The document summarizes germplasm conservation efforts at ICRISAT's Genebank in Paroda, India. The Genebank conserves over 124,300 accessions from 144 countries representing six mandate crops. It distributes germplasm internationally following the SMTA and has provided over 1.45 million samples to researchers in 148 countries. The collections show wide genetic variability and provide sources of tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses to aid in developing climate-resilient cultivars. ICRISAT collaborates with international researchers on characterization, evaluation and utilization of germplasm in crop improvement programs.

1. Germplasm conservation at ICRISAT RS Paroda
Genebank for sustainable food security in drylands
Hari D Upadhyaya, DVSSR Sastry, M Vetriventhan, SK Pattanashetti, KN Reddy and Sube Singh
About ICRISAT: www.icrisat.org
ICRISAT’s scientific information: http://EXPLOREit.icrisat.org
Plant genetic resources
▪▪ Plant genetic resources (PGR) are the most important components of
agrobiodiversity
▪▪ They are a reservoir of genetic diversity for breeding and crop
improvement research
▪▪ They must be conserved as they are finite, vulnerable and fast eroding
and they contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals of
»» Zero hunger
»» No poverty and
»» Good health and well-being
Access to germplasm
▪▪ ICRISAT supplies germplasm free of cost to the global research
community following the Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA)
under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (ITPGRFA)
▪▪ ICRISAT Genebank has so far distributed over 1.45 million samples to
researchers at ICRISAT and in 148 countries
▪▪ Mini core collections are now international public goods and serve as
a gateway to access the species diversity, 280 sets were provided on
request to scientists in 36 countries.
Partnerships for PGR conservation and utilization
▪▪ ICRISAT collaborates with National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS)
and Agricultural Research Institutes (ARI), universities and NGOs in
different countries for introduction, collection, exchange, conservation,
evaluation, documentation and utilization of germplasm
▪▪ Extensive evaluation of germplasm by NARS partners resulted in release
of 109 germplasm lines directly as 146 cultivars in 51 countries
▪▪ National partners in 79 countries have released more than 800 varieties
by utilizing germplasm and breeding lines from ICRISAT
▪▪ Extensive evaluation of mini core collections at ICRISAT and NARS
partners in 36 countries have resulted in identification of new sources of
variation for use in crop improvement research.
Germplasm conservation at ICRISAT
▪▪ ICRISAT’s RS Paroda Genebank serves as a world repository for the
genetic resources of its mandate crops: sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea,
pigeonpea, groundnut and finger millet and five small millets – foxtail,
little, kodo, proso and barnyard millet
▪▪ The RS Paroda Genebank based at Patancheru, India, conserves over
124,300 germplasm accessions from 144 countries
▪▪ As a safety-backup, the Genebank has deposited over 110,800 samples
in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (SGSV), Norway.
Genetic variability in collections
▪▪ About 95% accessions are characterized for important morpho-
agronomic traits
▪▪ The collections represent wide variation for morpho-agronomic and
nutritional traits and tolerance/resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses,
and provide sources for use in crop improvement to develop climate
resilient crop cultivars with a broad genetic base
▪▪ Scientists at ICRISAT have established core and mini core collections to
enhance utilization of germplasm in crop improvement
▪▪ Passport and characterization data on germplasm collections are
accessible through www.ICRISAT.org.
▪▪ These highly nutritious, drought-tolerant crops are the best bets for
smallholder farmers in the drylands for food security
▪▪ Germplasm collections are maintained on par with international
genebank standards
▪▪ Three regional genebanks at Niamey, Niger; Nairobi, Kenya; and
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, conserve germplasm of regional importance, core
(10% of entire collection) and mini core (10% of core or 1% of entire
collection) collections, etc.
PGR conservation - Making an Impact
▪▪ Conserving global collection and making germplasm available to
researchers for use in research is an insurance against genetic erosion
▪▪ Dissemination of knowledge through research publications, catalogues,
manuals, pamphlets, presentations, posters, etc., enhance awareness of
germplasm, and its conservation and use
▪▪ With the unlocking of their genetic potential, ICRISAT mandate crops are
changing from subsistence crops to increasingly important sources of
income for farmers, amid threats to climate change
▪▪ A wilt resistant pigeonpea landrace ICP 8863 released as Maruti in
India in 1986 benefited the farming community to the extent of US$ 75
million by 1996
▪▪ Trained >40 scientists during 2000-2015, which helped in efficient
conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources in 11 countries.
Building tomorrow together
Sorghum Pearlmillet Chickpea Pigeonpea Groundnut
Nov 2016
Cultivated
Weedy
Wild