With this addition the seed bank has collected 10% of the world's wild plant species.

A seed bank and a pig bank were also set up.

Size and characteristics of a natural seed bank in Antarctica.

The center also plans to promote storage of their seeds in seed banks.

It also conserves some 2,000 plant genes in its seed bank.

However, seed banks alone have not been able to provide sufficient insurance against catastrophic loss.

Seeds can persist in the seed bank for at least 6 years.

This together with their small size allows it to establish a large seed bank rather deep in the soil.

After several years, most, if not all, weeds can be eliminated from the seed bank in the soil.

But seed banks have important work to do right now.