Moringa Research Products™ Division
Building an International Moringa Seed Bank
PROJECT HISTORY
About 15 years ago, as we began our moringa research projects and assisting charitable organizations starting farms in Africa and Central America the need for a reliable, easily accessible and economical source of a genetically diverse of array of seeds became apparent. After much searching no such source was found so we began purchasing seeds from the few suppliers available at that time. From these, some farms were successfully established but the seeds were from a single source, lacked genetic diversity and were not suitable for our research.
Today, cultivation of moringa is rapidly expanding worldwide to meet increasing human needs for food, medicines, renewable fuels and water purification in an era of increasing drought, degradation of agricultural land and climate change. Improved varieties adapted to these dynamic conditions, alternative methods of cultivation and new growing areas must be developed. At the same time wild populations and the biodiversity of moringa species is increasingly threatened. As of 2015 no collections of cultivated and wild seed accessions existed (Leone et al. 2015).
A seed bank offering a genetically diverse inventory seeds was urgently needed to support moringa conservation efforts and plant breeding programs. To meet these needs we decided to create the International Moringa Seed Bank (IMSB). Research on seed processing and preservation methods was conducted, the required permits and equipment was obtained, and we began to import seeds for the Bank.
In the fall of 2018 limited operations of the IMSB and sales of seeds through our online store were initiated. Since then we have continuously added more accessions of seeds from all major growing areas. The IMSB now offers the largest known selection of moringa seeds in the world. Seeds from the bank have been used to produce thousands of seedlings for our field trials here in Hawai`i and donation to local food security initiatives. Leaf materials from the seedlings are being used for phylogenetics and biopesticide research. Seeds from the bank are used to start field trials under research agreements with our international partners and hundreds of small farms and consumers have purchased seeds directly from the bank via our online store for their needs.
In keeping with our sustainability commitments, in 2021, installation of an addition to our solar photovoltaic cell array, monitoring and alarms, and a battery back-up system was completed to provide green power, 24/7 remote monitoring and back-up for all of our seed bank freezers.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SEED BANK
Why was a moringa seed bank needed?
The main justifications for establishing a new moringa seed bank were to provide a germplasm resource for moringa conservation, plant breeding programs and our field trials.
Conservation of Threatened Moringa Species. Wild populations of moringa species are declining in both numbers and distribution. As these trends continue and accelerate with climate degradation the genetic diversity of the remaining populations will be diminished, reducing their adaptability and resilience, and the potential for extinction increases. Populations of species such as Moringa peregrina that were once common and endemic to larger regions are now declining throughout much of their former range due to unregulated grazing activities and cutting for firewood, and it may now be considered threatened or endangered. Some species such as Moringa arborea and Moringa pygmaea that only exist in small, isolated wild populations (Olsen 2014a,b) may be particularly vulnerable to disruptions affecting local ecosystems. Moringa hildebrandtii, a species endemic to Madagascar, may be functionally extinct or extinct in the wild and most if not all of the remaining trees are those preserved in cultivation by indigenous horticultural practices (Olson and Razafimandimbison 2000).
Except for the three more common and cultivated species of Moringa oleifera, Moringa peregrina and Moringa stenopetala, the medicinal properties and potential uses of the other species of moringa remain largely unexplored. If these species become extinct, the potential undiscovered benefits of these to mankind will be lost forever.
An International Moringa Germplasm Collection with living material of 12 of the 13 Moringa species has been established as a resource for scientific research on the basic biology of moringa and investigation of applied uses such as nutrition, cancer chemoprevention, biofuels, and water clarification. It is managed by Dr. Mark Olson, of the Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and located on the coast of Jalisco, Mexico.
While development of the germplasm collection was a very important step for conservation and research, individuals and prospective growers had difficulty obtaining seeds from species other than Moringa oleifera, and seeds from multiple production areas. The various species, varieties and even trees of the same species grown in different areas may have different cultural requirements, pest and disease resistance or suitability for production of leaves, pods or seeds.
Seed banks provide a means to back up and restore wild populations of threatened species in areas where they were endemic, and to establish new populations elsewhere if conditions in the areas where they were endemic can no longer support them. Bringing these species into cultivation in new areas distant from their origins improves their genetic diversity and resilience and reduces their vulnerability to extinction
Resource for Plant Breeding. Indian moringa and probably other species of moringa exhibit great variability in their observable characteristics (morphological phenotype) and genetics (genotype). This variability is shown worldwide in seeds obtained from both wild sources and trees in cultivation.
