (x3), Kangaroo Island (x4), Greater Mount Lofty Ranges (x8),
and Murray Darling Basin (x1) region. In addition an extended field trip in collaboration
with staff from the Australian Arid Land Botanic Gardens (Port Augusta) was
conducted into the Anangu Pitjantjatjara aboriginal lands in the states northwest. See
Figure 2 for regional locations.
Figure 2. Description of South Australian regions used during seed collecting

Two shipments of seed, comprising 66 seedlots (all of which are listed on the target
collection list) were sent to the Millennium Seed Bank during year one of the Project.
The 66 species comprised 17 different families and 28 genera. Thirty seven percent of
the accessions sent had a conservation rating at either a national, state or regional
level, with sixteen percent being endemic to South Australia. It is anticipated that
during the upcoming season, a minimum of 135 accessions will be collected processed
and sent to the Millennium Seed Bank, as per the Partnership agreement.
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
Herbarium vouchers for the sent accessions are in the final stages of verification by the
State Herbarium (South Australia), and will be sent to the Millennium Seed Bank as
soon as this process is complete.

A number of partnerships between the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide and external
stakeholders within South Australian are currently being developed. These include
groups including (but not limited to) Adelaide Airport Limited, Australian Arid Land
Botanic Gardens and West Terrace Cemetery. Whilst these partnerships will be
separate to the Millennium Seed Bank Project, there will be a degree of cross over in
activities (including seed collecting). It is anticipated that where there is sufficient seed
numbers, seed collections will be sent to the Millennium Seed Bank for duplicate
storage.

A collecting trip itinerary for the 2004/2005 seasons has been completed, and provides
details for 24 collecting trips into different regions within South Australia for the
upcoming season. Some of these trips will involve staff external to the Seed
Conservation Centre.
Activity 3: Seed management procedures for long-term conservation
collections improved.

All seed collections have been processed and dried under conditions of 15C and 15%
relative humidity. Germination tests have commenced for all accessions. Seeds have
been entered into long-term storage at -18C, and where sufficient seed was available,
duplicated for storage at 5C.
Activity 4: Availability of seed management procedures for South
Australian plant species for end users improved.

The existing Botanic Gardens of Adelaide seed bank database has been reviewed,
and it has been concluded that it does not meet the requirements for managing the
seed collection. At this stage two options are being investigated: (1) adopt BG Base as
a data management tool; (2) modify and further develop the existing database. A
decision as to which approach will be adopted is anticipated by the end of the year.
Note: BG Base is undergoing implementation for Living Collections data management
at the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide and will be in place late 2004 or early 2005.
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SACRED SEEDS PROJECT
Ex Situ Conservation of South Australia’s
Threatened and Priority Flora
Year 2 Report
(1st September 2004 – 31st August 2005)
An International Partnership supported by the Department for Environment
and Heritage (South Australia) and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Millennium
Seed Bank Project (United Kingdom)
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Activity 1: Enhance and strengthen the capacity of the Botanic Gardens of
Adelaide to collect and effectively conserve South Australia’s threatened
and priority plant species using appropriate seed banking and collecting
technologies.

Agreement was reached on a name for the conservation partnership between the
Department for Environment and Heritage (South Australia) and Royal Botanic
Gardens Kew, Millennium Seed Bank Project (United Kingdom). Following
submissions from a name competition run during 2004, the name SACRED Seeds
Project has been adopted. SACRED Seeds is an acronym for the South Australian
Collection of Rare and EnDangered Seeds, and was suggested by a farmer from the
Mid-North region of South Australia.

Regional Department for Environment and Heritage threatened plant project officers
from Kangaroo Island, Eyre Peninsula and the South East regions of South Australia
contributed to seed collections during year two of the SACRED Seeds Project.
Discussions have been held with regional staff from the Murray Darling Basin, Northern
Agricultural Districts and Rangeland (Flinders Ranges) regions, and it is anticipated
that they will begin to assist with seed collecting during year three of the Project. Refer
to Figure 1 for regional locations.
Figure 1. South Australian Biodiversity Planning Regions

Preliminary discussions have been held with the Department for Environment and
Heritage Aboriginal Partnerships Unit to investigate potential involvement of indigenous
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people from the north west of South Australia to collect seed for the SACRED Seeds
Project. Discussions will be furthered during year three of the Project.

Fifty percent of field activities conducted during year 2 of the Project involved non Seed
Conservation Centre personnel, and included other Botanic Gardens of Adelaide staff,
Department for Environment and Heritage staff, students and volunteers.

During year 2 of the project, additional on going support has been provided by three
volunteers at the Seed Conservation Centre. Mrs Ronda Atkinson (retired), Mr Todd
Erickson (Student, University of South Australia), and Ms Alice Quarmby (Student,
Flinders University) have assisted with collecting, processing and testing seed.

The Millennium Seed Bank Project has agreed to provide additional funding to the
SACRED Seeds Project during year three to fund a 12-month pilot program using
selected regional seed collectors and casual laboratory staff to collect and process
seed from an additional 50 plant species for duplication with the Millennium Seed
Bank.

The Botanic Gardens of Adelaide fully funded the construction of a research
glasshouse and nursery facility that in part will support research activities and growing
on of plant material for the SACRED Seeds Project. The glasshouse comprises three
compartments, each with individual environmental controls.

