Editing Seed (section)

== History ==
The [[Evolutionary history of plants#Colonization of land|first land plants]] evolved around 468 million years ago,<ref>{{Cite book|last=McGhee|first=George R. Jr.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wFqrAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA51|title=When the Invasion of Land Failed: The Legacy of the Devonian Extinctions|date=2013-11-12|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-16057-5|language=en}}</ref> and reproduced using spores. The earliest seed bearing plants to appear were the [[gymnosperms]], which have no ovaries to contain the seeds. They arose during the late [[Devonian]] period (416 million to 358 million years ago).<ref>{{Cite web|author1=Mary Bagley|date=2014-02-22|title=Devonian Period: Climate, Animals & Plants|url=https://www.livescience.com/43596-devonian-period.html|access-date=2022-01-02|website=livescience.com|language=en}}</ref> From these early gymnosperms, [[Pteridospermatophyta|seed ferns]] evolved during the [[Carboniferous]] period (359 to 299 million years ago); they had ovules that were borne in a cupule,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bora|first=Lily|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z3ro0CxBVPgC&pg=PA45|title=Principles of Paleobotany|date=2010|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-8293-024-7|language=en}}</ref> which consisted of groups of enclosing branches likely used to protect the developing seed.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Taylor|first1=Edith L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_29tNNeQKeMC&pg=PA511|title=Paleobotany: The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants|last2=Taylor|first2=Thomas N.|last3=Krings|first3=Michael|date=2009-01-21|publisher=Academic Press|isbn=978-0-08-055783-0|language=en}}</ref>

Published literature about seed storage, viability and its hygrometric dependence began in the early 19th century, influential works being:
* 1832 seed storage guide in [[Augustin Pyramus de Candolle]]'s ''Conservation des Graines'', part of his 3-volume ''Physiologie végétale, ou Exposition des forces et des fonctions vitales des végétaux'' (1832, v. 2, pp.&nbsp;618–626, Paris);<ref name="Justice">{{cite book |last1=Justice |first1=Oren L. |last2=Bass |first2=Louis N. |title=Principles and Practices of Seed Storage |date=April 1978 |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |location=Washington, D.C. |page=252 |edition=Agriculture Handbook No. 506 |url=https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/CAT87208646/PDF |access-date=7 February 2023 |archive-date=7 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207154214/https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/CAT87208646/PDF |url-status=dead }}</ref> (translated title, "Plant physiology, or Exposition of the vital forces and functions of plants")
* 1846 viability studies by Augustin de Candolle, published in "Sur la durée relative de la faculté de germer des graines appartenant à diverses familles" (''[[Annales des Sciences Naturelles]]; Botanique'', 1846, III 6: 373–382);<ref name="Justice" /> (translated title, "On the relative duration of the ability to germinate seeds belonging to various families")
* 1897 seed hygrometric studies by Victor Jodin (''Annales Agronomiques'', October 1897)<ref name="Guppy">{{cite book |last1=Guppy |first1=Henry B. |title=Studies in Seeds and Fruits |date=1912 |publisher=Williams and Norgate |location=London, England |pages=147–150 |url=https://archive.org/details/studiesinseedsfr00guppuoft |access-date=5 February 2023 }}</ref>
* 1912's [[Henry B. Guppy]]'s 528 page "''Studies in Seeds and Fruits- An Investigation with the Balance''" (1912, London, England); subsequently reviewed in ''Science'' (June 1914, Washington, D.C.)<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Harshberger |first1=John W. |title=Book Review: Scientific Books |journal=Science |date=June 12, 1914 |volume=39 |issue=1015 |pages=873–874 |doi=10.1126/science.39.1015.873|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1559849 }}</ref>