Search Results (77)

Germplasm characterization can enhance the management and utilization of plant germplasm conserved in genebanks worldwide. This study was conducted to characterize 774 diverse soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] accessions, mainly conserved at Plant Gene Resources of Canada (PGRC), through a laboratory seedling vigor test under polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced dehydration stress and 72 selected accessions through a greenhouse salinity test. The PEG-based test identified 95 accessions that showed vigorous seedling growth in Petri dishes containing 20% (w/v) PEG 6000 solution. The salinity test revealed 58 accessions that produced total seed yields per plant ranging from 0.03 g to 1.47 g under severe salinity stress (EC_i 16.1 dS m⁻¹). Six accessions originating from five countries displayed higher salt tolerance than the Canadian salt-tolerant cultivar OAC Ayton, but the latter still had the highest seed yield. One unique accession, CN29789, originating from China and named ‘Hei Nung No.18’, consistently showed high tolerance to both dehydration and salinity stresses and had vigorous root growth under severe salinity stress. These findings are significant, as they not only provide useful germplasm for soybean genetic improvement for abiotic stress tolerance but also demonstrate the value of characterizing plant germplasm conserved in a genebank for better utilization. Full article

Globally, 5.94 million accessions are conserved across 867 genebanks, of which 41.5% (2.47 million) are cereal crop accessions. Only a small portion of global germplasm diversity has been marker-genotyped or genome-sequenced. Accurate identification of genebank accessions is essential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of global genebanking. It is crucial for preserving the legacy knowledge associated with the germplasm and for maintaining its value to current plant science and breeding efforts. Existing practices generally fall into two categories: either expensive and complex, or inefficient, labour-intensive, and inaccurate. The first relies on high-resolution genomic sequences or saturated markers, while the second relies on morphological comparisons of regenerated plants with historical records. We propose a genotyping method based on a minimal set of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) markers and exemplify its use on a genebank scale. We identified a small, effective set of SNPs that can differentiate between the global diversity of genebank accessions of barley (Hordeum vulgare and Hordeum spontaneum) and tetraploid wheat collections (Triticum turgidum) maintained at the Germplasm Resources National Capability at the John Innes Centre, UK. This approach offers a straightforward, automatable, and inexpensive alternative to traditional genebank crop descriptors used during seed regeneration and distribution. By establishing the minimal genomic resolution needed to distinguish genetically distinct accessions, we show that as few as 24 and 25 carefully chosen SNP markers for barley and durum wheat, respectively, can effectively differentiate individual accessions. Unlike morphology-based identification, which can detect mislabelling or contamination but often cannot prevent or correct such errors, our SNP-based molecular labelling enables error correction and the retrieval of lost germplasm identity. This study highlights how accuracy and reliability in germplasm management can be improved without costly whole-genome sequencing or resource-intensive analysis. We discuss the impact of this method on enhancing quality assurance in genebanks and its broader usefulness for the user community. Full article

Drought is regarded as the most significant environmental factor affecting the productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) worldwide. The integration of maize landraces, conserved in germplasm bank collections, into elite breeding programs could increase the resilience of modern hybrids to drought and mitigate the genetic erosion identified within the genetic base of cultivated maize. In this study, seeds of fifteen Croatian maize landraces were exposed to four levels of drought stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) to evaluate the effect of drought on their seed germination and seedling root parameters. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among landraces (G) and applied drought stress treatments (PEG) for all traits, as well as a significant PEG × G interaction for all traits except germination potential. The application of the highest drought stress level, caused by a 20% PEG water solution, reduced germination percentage by 51%, germination potential by 99%, root length by 87%, root diameter by 26%, root area by 91% and root volume by 93% compared to the control. Three landraces, MAK7, MAK11 and MAK15, showing high germination potential, long roots and large root area and volume under drought conditions, were identified as pre-breeding candidates for possible reintroduction into modern breeding programs aimed at increasing drought tolerance. The applied method of PEG-induced drought effectively identified drought-tolerant landraces and can be used for rapid screening of drought tolerance in large numbers of genebank accessions conserved in genebanks. Full article