Many of these characteristics such as growth rate, tree height, branching habit, time to flowering, leaflet size and shape, pod length, seed oil content, resistance to pest and diseases etc. are important for growing moringa in cultivation and producing products from it. The diversity of traits within and between moringa species provides an important resource for plant breeding programs for development of improved cultivars optimized to local conditions.
Replacing imported crops with alternative crops such as moringa that can be grown locally is an important strategy for meeting goals of improving food security and making local agriculture more sustainable and profitable. Promoting such alternative crops is most urgent in areas like Hawai`i that must import foods from great distances and at high cost.
To be competitive and profitable, growers of alternative crops must strive to produce the highest quality products at the lowest possible production cost. The quality and productivity from alternative crops can be enhanced by using cultivars optimized for local growing conditions and for production of the type of product to be harvested e.g., moringa leaves, edible pods or oil seeds. For leaf production, varieties with large, dark green leaves are preferred; for pod production, cultivars with pods that are long, tender, and not bitter are preferred. Variety selection and evaluation has been identified as a high priority need by the Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents and growers of alternative crops (Radovich 2011, UH 2010).
Seed banks providing genetic and morphologic variability are needed to perform breeding programs and develop improved varieties adapted to local conditions (Leone et al. 2015). Hawaii Island provides an extreme example of why such adaptations may be important. Here changes in elevation, wind exposure and soil types may occur over short distances. These create local microclimates with significant differences in rainfall patterns, vog, temperature and other growing conditions.
A germplasm bank encompassing the genetic variability present in moringa is needed to perform these breeding programs.
Aren’t there existing seed banks that could supply these seeds?
Yes, but they have significant limitations:
- Some germplasm collections only maintain plants; they do not distribute seeds.
- Most seed banks focus on plants from temperate areas of the world, not tropical plants like moringa.
- Lack focus on moringa and have a very limited diversity in terms of moringa species, varieties, sources and ecotypes.
- They lack simple, efficient, customer-friendly and economical processes to order seeds.
- May not have mechanisms to collect information from users about the performance of seeds (seed trail reports) and make it readily available to prospective users of the seeds.
What is the inventory of moringa held in other seed banks?
According to Leone et al. (2015) no collection of cultivated and wild accessions currently exists. Other references indicated that seeds were available from seed banks but there was no indication of the size of inventories available in them. To investigate this, in June 2017 we conducted an informal online survey for seed accessions in the several seed banks that reportedly held moringa seeds. Except for the World Vegetable Center (WVC) in Taiwan none of the banks held large or diverse inventories. The WVC held 32 active/available accessions. The majority were from a single country (Thailand) and of only one species (Moringa oleifera). In all the banks, most of the seed accessions were at least several years old and few, if any, seeds from newly developed varieties were included.
The list of seed banks we surveyed and results are our report: Survey of Seed Banks for Moringa Accessions.
Moringa seeds are available from many private and commercial suppliers so why is a seed bank necessary?
Yes, Indian moringa seeds are now available at low cost from many sellers. Well over 100 ads for these seeds may be found on online outlets such as Amazon and eBay. The seeds offered from these suppliers are usually from a single source, and information on the identity of the source, cultivars or ecotypes, age of the seeds, germination rates etc. is usually unavailable. For those interested in growing small numbers of trees these seeds may be acceptable, and most seeds offered have high enough germination rates to meet the needs of these customers.
However, there are several disadvantages to using these sources, particularly for larger scale plantings. Before making large scale plantings it is advisable to test multiple varieties and ecotypes, and from these small trials select the seeds that had the best performance for the larger planting. Typically, online sellers offer seeds of a single unnamed variety or source. To obtain a variety of seeds for trials it is currently necessary to purchase seeds from multiple vendors, and many of these will be outside the U.S. This becomes a costly and problematic process:
- To legally import seeds into the U.S. for planting you must obtain a permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There are NO exceptions. Specific types of permits are required for packets and bulk shipments. Bulk shipments require a phytosanitary certificate that may be difficult or costly to obtain. From our experience in importing seeds, few vendors are willing or able to comply with the export requirements. Non-compliant shipments identified at customs are typically destroyed, and violations of tese regulations can expose the importer to significant fines and penalties.
- The costs of importing one small non-packet lot of seeds from an international source with the required phytosanitary certificate and in compliance with the other import requirements is typically from $100-200.