Opportunities for using seedlings generated from routine testing of threatened and
priority plant species in restoration and in situ conservation activities are currently be
investigated.

Planning has commenced for a two-day seed-collecting workshop to be held in early
2006 for non Seed Conservation Centre staff involved in collecting seed for the
SACRED Seeds Project. The workshop will include complementary theory and
practical components and a series of presentations from Seed Conservation Centre,
Botanic Gardens of Adelaide and State Herbarium (South Australia) staff.

Midori Jones and Daniel Duval successfully participated and completed the Royal
Botanic Gardens Kew “Seed Conservation Techniques Course” that was held at the
Millennium Seed Bank in September 2004.

Phil Ainsley attended the International Society for Seed Science Conference that was
held in Brisbane in May 2005 and presented a paper titled “Germination of
Prostanthera eurybioides: a nationally endangered species endemic to South
Australia”.

Phil Ainsley attended a one-day seed dormancy workshop run by Professors Carol and
Jerry Baskin that was held at Mount Annan Botanic Gardens in New South Wales.

Phil Ainsley acted as an editor to assist in publishing the Proceedings of the Fifth
Australian Workshop on Native Seed Biology that was held in Brisbane in June 2004.
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
Phil Ainsley and Midori Jones are members of the organising committee for the
Australian Network for Plant Conservation National Conference that is to be held in
Adelaide in late September 2005.

Ms Jenna Currie, an undergraduate student from the University of Adelaide
successfully completed an Honours research project at the Seed Conservation Centre,
completing her requirements for a Bachelor of Agricultural Science. Ms Currie spent
12 months investigating the germination requirements of two endangered native plant
species endemic to Kangaroo Island.

Two University of South Australia students were involved in an on going research
project at the Seed Conservation Centre examining the germination requirements of
Prostanthera species (Lamiaceae).

Two students from Flinders University have been involved in a research project
investigating the after-ripening requirements of the nationally endangered Composite
species Brachyscome muelleri.

During year three of the Project, it has been confirmed that three students will
commence Honours research projects (12 month duration) at the Seed Conservation
Centre. Two students are from the University of South Australia, with the third from
Flinders University. Two of the projects will investigate germination requirements of
nationally threatened plant species and the third aims to develop a micropropagation
system for a native bush food plant.

Seed collecting, processing and testing guidelines developed for the SCC have been
finalised.
Activity 2: The number of long-term seed collections of threatened and
priority South Australian flora increased using the most current and
improved methodologies.

During year 2 of the Project, field trips to collect seed were undertaken in the Eyre
Peninsula (x5), Flinders Ranges (x1), Greater Mount Lofty Ranges (includes Northern
and Southern Lofty regions, (x11)), Kangaroo Island (x1), South East (x3), and Yorke
Peninsula (x2) regions in South Australia. In addition an extended field trip was
conducted into the Gairdner Torrens and Lake Eyre regions. See Figure 2 for regional
locations.

During 2004/2005, 231 seed collections were made on behalf of the SACRED Seeds
Project. Of these, 175 seedlots were sent to the Millennium Seed Bank for duplication.
The seedlots sent comprised 41 families, 97 genera and 165 species of native plants.
Forty-seven of the species sent had a conservation rating at either a national, state or
regional level.

Herbarium vouchers have been sent for all except 27 of the seedlots collected and
duplicated with the Millennium Seed Bank during the first 2 years of the Project.
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
A preliminary collecting trip itinerary for year 3 of the Project has been generated.
Figure 2. Description of South Australian regions used during seed collecting
Activity 3: Seed management procedures for long-term conservation
collections improved.

Routine germination testing has commenced on all year 2 accessions that have been
duplicated with the Millennium Seed Bank.

Reports summarising results from year 1 and 2 germination experiments are currently
being prepared and will be available by early 2006.

Seed research studies have commenced on a number of taxa identified as having
germination/dormancy issues. Some of the focus families include Epacridaceae,
Lamiaceae, Santalaceae and Stackhousiaceae.

All year 2 seed collections have been processed and dried under conditions of 15C
and 15% relative humidity in the Seed Conservation Centres controlled environment
drying room.
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
All year 2 seedlots are being prepared for long-term storage at -18C. For threatened
species, where sufficient seed is available, storage will be duplicated at 5C.

Retesting of seeds that have been stored under low temperature conditions for 12 +
months (year 1 seed collections) is scheduled to commence in quarter 4 of 2005.
Activity 4: Availability of seed management procedures for South
Australian plant species for end users improved.

Implementation of BG-Base as the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide database system has
taken longer than expected. Its feasibility for managing seed testing and storage data
will be assessed in quarter four of 2005. It is anticipated that by the end of 2005 the
first electronic transfer of collections data to the Millennium Seed Bank will be
attempted by exporting information from BG-Base.

Phil Ainsley presented a paper at the International Society for Seed Science
Conference that was held in Brisbane in May 2005 titled “Germination of Prostanthera
eurybioides: a nationally endangered species endemic to South Australia”.

Phil Ainsley presented a series of lectures to undergraduate students at Flinders
University on threatened native plant species, seed biology and seed research.
Presentations were also made to a number of community groups including the South
Australian Field Naturalist Society, Australian Plant Society (Brinkworth Group), and
Angus River Catchment Group.
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