Cauliflower landraces (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) safeguard allelic diversity for adaptation, yet their phenotypic breadth under winter field conditions remains under-documented. We evaluated 69 Spanish landraces and two commercial checks from the COMAV-UPV genebank using 15 quantitative and 21 qualitative descriptors. Seed viability ranged from 0 to 92%, and mature plants showed wide ranges in stem length (coefficient of variation ≈ 72%), leaf size, and head weight (100–723 g). Six curd-colour classes—including uncommon purple and Romanesco green—were recorded. Most accessions (>88%) required more than 120 days from sowing to harvest, but a distinct subset (12%) matured within 60–120 days. Plant stature tended to be positively associated with head mass, whereas highly branched inflorescences matured earlier. Variation was dominated by curd size and plant architecture. Multivariate analyses—principal component analysis for quantitative traits, multiple correspondence analysis for qualitative traits, factor analysis of mixed data, and clustering of FAMD scores by k-means—resolved three phenotypic clusters spanning a gradient of curd size/architecture and plant stature. The collection includes accessions with compact curds, earliness, or distinctive pigmentation that are immediately useful for breeding and for prioritizing regeneration. These results provide a phenotypic baseline for future genomic association studies and the development of cultivars adapted to winter production. Full article

Medicinal plant species are crucial biological resources, and yet their conservation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remains insufficiently studied. This study conducts a comprehensive gap analysis of 74 priority medicinal plant species in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to assess their spatial distribution, identify conservation gaps and propose strategic recommendations. Occurrence records were collected from field surveys and global biodiversity databases, followed by ecogeographical land characterization and conservation gap analyses using the CAPFITOGEN3 tools. The results reveal significant disparities in in situ and ex situ conservation efforts, with two biodiversity hotspots, Asir and Jazan, containing the highest species diversity. While 66 species occur within protected areas, seven species are currently only recorded outside protected areas, indicating opportunities for expanding conservation efforts. Complementarity analysis identified 13 optimal protected areas for priority medicinal plants’ conservation, alongside 20 potential sites outside protected areas that could serve as other effective area-based conservation measures. Ex situ conservation remains critically limited for many species, with only 10 represented in genebanks and all accessions currently stored internationally, although some medicinal plant species may have broader global distributions. To bring about improved outcomes of conservation, the expansion of in situ conservation coverage, integration of other effective area-based conservation measures, strengthening of national genebanks and leverage of biotechnology and geospatial tools is recommended by this study. The findings of this study can be used to develop a more systematic and sustainable approach to the conservation of medicinal plants in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Full article

More than 5.9 million plant germplasm accessions currently conserved in over 850 national genebanks worldwide will accumulate deleterious mutations over long-term conservation. However, little is known about how mutations accumulate in germplasm under long-term conservation. An attempt was made using seed-based RNA-Seq analysis to identify and characterize deleterious genetic variants in 190 diverse soybean accessions that were conserved since 1972 and were regenerated up to 10 cycles. The analysis identified 588 deleterious variants, which were widely distributed across 20 soybean chromosomes, mostly present in 10 or fewer samples, associated with diverse biological processes, and largely predicted to be weakly and mildly detrimental. Significant differences in estimates of three mutation burdens (total, heterozygous, and homozygous) were found among the samples, including sample groups representing different countries of origin. Total and heterozygous mutation burden estimates were found to increase significantly with the number of conservation years since accession acquisition and the number of germplasm regenerations, but homozygous mutation burden estimates were not correlated with these two conservation-related accession features. Total mutation burden estimates were negatively correlated with expressed gene counts and RNA integrity numbers (RINs) and marginally positively associated with averaged gene expression levels. Correlations were also found among expressed gene count, averaged gene expression level, and RIN value. No significant differences were detected between seed-based and leaf-based estimates of total mutation burden, expressed gene count, averaged expression level, and RIN. These findings provide the first empirical evidence that total mutation burden increased primarily through the accumulation of heterozygous, rather than homozygous, deleterious mutations over successive soybean germplasm regenerations. This insight is useful for conducting informative assessments of deleterious mutation accumulation and enhancing the management and conservation of plant germplasm. Full article

