Abstract
Cryopreservation of plant seeds is of great practical importance for the conservation of biodiversity and practical application. The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors determining the success of cryopreservation of Filipendula ulmaria seeds, including the freezing method, thawing conditions, storage containers, and light sensitivity. Seed material was collected in the wild in the Karkaraly Mountains. Seeds were cryopreserved in cryotubes and aluminum foil bags; seeds stored using traditional methods in a refrigerator served as controls. The results showed no significant differences between germination in light and in darkness, which does not dictate the method of germination in open ground or laboratory conditions. A comparison of thawing regimes revealed the advantage of slow thawing at room temperature (20–22°C), during which germination reached 75%, which was significantly higher than the control values. Analysis of freezing regimes allowed us to establish the highest germination rates with rapid freezing in foil bags. The proposed approach can be used for long-term cryopreservation of the Filipendula ulmaria gene pool.