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Germplasm are living
genetic resources
Genetic resources are genetic material of actual or potential value, where genetic material means any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin containing functional units of heredity.
Genetic resources is one of the three levels of biod ...
such as seeds or tissues that are maintained for the purpose of
animal
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...
and
plant breeding
Plant breeding is the science of changing the traits of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. It has been used to improve the quality of nutrition in products for humans and animals. The goals of plant breeding are to produce cro ...
, preservation, and other research uses. These resources may take the form of seed collections stored in
seed bank
A seed bank (also seed banks or seeds bank) stores seeds to preserve genetic diversity; hence it is a type of gene bank. There are many reasons to store seeds. One is to preserve the genes that plant breeders need to increase yield, disease res ...
s, trees growing in nurseries, animal breeding lines maintained in animal breeding programs or
gene bank
Gene banks are a type of biorepository that preserves genetic material. For plants, this is done by in vitro storage, freezing cuttings from the plant, or stocking the seeds (e.g. in a seedbank). For animals, this is done by the freezing of ...
s, etc. Germplasm collections can range from collections of wild species to elite, domesticated breeding lines that have undergone extensive human selection. Germplasm collection is important for the maintenance of biological diversity and food security.
See also
*
Animal genetic resources for food and agriculture
*
Conservation biology
Conservation biology is the study of the conservation of nature and of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions. It is an int ...
*
Cryoconservation of animal genetic resources
Cryoconservation of animal genetic resources is a strategy wherein samples of animal genetic materials are preserved cryogenically."Cryoconservation of Animal Genetic Resources", Rep. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, ...
*
Forest genetic resources Forest genetic resources or forest tree genetic resources are genetic resources (i.e., genetic material of actual or future value) of forest shrub and tree species. Forest genetic resources are essential for forest-depending communities who rely for ...
*
*
Plant genetic resources
*
Seed saving
A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosperm pl ...
References
*Day-Rubenstein, K and Heisey, P. 2003.
Plant Genetic Resources: New Rules for International Exchange'
* 63 p.
*Economic Research Service.
'
* 174 p.
*SeedQues
References
External links
USDA-ARSGermplasm Resources Information Network
Germplasm Resources Information Network or GRIN is an online USDA National Genetic Resources Program software project to comprehensively manage the computer database for the holdings of all plant germplasm collected by the National Plant Germpl ...
(GRIN)
Bioversity International*
ttp://www.bioversityinternational.org/scientific_information/themes/germplasm_health.html Bioversity International: Germplasm Health*
DAD-IS: Domestic Animal Diversity Information System
{{Authority control
Developmental biology
Conservation biology
Food security
Biorepositories