The loss of plant species, especially endangered and endemic ones, poses a significant threat to global biodiversity. These species cannot easily be replaced when their populations decline or become extinct, which makes their loss particularly devastating. This study focuses on the geobotanical study of nine Rosaceae species (Cotoneaster karatavicus, Crataegus ambigua, Malus niedzwetzkyana, Malus sieversii, Prunus tenella, Prunus ulmifolia, Sibiraea laevigata, Sorbus persica, and Spiraeanthus schrenkianus) and the development of ex situ approaches for the conservation of Rosaceae species listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. The geobotanical study revealed an alarming trend of biodiversity loss in five regions of Kazakhstan. This loss is driven by threats from diseases and pests, as well as the aging of plants, small population sizes, weak in situ fruiting, and other factors, such as climate change. We have established an in vitro collection for the short- and medium-term conservation of seeds, embryos and shoots taken either directly from field-grown plants or from budwood cuttings forced indoors. We also use long-term sexual conservation methods, such as the cryopreservation of seed and embryonic axes, alongside conventional seed banking at −20 °C. Ex situ conservation efforts that use multiple propagules and storage methods for the same species are well-suited to a diverse genebank facility. These efforts enable future generations to use this valuable reservoir of genetic diversity for crop improvement and may also serve as a basis for propagating planting material to restore degraded populations. Full article

Lepidostomatidae is a relatively large family of the infraorder Plenitentoria (Integripalpia), comprising four fossil genera and seven extant genera. Lepidostomatid adults exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism and have thus been referred to as the ‘cabinet of curiosities’ within Trichoptera. However, only five annotated mitogenomes of Lepidostoma have been recorded in the GeneBank database, and some of these mitogenomes are incomplete. To better understand the structure of mitogenome and phylogenetic relationships of Lepidostomatidae, we present mitogenomes of 13 Lepidostoma species and one Paraphlegopteryx species for the first time. We combined these new mitogenomes with previously published data for a comparative analysis. The results showed that the structure of mitogenome was relatively conserved, the nucleotide composition was significantly AT biased, and the control region showed the highest A + T content. Evolutionary rate analysis showed that all protein-coding genes underwent purification selection. The phylogenetic relationships supported the monophyly of Lepidostomatidae and restored the taxonomic positions of the two subfamilies. Meanwhile, two monophyletic branches (Lepidostoma ferox branch and Lepidostoma hirtum branch) within the genus Lepidostoma were also strongly supported. These findings significantly advance our understanding of the mitogenome and phylogeny of Lepidostomatidae. Full article

Historical landrace collections, such as the Watkins Wheat Collection, harbor immense genetic diversity that holds the potential to transform our understanding of crop resilience and adaptation. This study employs a novel integrative phenotyping approach to dissect regional adaptation and nitrogen stress resilience in Watkins wheat landraces under contrasting nitrogen regimes. By leveraging a multidimensional framework, including stress indices, geographic analyses, and multivariate clustering, this work identifies 48 landraces with contrasting responses to nitrogen limitation. High-performing genotypes, such as WATDE0013 and WATDE0020, exhibited superior biomass partitioning under stress, reflecting historical adaptation to low-input agroecosystems spanning Europe, Asia, and North Africa. These findings emphasize the value of phenotypic plasticity in nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) improvement. In contrast, low-performing accessions, such as WATDE1055, highlighted vulnerabilities to nitrogen limitation, illustrating the importance of comprehensive phenotypic screening for gene-bank prioritization. Regional adaptation patterns, elucidated through geographic analyses, uncovered stress-resilient genotypes clustered in historically marginal agricultural regions, revealing adaptive traits shaped by environmental selection pressures. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering delineated five distinct phenotypic groups, enhancing our understanding of evolutionary trajectories within this collection. This integrative approach transcends traditional phenotyping methods by linking phenotype, genotype, and geographic context to uncover nuanced adaptive traits. By bridging gene bank conservation with a systems-level understanding of crop evolution, this study provides actionable insights and a robust framework for breeding climate-resilient wheat varieties. These findings underscore the critical role of preserving genetic diversity in landraces to address global challenges in nitrogen stress and climate resilience. Full article

