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NSP - Genebank Standards for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
 

Plant genetic resources are a strategic resource at the heart of sustainable crop production. Their efficient conservation and use is critical to safeguard food and nutrition security, now and in the future. Meeting this challenge will require a continued stream of improved crops and varieties adapted to particular agro-ecosystem conditions. The loss of genetic diversity reduces the options for sustainably managing resilient agriculture, in the face of adverse environments, and rapidly fluctuating meteorological conditions. Well-managed genebanks both safeguard genetic diversity and make it available to breeders.

The Genebank Standards for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, prepared under the guidance of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, lay down the procedures that need to be followed for conserving plant genetic resources. Meeting at its 14th Regular Session in Rome, the Commission endorsed the Genebank Standards for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Read the press release


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These voluntary standards set the benchmark for current scientific and technical best practices, and support the key international policy instruments for the conservation and use of plant genetic resources.
The Genebank Standards for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture contains specific standards for:
Orthodox Seeds: acquisition of germplasm, seed drying and storage, viability monitoring, regeneration, characterization, evaluation, documentation, distribution, safety duplication and security/personnel.
Field Genebanks: choice of location, acquisition of germplasm, establishment of field collections, field management, regeneration and propagation, characterization, evaluation, documentation, distribution, security and safety duplication.
In vitro Culture and Cryopreservation: acquisition of germplasm, testing for non-orthodox behaviour and assessment of water content, vigour and viability, hydrated storage for recalcitrant seeds, in vitro culture and slow growth storage, cryopreservation, documentation, distribution and exchange, security and safety duplication.