Seeds germinate after 141 years

Seeds buried in 1879 by a botanist have germinated after 141 years spent underground, according to research published in The American Journal of Botany. The discovery was made in April 2021 by four botanists from Michigan State University at a secret campus site.

Hybrid millet unexpectedly found

The germination marks the longest waiting period ever measured in this collection of seeds. Among the plants that germinated was a hybrid of millet, a species not expected to be found in the bottle.

Experiment aimed at studying weed viability

The experiment was initiated by botanist William James Beal, who wanted to answer a farmer's question about how long weeds remain viable in tilled soil before regrowing. Beal filled twenty bottles with sand mixed with seeds, each containing 50 seeds for each of 23 weed species, totaling 1,150 seeds.

Bottles buried with specific care

The bottles were buried underground with the neck turned downward to avoid water exposure. This method was intended to preserve the seeds and test their viability over time.

Excavation intervals changed over time

The original protocol planned for an excavation every five years, but the interval was changed to ten years in 1920 and then to twenty years in 1980. With each sampling, the number of surviving seeds became increasingly rare.

Secret location protects remaining seeds

The bottles are now kept in a secret location to prevent unauthorized access. The fourteenth bottle, which had been buried for 141 years, was among those that still contained viable seeds.