Global geographical, climatic, and ecological diversity has given rise to a wealth of domestic animals, which are essential for food security and agricultural sustainability. Since the 1960s, these critical genetic resources have declined significantly due to overdevelopment, ecological degradation, and climate change, posing a serious threat to global food security. In the face of these challenges, we emphasize the critical importance of promoting indigenous livestock and poultry germplasm resources in biodiversity conservation to enhance the adaptability and resilience of agricultural systems. To promote the sustainable management and conservation of genetic resources, a multistakeholder international cooperation framework is needed. Globally, many national and international institutions have initiated a variety of conservation measures, legislation, and technical strategies. In particular, genebanks play an indispensable role in the conservation of important livestock and poultry genetic resources. These banks not only aid in maintaining biodiversity but also provide valuable genetic material for future breeding programmes and scientific research. Through systematic collection, conservation and evaluation, genebanks ensure the long-term availability and sustainable use of genetic resources and provide an important foundation for addressing global environmental change and agricultural challenges. Full article

Coffea stenophylla is a rare Coffea species boasting a flavor profile comparable to Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) and has a good adaptability to lowland tropical climates. This species faces increasing threats from climate change, deforestation, and habitat fragmentation in its West African homeland. Using 1037 novel SNP markers derived from Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS), we revealed the presence of three distinct natural populations (mean Fst = 0.176) in Sierra Leone. Evidence of recent bottlenecks and small effective population size (118–140) was found across all three populations, reflecting the impact of recent anthropogenic disturbances on this species. Using a model-flexible inference approach, we unveiled a strong ancient bottleneck approximately 23,000 years ago, coinciding with the last glacial maximum (LGM), followed by post-glacial expansion and divergence into distinct genetic clusters. A comparative analysis between ex situ genebanks and natural populations detected a significant gap in genetic diversity, with two out of three natural populations missing from the ex situ genebank collection. These findings highlight the urgent need to improve conservation practices for C. stenophylla in Sierra Leone. The novel SNP markers developed in this study provided valuable tools to support future efforts in conservation and utilization of C. stenophylla genetic resources in West Africa. Full article

Community seed banks are farmer-managed organizations that conserve and sustainably manage local crop and tree diversity. They are found in many countries of the Global South and increasingly in the Global North. Altogether, they maintain hundreds of crop and tree species and thousands of mostly local varieties and distribute tons of quality seed per year. Through their activities, they share and safeguard the world’s agrobiodiversity, contribute to seed security, and allow farming households in local communities to produce and consume more affordable, secure, diverse, and nutritious foods. However, community seed banks are knowledge-, resource-, and time-intensive organizations that operate through their members’ voluntary contributions. The purpose of this article is to analyze the sustainability challenge of community seed banks and identify strategies that address it. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used, complemented by secondary data analysis of research reports and other deliverables, resulting in five case study countries in Africa and Asia. Five promising sustainability strategies can support viable community seed bank development: value addition; nature-positive agriculture; enabling environment and national genebank partnership; networking and digitalization; and modern, low-cost seed quality technologies. Sustainable community seed banks can make important contributions to national seed sector development but they need stronger policy and legal support to maintain their sustainability. Full article

Traditional varieties are a valuable tool in modern apple breeding. However, the use of synonyms and missing source documentation hinder an effective identification and conservation of relevant cultivars. During several projects, the authenticity and diversity of the apple cultivar collection of the German Fruit Genebank (GFG) was evaluated extensively. The trueness-to-type of 7890 apple trees was assessed on a pomological and molecular level. Pomological evaluations were performed by at least two experienced experts to identify the original cultivar names. On the molecular level, a set of 17 SSR markers was used to determine a unique genetic profile for each apple cultivar. The pomological and molecular characterization was expressed in terms of a comprehensive trueness-to-type criterion and the results were previously published as a well-curated dataset. In this study, the published dataset was analyzed to evaluate the quality and diversity of the apple collection of the GFG and highlight new findings based on phylogenetic and parentage analysis. The dataset contains 1404 unique genetic profiles corresponding to unambiguous cultivar names. Of these 1404 cultivars, 74% were assessed as true-to-type. The collection of diploid apple cultivars showed a high degree of expected heterozygosity (H_exp = 0.84). Genetic diversity in terms of year and location of origin was investigated with a STRUCTURE analysis. It was hypothesized that genetic diversity might decline overtime due to restrictive breeding programs. The results showed a shift dynamic between older and newer cultivars in one specific cluster, but no significant decrease in genetic diversity was observed in this study. Lastly, a parentage analysis was performed to check parental relationships based on historical research. Out of 128 parent–child trios, 110 trios resulted in significant relationships and reconfirmed the information from the literature. In some cases, the information from the literature was disproven. This analysis also allowed for readjusting the trueness-to-type criteria for previously undetermined cultivars. Overall, the importance of authenticity evaluations for gene bank cultivars was highlighted. Furthermore, the direct use of the dataset was shown by relevant investigations on the genetic diversity and structure of the apple cultivar collections of the GFG. Full article

