Enhanced Seed Viability Correlates with Husk Adhesion in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Understanding seed longevity in genebanks is fundamental for effective long-term conservation of plant genetic resources. Although storage environment, species biology, seed age, and oxygen exposure are known to influence viability, substantial variation in germination among accessions stored under identical conditions suggests the presence of additional genetic determinants. Here, we analysed 947 barley seed lots (686 hulled and 261 hulless) across nine harvest years (1975–2017) to assess the relationship between seed viability and a broad range of phenotypic traits, including plant phenology, inflorescence and seed morphology, and seed macronutrient composition. Each harvest year represented a distinct set of genebank accessions cultivated under uniform field conditions and stored for equal durations. Hulled barley consistently exhibited higher viability than hulless barley, and grain protein content was negatively associated with germination in five of the seven years studied. Additionally, year-specific but statistically significant associations were detected for ear emergence timing and lemma pigmentation. These results underscore the value of comprehensive genebank descriptors and phenotypic metadata for improving predictions of seed longevity and supporting strategic germplasm conservation.