Genebank Resources
National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation: Fort Collins, CO This facility within the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service serves as the base collection for the National Plant Germplasm System. Research focuses on acquiring, evaluating, preserving, and distributing critical genetic resources including plant, animal, insect, and microbial material for industry and the research community. The website has links to publications, research projects and people related to plant germplasm resources.
CGIAR Genebank Platform The Genebank Platform supports the core activities of the CGIAR genebanks: conserving and making available crop and tree diversity. It ensures that the genebanks meet international standards, improve efficiency and ensure more effective use within an enabling policy environment. More specific features of this site include:
Crop Trust The Crop Trust was initially founded in 2004 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and Bioversity International on behalf of the CGIAR. It provides:
- Financial support for the key international genebanks that make the diversity of our most important food crops available to all under the International Treaty.
- Tools and support for the efficient management of genebanks.
- Coordination between conserving institutions to ensure that all crop diversity is protected, accessible and used.
- Final backup of crop seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods and Development (BOLD) BOLD is a 10-year project launched in 2021, funded by the government of Norway, and led by the Crop Trust. BOLD evolved from the previous Crop Wild Relatives Project and has the mission of strengthening global food security through support for conserving and using crop genetic diversity. Special attention is directed to challenges due to climate change.
DIVSEEK International Network DivSeek International is a community driven not-for-profit organization consisting of a diverse set of member organizations that have voluntarily come together to unlock the potential of crop diversity so that it can be utilized to enhance the productivity, sustainability and resilience of crops and agricultural systems. This site contains open-source tools, webinars and other resources to support groups and aid in their collaborations.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Their goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. Two resources of most interest to plant germplasm are:
- Training Materials This page links to educational and training materials on the International Treaty. It facilitates the dissemination of resources for trainers, students, self-learners and other interested individuals and institutions alike. The main audiences of these training resources include stakeholder groups of the International Treaty such as policy makers and their staff, civil servants, gene bank staff, plant breeders, farmers’ organizations and other civil society organizations, as well as the media and academia.
- Global Farmer Field School Platform A Farmer Field School (FFS) brings together a group of farmers, livestock herders or fisherfolk, to learn on how to shift towards more sustainable production practices, by better understanding complex agro-ecosystems and by enhancing ecosystem services. A FFS group meets regularly during a production cycle, setting up experimentation and engaging in hands-on learning to improve skills and knowledge that will help adapt practices to their specific context. The FFS empowers individuals and groups to move towards more sustainable practices and improve livelihoods.
ARS Biocollections Portal The Biocollections Portal is a collaborative effort between several biological collections across the USDA-Agricultural Research Service to provide centralized management and virtual access to these mission-critical resources. Search records from the U.S. National Arboretum Herbarium (NA), U.S. National Seed Herbarium (BARC), and more.
Educational Resources
AgLab A science-education website teaching students about the critical intersect of science and agriculture in their daily lives.
CAM’s Agricultural Academy CAM’S Ag Academy at Colorado State University focuses on providing immersive agricultural education for middle- and high-school students through badging programs, problem-based learning units, and more.
Center For Plant Conservation CPC Rare Plant Academy is a hub of learning, sharing, and discovery for the plant conservation community. CPC Rare Plant Academy brings the Center for Plant Conservation Best Practices to life by integrating instructional videos and community discourse with web-based interactive guidelines for plant conservation methods.
GRIN-U Education YouTube Channel A free public resource of field and lab-based videos that demonstrate important concepts related to conserving and using diverse plant genetic resources.
International Plant Breeding Seminar Series, North Carolina State University Each semester NC State presents a series of globally relevant seminars on diverse plant breeding and genetics topics. These are streamed live at the time of presentation and viewable later as recorded seminars.
National Agricultural Library One of five U.S. national libraries, the National Agricultural Library houses one of the world’s largest collections devoted to agriculture and its related sciences.
Plant Breeding E-Learning in Africa Houses a suite of high-quality, open-source, post-graduate-level course materials which comprise a comprehensive Master’s e-curriculum in plant breeding and genetics. PBEA e-modules provide training in the management of crop breeding programs for public, local, and international organizations. The e-modules hone essential capabilities with real-world challenges of cultivar development in Africa using Applied Learning Activities.
Plant and Soil Sciences eLibrary The Plant and Soil Sciences eLibrary is comprised of learning resources developed by team members whose mission is to disseminate unbiased, cutting-edge research information that is used both inside and outside of classrooms around the world. eLessons and videos focus on topics in crop genetics, soil science, weed science, soil fertility, plant breeding, etc.
UC Davis Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center The Fruit & Nut Research and Information Center was created in 1995 to make University of California research-based information publicly available and coordinate extension activities in planting, growing and harvesting fruits and nuts. Today, the Center provides practical advice in fruit and nut production, information on best management practices developed by the UC Cooperative Extension, and connections to current research and new technologies.
Photo Resources
ARS Image Gallery The USDA-ARS Office of Communications provides a free, searchable photo gallery representing a variety of ARS activities. All images are in the public domain unless otherwise indicated.
Bugwood Images: IPM Images The University of Georgia’s Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health provides a gallery of images related to Integrated Pest Management including both healthy and diseased crops. Data associated with photos are appropriate for the scientific community.
Scholarly Articles of Interest
Byrne PF, Volk GM, Gardner C, Gore MA, Simon PW, Smith S. 2018. Sustaining the future of plant breeding: The critical role of the USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System. Crop Science 58:451–468. DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2017.05.0303
Volk GM, Carver D, Irish BM, Marek L, Frances A, Greene S, Khoury CK, Bamberg J, del Rio A, Warburton ML, Bretting PK. 2023. Safeguarding plant genetic resources in the United States during global climate change. Crop Science 63:2274–2296. DOI: 10.1002/csc2.21003
Volk GM, Byrne PF, Coyne CJ, Flint-Garcia S, Reeves PA, Richards C. 2021. Integrating genomic and phenomic approaches to support plant genetic resources conservation and use. Plants 10:2260. DOI: 10.3390/plants10112260