Climate change poses significant threats to coffee supply chains, highlighting the crucial role of coffee genetic resources in enhancing resilience and improving the livelihoods of coffee farmers. Increasing climate change effects are intensifying pressure to develop new high-performance resilient varieties. Current cultivated coffee species include Coffea arabica and C. canephora, while uncultivated genetic resources include C. stenophylla, C. racemosa, and many others among the 130 known coffee species. To protect and recognize the property rights of countries and people hosting and conserving genetic resources, the international community has developed regulations embodied in the Plant Treaty and the Nagoya Protocol, among others. The majority of coffee genetic resources originate in Africa and are maintained in large field collections, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, and Madagascar. The 2023 International Coffee Convention (ICC) highlighted the need for community awareness in applying these international regulations. To foster a common understanding and establish precise rules for exchanging coffee genetic resources, the Crop Trust and the International Coffee Organization organized an invitation-only satellite workshop in Mannheim, Germany, on 16 October 2024, in connection with ICC 2024. International experts on the Nagoya Protocol and Plant Treaty and genebank experts were invited to participate. This presentation summarizes key outcomes from the workshop, covering topics such as (i) key requirements of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), its Nagoya Protocol, and the Plant Treaty specifically applicable to the coffee sector; (ii) assessment of the coffee sector’s readiness to implement these international regulations for the transparent use and exchange of coffee genetic resources; (iii) suggestions for mechanisms enabling transparent use and exchange of coffee genetic resources in compliance with international regulations; (iv) evaluation of strategies for generating benefits for communities hosting coffee genetic resources; (v) a practical, user-friendly checklist to ensure the correct handling of coffee genetic resources in line with international regulations; and (vi) a practical decision-making tree with examples to differentiate genetic resources falling under Nagoya/CBD and the Plant Treaty from others. The workshop’s discussions and outcomes expanded on these topics, yielding several concrete initiatives and recommendations. Most importantly, the workshop identified critical gaps in existing coffee genetic resource collections and proposed a global safety duplication strategy. Participants conceptualized a global platform to facilitate the exchange and use of coffee genetic resources, including a centralized database and a system for tracking benefit-sharing obligations. A comprehensive list categorizing coffee varieties based on their status under the Nagoya Protocol may be initiated to clarify access and benefit-sharing requirements. The workshop concluded with a clear roadmap for advancing coffee genetic resource conservation and exchange. Full article

The medicinal plant Abrus precatorius L. was traditionally used in the Siddha and Ayurvedic systems of medicine in India. The Indian center of origin holds a vast variability in its seed color. The objective of this study was to assess the total monomeric anthocyanin, flavonol, as well as the antioxidative potential, protein content and ash content among the accessions. A total of 99 accessions conserved in the Indian National Genebank were used in this study. The methods used for the estimation of total monomeric anthocyanin, flavonol, as well as the antioxidative potential, protein content and ash content were the pH differential method, Oomah method, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential, Dumas method and gravimetric method, respectively. The completely black colored accession was recorded with highest total monomeric anthocyanin (51.95 mg/100 g of cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalent) and flavonol content (66.41 mg/g of quercetin equivalent). Red + black colored accessions have recorded the maximum value with respect to antioxidants (14.18 mg/g of gallic acid equivalent). The highest amount of protein content was found in a completely white colored accession (20.67%) and the maximum ash content was recorded in red + black colored accession (4.01%). The promising accessions identified can be used by pharmaceutical companies in drug development and in curing degenerative diseases. Full article