The one-year-old gene bank of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has 25,000 germplasm accessions as it has realised the need to conserve crop biodiversity, a top scientist said here today.
The University has taken into account one traditional variety is being abandoned at regular intervals across the world, Mr John Joel, Head - PGR, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, said.
Dr Ramiah Gene Bank on the premises of Plant Genetic Resources of Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics can store seeds of 50,000 germplasm accessions and another 50,000 in mid—term storage conditions, Mr Joel said.
The bank, with a collection of cereals and millets, oilseeds, vegetables and food legumes, has fulfilled the long felt need and dream of plant breeders, which would help provide resources to accelerate plant breeding activities, in developing varieties to meet changing food demands, Mr Joel.
Collections in the past one year has resulted in deposits of more than 10,000 germplasm accessions (in various numbers) like ragi, bajra, maize, sorghum, sesame, soyabean, green gram, black gram, chickpea, horse gram, conserved in medium and short—term storage facilities, Mr Joel said.
He said loss of genetic diversity of some of the world’s crops has accelerated in recent decades, with many becoming increasingly susceptible to diseases, pests and environmental problems, adding that biodiversity has to be saved from unforeseen diseases and extinction and ensure availability.
He said seeds of germplasm accessions at RGB are packed in vacuumed aluminium pouches and kept in medium—term storage facilities at 0—5 degree Celcius as active collections, where they are expected to remain viable for 10 to 30 years and up to 50 years in long—term storage depending on species and initial seed quality, he claimed.