NI used for improving national PGR management

1
NI used for improving national PGR management
2
Plant Genetic Resources Program in Bulgaria
The idea for prevention of genetic diversity in
Bulgaria formed the basis for conservation
strategy in the framework of the National Program
for Plant Genetic Resources. The PGR program was
formally established in 1977 when the
Agricultural research station in Sadovo was
developed to the Institute for plant genetic
resources. In 1980 started the seed conservation
under controlled conditions (fridge). In 1985 was
opened the building of National Genebank in the
Institute. There are preserved accessions
collected since 1951 till now. Nearly 54 000
accessions are held of various crops including
cereals, grain legumes, industrial crops, forage
crops and grasses, vegetables, flowers and
medicinal plants (including rare and threatened
plants). Over 37 000 samples (about 70) are
maintained under long-term storage conditions.
Plant genetic resources activity in Bulgaria is
coordinated at national level. The Institute for
Plant Genetic Resources K.Malkov plays the
leading part in the process of collecting,
documentation, evaluation, preservation and
utilization of PGR. The program structure
includes 22 institutions.
3
NI a new approach for evaluation of PGR
diversity

• When in 2001 started EURISCO our database already
  existed but the information structure was
  different than the suggested format. We tried
  hard for adaptation of existing files
• The old format of information was classified in
  tree different tables according to the type of
  entries (breeding material, collected by missions
  or received abroad). A better efficiency was
  achieved when the tables were merged in a main
  table. As result was carried out a revision if
  the accession number is unique identifier for an
  accession.
• The botanical names in our old database were
  presented in one field. According to EURISCO
  database structure this information was separated
  in five respective fields genus, species,
  species author, sibtaxa, subtaxa author. The
  adapted information now is more useful for
  verification of botanical characteristics.

4
NI a new approach for evaluation of PGR
diversity

• The field DONORCODE was checked and restored
  according to WIEWS code. This revision allowed
  both to find out the proper addresses in our
  database as well to assist for enrichment of FAO
  Inst-code list. There should be pointed that 35
  unknown addresses were included in this list.
  In Bulgarian NI are known 145 addresses from 44
  countries for 15 326 accessions, which correspond
  to the FAO WIEWS code
• The existing information for 55 of accessions in
  the field Ancestral data as well in the field
  Remarks was retyped from Cyrillic to Latin
  alphabet. This information now is accessible for
  a larger number of users.

5
NI a new approach for evaluation of PGR
diversity

• As result the Bulgarian NI presents a clear
  version for better understanding of collection
  status.
• Now is clear that BGR-NI consists of 54 380
  accessions. These accessions are representatives
  of 469 genera, 1544 plant species and 2517
  subspecies.
• 9663 of the accessions originated from Bulgaria.
  The accessions received abroad originated from
  110 countries. Totally 145 addresses is known
  including research institutes, universities,
  botanical gardens, seed companies and private
  houses.

6
NI a new approach for evaluation of PGR
diversity

• Described by regions the pattern of origin for
  accessions hold in BGR-NI is as follows

• Europe 20089 acc from 36 countries
• East Asia 1250 acc from 6 countries
• South Asia 181 acc from 8 countries
• Southwest Asia 941 acc from 10 countries
• North America 2345 acc from two countries
• South America 344 acc from 10 countries
• Meso America 176 acc from 8 countries
• North Africa 389 acc from 7 countries
• Oceania - Pacific 113 acc from 3 countries

7
NI a new approach for evaluation of PGR
diversity

• As breeding material are described 4685
  accessions, where 2792 are deposited by 17
  research institutes in Bulgaria.
• As traditional cultivar/landrace are assigned
  4669 of accessions, where 4482 from Bulgaria and
  the next 187 from other 23 countries in the
  regions of Europe, South America, Meso America,
  North America, South/West Asia, South Asia, East
  Asia and North Africa.
• As wild are shown 1698 accessions, where 1169
  from Bulgaria and 529 from 16 countries in
  Europe, South/West Asia and North Africa.

8
BGR-NI assists for better understanding of
evaluation/characterization data

• At this stage of development BGR-NI can be used
  as a proper basis for harmonization of passport
  data between EURISCO and CCDBs.
• The first attempt for use of NI for improvement
  of PGR management was made several months ago. In
  collaboration with the person responsible for
  forage plants was created the information for
  three plant genera Trifolium, Medicago and
  Arrhenatherum.

9
BGR-NI assists for better understanding of
evaluation/characterization data

• According to EURISCO structure we use MCPD-format
  for developing data files needed for Working
  Group on Forages. On the basis of this
  information our colleague described the level of
  originality (MOS) of every one accession
  according to the suggested requirement
• Next steps will be aimed to assist both to the
  Working group on Arachis as well to the Working
  group on Agropyron because the coordination on
  this two genera is carried out by IPGR Sadovo.

10
BGR-NI for predicting of seed storage life and
regeneration needs could improve PGR utilization
However seed regeneration is an integrated part
in PGR management and utilization, practically we
all know how labor is this work which needs time
and money. On the other side every one
regeneration could influence the genetic
integrity unpredictable. Our experience show
that seed survival under long term storage
conditions could be monitored according to the
respective genebank practice as well to the
application of theoretical methods. In evaluation
of 14 600 seed accessions (28 plant species) our
results show that predicted longevity and save
storage time could vary between 20-30 years to
longer than 1000 years. That means every
genebank could define both the expected time for
regeneration needs and time for suggested control
test. If the time is known the genebank managers
will be able to coordinate the seed request and
seed regeneration according to users needs.
11
BGR-NI for predicting of seed storage life and
regeneration needs could improve PGR utilization
Regarding to the mentioned above there is the
place to discuss how to improve utilization of
distributed seeds.

• Very often seed samples are too small to carry
  our pre-study for dormancy and viability
  capacity.
• Because of limited knowledge for a new plant
  species a lot of valuable seeds could be lost.
• The seed requests often are repeated because
  wrong manipulation with seeds for germination.
• More detailed information for pre-treatment and
  pre-conditioning of seeds will reduce the
  negative cases considered as not viable
  accession.

12
BGR-NI for predicting of seed storage life and
regeneration needs could improve PGR utilization
Salvia pinnata L.

• Although Compendium of information on seed
  storage behavior (Hong, Linington, and Ellis,
  1995) is a useful tool little is known for
  variation between accessions by their germination
  capacity for practical point of view.
• EURISCO could assist further by developing
  specific database for seed characters. Thereby
  the information collected by years in the
  genebanks will become publicity and practical
  application.

Silene caliakrae D.Jord. et P.Pan.
13
Conclusions

• NI could be used to describe the pattern of crop
  plant diversity maintained in Bulgaria.
• At this stage the created NI is open for further
  extension according to the user needs.
• BGR-NI will assist for harmonization of passport
  data between EURISCO and CCDBs.
• In near future our efforts will be aimed to
  improve data quality in BGR-NI both by gradual
  improvement gathering information from institutes
  outside of the National genebank and by further
  completing of information in the existing dataset.

Sadovo