Desiccation sensitivity and cryopreservation of korean ginseng seeds Kim, H. H. Lee, J. H. Shin, D. J. Ko, H. C. Hwang, H. S. Kim, T. Cho, E. G. /Engelmann, Florent After-ripening Desiccation Germination Panax ginseng ca meyer Korean ginseng germplasm is maintained as clonal germplasm since there is no practical method for long-term seed conservation. The aim of this study was to establish a cryopreservation protocol for Korean ginseng seeds. Desiccation of undehisced ginseng seeds to a moisture content (MC) of 7.1 % did not decrease their dehiscence and germination. After cryopreservation, the dehiscence percentage of desiccated seeds decreased for MC above 12.5%; it was 26% for 22.6% seed MC and nil for 41.9% seed MC. Germination percentage did not decrease significantly between 12.5-22.6% seed MC, while germination percentage of dehisced seeds decreased below 7.2% MC, reaching 25.8% at 3.8% MC. After cryopreservation, the germination percentage decreased from 90.5-92.9% at 8.3-10.6% MC to 84.8% at 12.5% MC. At MCs below 8.3%, germination rapidly decreased from 85.0% at 7.2% MC to 34.9% at 5.3% MC. Therefore, the hydration window for cryopreservation of ginseng seeds is around 8-11% MC. Undehisced Korean ginseng seeds were characterized by their high lipid and protein content (lipids, 42.6% FW; proteins, 41.0% FW). When using thermal analysis, during the cooling phase, exothermic ice crystallization peaks were observed with dehisced ginseng seeds above 13.5% MCs (3.3 J g(-1) FW). A second crystallization peak was detected following ice crystallization peaks. 2008 text https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/PAR00003124 PAR00003124 Kim H. H., Lee J. H., Shin D. J., Ko H. C., Hwang H. S., Kim T., Cho E. G., Engelmann Florent. Desiccation sensitivity and cryopreservation of korean ginseng seeds. 2008, 29 (5), 419-426 EN