The Projeto Caatinga aims to build a bank of seeds of trees from the Caatinga biome, and to maintain seeds from 15 species until 2019.
To initiate the creation of the Seed bank we began with excursions to monitor fructification of plants nearby Mossoró-RN (Brazil), the project headquarters. In these excursions trees with good characteristics are identified, marked, and georeferenced. The monitoring of flowering and fructification of these plants is a continuous task.
When any of the monitored species is seen with ripen fruits, a harvest excursion (known as Multirões de Coleta de Frutos e Sementes) is scheduled, involving scholarship holders and volunteers from the project. Fruits from 15 to 30 mother trees are collected.
Harvested fruits are taken to the Centro de Pesquisas Vegetais do Semiárido – CPVSA (Plant Research Center for the Semiarid) in the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido – UFERSA, where they are processed and seeds are selected. The amount of seed collected may vary from a few hundred to thousands. Seeds damaged by insects or microorganisms are discarded. Sample of insects and microorganisms are separated for identification.
In the next step, seed samples are taken from each mother tree and tested to assess germination and moisture content. Only lots with high germination rate are stored. Before storage, seeds are treated with insecticide, what constitutes an important task to eliminate any larvae present in the lot that may later destroy seeds if not controlled. Finally, each lot is stored in a bottle or can, properly labeled, under 5-15°C.
Currently, the Projeto Caatinga’s Seed Bank stores seeds of 22 different species: Angico, Aroeira, Catanduva, Cumaru, Ingá, Ipê-Roxo, Jurema Branca, Jurema-de-Embira, Jurema Preta, Juazeiro, Jucá, Mofumbo, Mororó, Mutamba, Pacotê, Pajeú, Pau Branco, Pau Mocó, Pereiro, Timbaúba, and Trapiá.