Seed longevity influences the success of ex situ storage and preservation of plant genetic diversity and is thus a critical factor in conservation efforts. Rapid seed ageing experiments at high temperature and high humidity have been widely used to classify seed longevity for hundreds of plant species, with potential implications for longevity in ex situ conservation. In this approach, radicle emergence (R) is normally used as a measure of the viability of the seeds. However, R could overestimate the level of normal seedling development and, consequently, the perceived longevity of seeds. Here, seed lifespan for 33 alpine species was compared to assess whether germination criteria could affect seed longevity parameters. Seeds were exposed to controlled ageing [45°C, 60% relative humidity (RH)] and regularly sampled for germination assessment as both radicle emergence (R) and radicle plus cotyledon emergence (R + C). The time taken in storage for viability to fall to 50% (p50) was determined using probit analysis, including either R or R + C data. A coefficient of overestimation of seed longevity (OESL, %) was determined. The results highlight significant differences in seed longevity estimates both across species and the germination criteria. For 17 species, seed longevity estimated by R was significantly higher than that estimated using R + C, resulting in large variation in OESL (0.54–9.01 d). The introduction of OESL facilitates effective screening for seed longevity and recovery, enhancing the overall efficiency of conservation strategies for diverse species.

Silene ciliata (Caryophyllaceae) is a key species to test evolutionary hypotheses in a global warming context. The recent advances in Next Generation Sequencing technologies can help in providing clues about climate-mediated local adaptation. In the present study, we analysed the full transcriptome of six individuals of S. ciliata from Central Spain, by aligning it with the transcriptome of S. latifolia. We aimed (a) to identify Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the transcriptome of the species, (b) to describe the biological function of the polymorphic genes expressed and (c) to identify loci that may be involved in local adaptation processes at optimal and marginal populations of the species. We identified a total of 147,118 SNPs distributed throughout 12,688 sequences. The number of polymorphic sequences annotated was 8023. One hundred thirty sequences containing polymorphisms strongly associated with optimal and marginal conditions were selected. Gene ontology searches were successful for 118, and many of these were related to responses to stress (n = 19) and abiotic stimulus (n = 16). Genomic data generated provide a starting point for further research on the identification of candidate genes related to local adaptation and other processes in the species.