- Imported seeds, even those that are supposedly inspected, may be infested with pests.
- Information provided by vendors about the identity, variety, origin, age, organic certification status is often unreliable and difficult to verify. Examples of our recent experiences confirming this include receipt of packages of seeds marked by exporters for customs as “buttons”, bulk seed sold as “USDA organic” accompanied by shipping papers confirming seed treatment with methyl bromide, and hulled Moringa oleifera seeds sold as Moringa stenopetala.
What are the goals of the seed bank?
The primary goals of our bank are to serve as a resource for moringa conservation, research, plant improvement and field trials by growers before selecting seed for large scale plantings.
As we begin operations we will focus on providing well documented seeds from a wide variety of moringa species, cultivars and ecotypes for these purposes. Other goals include:
- Consumer Friendly Service. Providing a source of seeds that is easily accessible to the public.
- Serving as an educational resource. We will strive to provide and continuously improve moringa information on our website. As we improve the store we are planning to add inventories of more economical seeds and seed kits to better meet the needs of individuals and educational organizations.
- Collaboration with customers to collect and distribute information on seed performance. We will ask users of seeds from our bank to report back to us with data on how the seeds from various lot numbers performed in their growing areas. This information will be compiled and published on the website.
Will you sell seeds for resale by others?
No, it is not our intent to be a wholesaler of seeds. Initially, we will only have small inventories of seeds and some of these are scarce. In some cases regulations may also restrict the amount of seeds that we can import from some countries to packet quantities. To meet the primary goals of our bank we want to ensure that a diverse inventory of seeds is available for conservation and research. We may be able to make arrangements for larger quantities of some seeds available for purchase. Please contact us if there is interest.
SEED BANK OPERATIONS
Seed Sourcing
Since growing space at our facility is very limited we do not directly produce many seeds. We obtain our seeds from our research partners and numerous outside sources, foreign and domestic. These may include individuals, field trials, small farms and large businesses. In most cases we treat the identity of the supplier as proprietary information but this may be revealed upon request.
If you would like to provide seeds for our seed bank please refer to the instructions found here.
Intake of Seeds
Review and Recording of Shipping Documents. Shipping documents for incoming seed shipments are reviewed upon receipt and will be retained for reference and regulatory compliance.
Visual Examination. Shipping containers are then opened and the seeds are inspected for evidence of pests and compliance with our acceptance requirements.
Pest Treatment. If pests are found in a shipment it may be discarded or treated depending on the type of pest and the level of infestation. Sometimes small beetles and other pests inside seeds may be missed during inspections. Minor infestations can be treated by removing the infested seeds and freezing the remainder. We do not accept fumigated seeds or apply chemical pesticides to them.
Assignment of Seed Lot Numbers
If the seed shipment meets our acceptance criteria it is assigned a specific lot number and a data sheet for the lot is started. Information provided by the supplier, developed from our testing and feedback received from growers about the performance of the seeds will be available in to our seed catalog or other website areas by the seed lot number.
Explanation of Seed Lot Numbering System. The format of our lot numbers begins with a field coding for the binomial scientific species name, followed by the country source/supplier code field and a final numeric code indicating the shipment sequence number from the supplier. Each of these fields are separated by dashes. If there is more than one supplier from a given country the supplier code will end in a suffix code in parenthesis to identify the specific supplier in that country. For example, the lot number MO-IND(E)-04 identifies the seed lot as the fourth shipment of Moringa oleifera (MO) from India (IND), unnamed supplier “E”.
Our moringa seeds are categorized in our Moringa Seed Catalog by species and variety and then by seed source (location grown). Within each species-variety category, seeds available in the seed bank are listed by lot numbers hyperlinked to the data sheet for the seed lot.
Seed Processing Steps
After the intake inspection a sample of the seeds from each lot is removed for germination testing, and the remainder are processed and prepared for storage.
We are currently improving our processing and storage procedures but the usual sequence of processing steps will be as follows:
Germination Testing. A small sample of seeds from each lot is removed for germination testing unless the quantity of the seeds in the lot is too small. The seeds from most moringa species will germinate within two weeks. The results of testing, expressed as the percentage of seeds germinating, and the date of the test(s), or the most recent test, are usually published with the seed lot listing in our online store.
Cleaning. Extraneous materials are removed from the seeds and they may be cleaned if necessary.
