Integration of Conservation Strategies of Plant Genetic ... - Genres

Prospects of development of ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources collections in Russia
S.M. ALEXANIAN 1
In the former USSR there were two officially adopted types of plant genetic resources collections: (a)
VIR's collection housing genetic diversity of agricultural crops and their wild relatives; and (b) botanical
gardens (about 70), each preserving wild plant species of the area where it was located and, to some
extent, those introduced from other regions. BBotanical gardens were supervised by the USSR Academy
of Sciences and local universities. It is important to emphasize that botanical gardens comprised mainly
non-consumable plants. At present, there are 58 botanical gardens in Russia. Each garden stores about
4000 plant species.
In addition, there are small collections at the breeding centres (like private collections) maintained for
routine work. Such collections have often been eliminated after being used.
It is also worth mentioning that comparatively small plant germplasm collections exist at some specialized
research institutes. For example, the All-Russian Research Institute for Forages (Moscow Region) stores a
collection of leguminous fodder grasses amounting to about 9700 samples. The All-Russian Institute of
Medical and Aromatic Plants maintains a collection of 1000 medical plant samples.
The most comprehensive collection of plant genetic resources belongs to the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian
Scientific Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR). This Institute originated as the Bureau of Applied
Botany in 1894. The Bureau was reorganized in 1924 into the All-Union Research Institute of Applied
Botany and New Crops. In 1930 it was renamed again and became the Research Institute of Plant
Industry.
The basic objectives of scientific research and practical work at VIR include:
- collecting the global plant genetic diversity: varieties, forms and hybrids of cultivated
plants and their wild relatives;
- preserving the collected germplasm in viable conditions;
- studying the collected plant germplasm;
- supplying breeding centres with initial materials for practical breeding; and
- performing theoretical and methodological research.
To challenge these objectives, a number of specialized departments and experiment stations were
established within the Institute. An important division is the Department of Plant Introduction. Its principal
task is to organize the exploration and collecting of plant germplasm, exchange of accessions and
quarantine testing of the acqired materials.
All the germplasm accumulated by the Institute (including seeds, scions, tubers and bulbs) undergo
registration with the Department of Plant Introduction. Each accession acquires its permanent
introduction number, which would be attributed to this sample further on.
1 Author's address:
Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR)
42-44 B.Morskaya Street
St. Petersburg 190000
Russia