Seeds of forty species of medicinal plants produced in the Medicinal Plant Garden of the Faculty of Agriculture; Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, were obtained to assess their potential of storage. Germination tests on four replications of 25 seeds conducted at the beginning of storage, 9 months and 12 months after storage in both controlled (stored at 4 oC) and uncontrolled conditions (room temperature). In some species germination changed significantly during storage. Dormancy breaking pre-treatments, TZ test or evaluation of empty seeds were also carried out before and after storage. A wide range of germination was observed depending on the species. Storage period had different effects on germination of different species. In 20 species seed germination had no significant changes during storage period. In 6 species germination increased after storage period. Nine species showed reduction in their germination percentage during storage and 3 species showed cyclic changes in their germination. Seeds of the species showed a different reaction to storage at controlled or uncontrolled conditions.

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