Drying. The remainder of the seeds in the lot are placed in a moisture resistant sealed container containing silica gel. In our tropical climate with year round high temperatures and humidity seeds can rapidly deteriorate in quality and loose viability. Starting seeds in the drying process early reduces the potential for mold growth and has been shown to prolong the viability of seeds held in freezer storage (Kew 2018). The seeds are usually held with the gel for 2-4 weeks at ambient temperature to dry before being frozen.
We use the gel as a desiccant because it is economical, practical, requires minimal equipment and is unlikely to over dry seeds to a level that may damage them. The gel is available in bulk or packets in a wide range of sizes that can be placed in containers ranging from large jars to small vials.
The gels we use may contain humidity indicators and a humidity level indicator card may be inserted in the container to monitor moisture levels.
Humidity Indicators. We do not knowingly use cobalt containing gels or indicator cards. Cobalt dichloride has been widely used as a humidity indicator. In the European Community it is now considered as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) because it of its toxicity and environmental effects (ECHA 2018). Several cobalt-free indicator systems have been developed. Benas et al. (2010) carried out testing of cobalt-free indicator cards and determined that they met applicable standards for use.
If we use silica gel packets with a moisture indicator is cobalt-free is usually methyl violet. When dry it is orange. As water is taken up by the gel it turns to a dark green.
Weighing. After drying the seeds will be weighed to establish an average weight per seed. Seed weights help to confirm the identity of the seeds and may be indicative of the potential yield of oil that can be extracted from them. Oil is the main component of the seed and represents 36.7% of the seed weight (Leone et al. 2016).
The range and average weight of moringa seed accessions in our bank is listed in the following table. Note that the weight of the bogus lot of Moringa stenopetala seeds differs significantly from the average weight of seeds of that species. This confirms that the supplier had falsely described the identity of the seeds.
Table 1. Moringa Seed Weights from Initial Shipments Received by Our Seed Bank
| Species | No. of Lots | Weight Range (g) | Average Weight(g) |
| drouhardii | 2 | 3.59 – 4.50 | 4.05 |
| hildebrandtii | 2 | 2.51 – 2.84 | 2.68 |
| oleifera | 26 | 0.159 – 0.376 | 0.27 |
| oleifera PMK-1 | 3 | 0.256 – 0.292 | 0.28 |
| oleifera MS-01 | 3 | 0.256 – 0.292 | 0.28 |
| oleifera STX-1 | 1 | 0.304 | 0.304 |
| oleifera STX-2 | 1 | 0.314 | 0.314 |
| ovalifolia | 1 | 0.22 | 0.22 |
| peregrina | 2 | 0.745 – 0.856 | 0.8 |
| stenopetala | 3 | 0.413 – 0.484 | 0.44 |
| stenopetala (bogus) | 1 | 0.19 |
Preparation of Seed Mixtures. We may compile our seed mixtures from seed lots with larger inventories. Rare seeds and seeds from lots with small remaining inventories are not generally used. The seeds are mixed thoroughly and small amounts, usually ten seeds, are randomly selected from the mix and tested to estimate the germination rate for the mixture. The bulk seed mixtures are then placed into frozen storage.
Seed Storage
Moringa seeds can generally be stored in pest resistant containers under dry, dark conditions for about one year without significant reductions in viability. Exposure to the humid conditions prevalent in Hawai`i can greatly reduce viability and storage time, and result in mold growth. We have developed and are continuing to improve a storage process largely consisting of drying and freezing that appears to extend storage for at least several years. Because of the high potential for natural disasters and power outages in our area we are pursuing options for off-site, back-up storage in secure off-site repositories.
On-site Storage. After drying and weighing most of the seeds from each lot will be placed in hermetically sealed containers and frozen. Aliquots of the seeds may be kept at ambient temperature for dispensing or shipment to off-site repositories for back-up.
Off-site Back-up Storage. We had been placing samples of each accession (lot of seeds) from our Moringa Seed Bank for back-up in the Hawaii Island Seed Bank (HISB), a public seed bank on Hawaii Island. The bank provides seed banking services for landowners, farmers, growers and agencies. Services include: seed storage, seed cleaning and germination trials for seed collections. It provides storage space for native Hawaiian species and agricultural crops in Hawaii. It is also used as a back-up storage facility for seeds from other seed banks throughout the State. HISB operations are explained and demonstrated in this video.
