THE ROLE OF GENE BANKS IN FINDING AND CONSERVING

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The role of gene banks in finding and conserving our cultural heritage

The role of gene banks in finding and conserving our cultural heritage

Presented by Morten Rasmussen, NordGen – Plants,

P.O. Box 41, SE-23053 Alnarp, Sweden

[email protected]

Summarized by Lila Towle, Frøsamlerne

A gene bank is a collection of seeds and other plant reproductive material, primarily of cultivated plants and their wild relatives. These collections represent as far as possible the gene pools of our crop plants, that is, the genetic basis of agriculture and horticulture. The mandate of a gene bank is to secure the conservation of these collected plant genetic resources and provide access to them.

Gene banks have primarily been concerned with ex situ or off-site conservation: dried and frozen seed samples, vegetatively propagated plants growing in ‘clonal archives’ at different sites, in vitro preservation (e.g. potatoes) of tiny growing tips in test tubes, or cryopreservation at extremely low temperatures (e.g. growing tips of hops).

We are increasingly aware that in situ (on-farm, in nature) preservation of some species, plant associations and forms of cultivation must be supported if we are to maintain them for the future. These can be relict plants on threatened sites, on-farm areas of special biological interest such as meadows, or wild crop relatives in marginal natural biotopes.

Gene banks are increasingly a part of regional and international networks – including the European Cooperative Programme for PGR – and international regulations, such as the Biodiversity Convention (Rio Convention) and the 2001 International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources (ITPGRFA).

All gene banks have the responsibilities of acquiring the most important plant materials for their region without undue duplication; successfully treating and storing samples; maintaining and regenerating the collection without losing or changing genetic material (e.g. by mixing or mislabelling seed samples, letting them cross-pollinate in the field, or selecting only a part of the genetic diversity of a variety when saving the seed); and providing security through back-up collections.

In addition, a gene bank is responsible for registering, studying, describing, and documenting its collection, and making both information and plant material available to researchers and other interested users. All these activities are increasingly important and challenging. They are labour intensive, require specialist knowledge and equipment (e.g. computer systems), and involve upgrading from earlier recording systems. They have to meet modern demands for openness, user-friendliness, and greater access to knowledge and information – including cultural and historical information.

On January 1^st, 2008, the 3 Nordic genetic resource institutions – including the Nordic Gene Bank – became NordGen, the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre. In accordance with the strategy of the Nordic Council of Ministers for sustainable development, its mandate includes the following:

Secure the whole range of Nordic genetic diversity in animal, agricultural, horticultural and forest species
Actively promote Nordic cooperation on the sustainable utilisation and conservation of genetic resources
Accentuate the value of societal & cultural history of genetic diversity within & between species
Function as a vital knowledge and service centre for genetic resources in the public domain – and provide the necessary knowledge to political decision makers

Contribute to international collaboration, openness, and fair exploitation of genetic resources

This new and broader mandate makes necessary the development of new principles, tools and programmes in all these strategic areas of activity. Among the developments taking place:

Establishment and operation of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault – a global secure seed storage facility.
The development of new documents for acquisition of and access to plant genetic resources, including new Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) to meet the requirements of multilateral agreements. One of these will in the future make it easier for “hobby users” – both the general public and special collections, such as museum gardens and seed saver organisations – to request seed and clone samples. At the same time, NordGen will become better able to document the utilisation of its collected PGR.
Participation in new types of plant breeding relevant to agriculture in a changing climate, such as the Nordic pre-breeding initiative. Modern breeding initiatives demand large amounts of relevant, digitalized information, often in the form of molecular genetic information. And modern breeding goals often involve “expensive” traits, those which are complex, less easily observable and likely to involve collaborative, long-term investigation – such as taste, nutritional quality, disease/pest resistance or adaptability to climate change.
Creation of relationships with new stakeholders on the gene scene: local food producers, Slow Food and organic movements, “New Nordic Food”, museums and living history centres, seed saver organisations, and enthusiasts of many types in the general public. All these “new users” have high expectations: of documentation of origin (“genuineness”), solid cultural history information (when, where, who, how & why?), information on growing and eating quality, and if possible a “good story”. They expect digitally searchable, and if possible interactive, information – and quick access to gene bank material. And in time to come, many of them will expect to be active participants and collaborators in the process.

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