If our on-site inventory of seeds from a specific lot becomes depleted we can withdraw seeds in storage at the HISB. We will evaluate requests for these seeds on a case-by-case basis. Seeds in short supply may be released only for critical conservation and research purposes.
Preparation for Shipment
Packaging. Seeds will generally be withdrawn from frozen storage and thawed at the time orders are placed. The seeds will be packaged in sealed plastic bags containing packets of silica gel to maintain dryness.
Dispensing. Higher value seeds and seeds sold in small packets will be sold by count. Lower value seeds and larger packets will be sold by weight.
Seed Inspections. All shipments of seed from Hawaiʻi to the U.S. mainland must be inspected by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) at their offices in Kailua-Kona or Hilo on Hawaii Island. Packet shipments to international destinations may not require inspections or issuance of phytosanitary certificates but regulations vary by country and change frequently. Larger international shipments may require inspections and issuance of certificates by the USDA office in Hilo. Since the round trip travel time from our facility to either of these inspection locations is about four hours we will have to consolidate seed shipments for inspection. Inspection trips are expected to be scheduled every 2-3 weeks.
Seedlings from Our International Moringa Seed Bank
Photo © Edward Rau, Sustainable Bioresources, LLC
Licensed use: CC BY-SA
REFERENCES FOR THIS SECTION
Abulaila K. 2018. Kew science. News. Plant story – helping to conserve Moringa peregrina, a very useful tree. https://www.kew.org/science/news/plant-story-helping-to-conserve-moringa-peregrina-a-very-useful-tree [accessed 26 August 2018]
Annadurai S, Noushad K, Luca R, Kurup SS, Cheruth AJ. 2018. Traditional uses, pharmacological efficacy, and phytochemistry of Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori. —A review. Front Pharm 9:465 https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphar.2018.00465 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00465
Benas M, Fujisawa K, Madsen RR, Mathur R, Yeakley T. 2010. Cobalt Dichloride Free Humidity Indicator Cards. Texas Instruments Application Report SLVA410. http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slva410/slva410.pdf [accessed 1 September 2018]
Banerji R, Bajpai A, Verma SC. 2009. Oil and fatty acid diversity in genetically variable clones of Moringa oleifera from India. J Oleo Sci. 58(1):9-16.
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KEW (Kew Royal Botanic Gardens). 2018. Archived blogs. The wonders of silica for seed drying. https://www.kew.org/blogs/archived-blogs/wonders-silica-seed-drying [accessed 1 September 2018]
Leone A., Spada A, Battezzati A., Alberto Schiraldi A., Aristil J., Simona Bertoli S. 2015. Cultivation, genetic, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Moringa oleifera leaves: An overview. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16, 12791-12835. www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/16/6/12791/pdf
Leone A, Spada A, Battezzati A, Schiraldi A, Aristil J, Bertoli S. 2016. Moringa oleifera Seeds and oil: Characteristics and uses for human health. Int J Mol Sci 17(12), 2141. PMCID: PMC5187941, DOI: 10.3390/ijms17122141
Olson ME. 2014a. Moringa arborea Verdcourt. http://explorelifeonearth.org/arborea.html [accessed August 15, 2018]
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Olson ME, Razafimandimbison SG. 2000. Moringa hildebrandtii: A tree extinct in the wild but preserved by indigenous horticultural practices in Madagascar. Adansonia sér 3 22(2) 217-221. http://www.explorelifeonearth.org/people/Olson&Raza.pdf [accessed August 13, 2018]
Radovich, T. 2011 (revised). Farm and forestry production and marketing profile for Moringa (Moringa oleifera). In: Elevitch, C.R. (ed). Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry. Permanent Agriculture Resources (PAR), Holualoa Hawai’i. https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/RadovichT/downloads/Moringa_specialty_crop.pdf [accessed July 2, 2017].
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Saini RK, Saad KR, Ravishankar GA, Giridhar P, Shetty NP. 2013. Genetic diversity of commercially grown Moringa oleifera Lam. cultivars from India by RAPD, ISSR and cytochrome P450-based markers. Plant Syst Evol 299:1205–1213. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ramesh_Kumar_Saini/publication/257447633_Genetic_diversity_of_commercially_grown_Moringa_oleifera_Lam_cultivars_from_India_by_RAPD_ISSR_and_cytochrome_P450-based_markers/links/5688901608aebccc4e156a3e.pdf DOI 10.1007/s00606-013-0789-7.
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This page was last updated on August 27, 2022.