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Germplasm
Germplasm refers to genetic resources such as seeds, tissues, and DNA sequences that are maintained for the purpose of animal and plant breeding, conservation efforts, agriculture, and other research uses. These resources may take the form of seed collections stored in seed banks, trees growing in nurseries, animal breeding lines maintained in animal breeding programs or gene banks. 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, food security, and conservation efforts. In the United States, germplasm resources are regulated by the National Genetic Resources Program (NGRP), created by the U.S. congress in 1990. In addition the web server The Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) provides information about germplasms as they pertain to agriculture production. Regulation In the United Stat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cryoconservation Of Animal Genetic Resources
Cryoconservation of animal genetic resources is a strategy wherein samples of animal genetic materials are preserved cryogenics, cryogenically."Cryoconservation of Animal Genetic Resources", Rep. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2012. FAO Animal Production and Health Guidelines No. 12. Print. Animal genetic resources, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, are "those animal species that are used, or may be used, for the production of food and agriculture, and the populations within each of them. These populations within each species can be classified as wild and feral populations, landraces and primary populations, standardised breeds, selected lines, varieties, strains and any conserved genetic material; all of which are currently categorized as Breeds." Genetic materials that are typically cryogenically preserved include sperm, oocytes, embryos and somatic cells.Mazur, P., S.p Leibo, and G. E. Seidel.Cryopreservat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Plant Germplasm System
The U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is a coordinated network of federal, state, and private institutions administered by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Its mission is to conserve the genetic variation , genetic diversity of agriculturally important plants while facilitating the use of germplasm (seeds and other Plant propagation , propagative materials) for research, breeding, and educational purposes. The NPGS operates 27 specialized sites, each responsible for one or more crop collections. Long-term Seed bank , backup storage is provided by the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation (NLGRP). All NPGS collections are linked through the centralizeGermplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)database. ThNational Germplasm Resources Laboratory (NGRL)in Beltsville, MD, manages the GRIN database and coordinates 40 Crop Germplasm Committees (CGCs)—composed of crop specialists that provide guidance to th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation or cryoconservation is a process where biological material - cells, tissues, or organs - are frozen to preserve the material for an extended period of time. At low temperatures (typically or using liquid nitrogen) any cell metabolism which might cause damage to the biological material in question is effectively stopped. Cryopreservation is an effective way to transport biological samples over long distances, store samples for prolonged periods of time, and create a bank of samples for users. Molecules, referred to as cryoprotective agents (CPAs), are added to reduce the osmotic shock and physical stresses cells undergo in the freezing process. Some cryoprotective agents used in research are inspired by plants and animals in nature that have unique cold tolerance to survive harsh winters, including: trees, wood frogs, and tardigrades. The first human corpse to be frozen with the hope of future resurrection was James Bedford's, a few hours after his c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gene Bank
A gene bank is a type of biorepository that is used across the world to store the genetic material of animals, plants, and other organisms. It preserves their genetic information in the form of reproductive material like seeds, sperm, eggs, embryos, cells and other kinds of DNA. Often times, these banks house the genetic material of species that are endangered or close to extinction.They are also used for the preservation of major crop species and cultivars, in order to preserve crop diversity.This protects the organism from threats like extinction, diseases, and climate change. Preservation is done via the collection and storage of reproductive material from an organism. For example, seeds and cuttings may be collected from plants, spores may be collected from fungi, and sperm and egg cells may be collected from animals. Pollen is also an essential component for the reproduction of seed plants. It contains the male genetic material for fertilization of other plants and is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Germplasm 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 Germplasm System. GRIN has extended its role to manage information on the germplasm reposits of insect (invertebrate), microbial, and animal species (see sub-projects). Description The site is a resource for identifying taxonomic information (scientific names) as well as common names on more than 500,000 accessions (distinct varieties, cultivars etc.) of plants covering 10,000 species; It gives 450,000 accessions (outdated; GRIN gives 500,000 as of June 2012). both economically important ones and wild species. It profiles plants that are invasive or noxious weeds, threatened or endangered, giving out data on worldwide distribution of its habitat; as well as passport information. GRIN also incorporates an Economic Plants Database. The netwo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
International Treaty On Plant Genetic Resources For Food And Agriculture
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (also known as ITPGRFA, International Seed Treaty or Plant Treaty) is a comprehensive international agreement in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims at guaranteeing food security through the conservation, exchange and sustainable use of the world's plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA), the fair and equitable benefit sharing arising from its use, as well as the recognition of farmers' rights. It was signed in 2001 in Madrid, and entered into force on 29 June 2004. Main features Participating countries There are 153 contracting parties to the Plant Treaty (152 Member States and 1 intergovernmental organization, the European Union) as of July 2024. Farmers' rights The treaty recognises ''farmers' rights'', subject to national laws to: a) the protection of traditional knowledge relevant to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture; b) the right t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plant Breeding
Plant breeding is the science of changing the traits of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. It is used to improve the quality of plant products for use by humans and animals. The goals of plant breeding are to produce crop varieties that boast unique and superior traits for a variety of applications. The most frequently addressed agricultural traits are those related to biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, grain or biomass yield, end-use quality characteristics such as taste or the concentrations of specific biological molecules (proteins, sugars, lipids, vitamins, fibers) and ease of processing (harvesting, milling, baking, malting, blending, etc.). Plant breeding can be performed using many different techniques, ranging from the selection of the most desirable plants for propagation, to methods that make use of knowledge of genetics and chromosomes, to more complex molecular techniques. Genes in a plant are what determine what type of qualitative or quantitativ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Botanical Garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a garden with a documented collection of living plants for the purpose of scientific research, conservation, display, and education. It is their mandate as a botanical garden that plants are labelled with their botanical names. It may contain specialist plant collections such as cactus, cacti and other succulent plants, herb gardens, plants from particular parts of the world, and so on; there may be greenhouse, glasshouses or shadehouses, again with special collections such as tropical plants, alpine plants, or other exotic plants that are not native to that region. Most are at least partly open to the public, and may offer guided tours, public programming such as workshops, courses, educational displays, art exhibitions, book rooms, op ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 a substantial part of their livelihoods on timber and non-timber forest products (for example fruits, gums and resins) for food security, domestic use and income generation. These resources are also the basis for large-scale wood production in planted forests to satisfy the worldwide need for timber and paper. Genetic resources of several important timber, fruit and other non-timber tree species are conserved '' ex situ'' in genebanks or maintained in field collections. Nevertheless, in situ conservation in forests and on farms is in the case of most tree species the most important measure to protect their genetic resources. Understanding diversity A better understanding of the diversity of these species is crucial for their sustainabl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Germ Plasm
Germ plasm () is a biological concept developed in the 19th century by the German biologist August Weismann. It states that heritable information is transmitted only by germ cells in the gonads (ovaries and testes), not by somatic cells. The related idea that information cannot pass from somatic cells to the germ line, contrary to Lamarckism, is called the Weismann barrier. To some extent this theory anticipated the development of modern genetics. History The term ''Keimplasma'' (germ plasm) was first used by the German biologist, August Weismann (1834–1914), and described in his 1892 book ''Das Keimplasma: eine Theorie der Vererbung'' (The Germ Plasm: a theory of inheritance). His theory states that multicellular organisms consist of germ cells that contain and transmit heritable information, and somatic cells which carry out ordinary bodily functions. In the germ plasm theory, inheritance in a multicellular organism only takes place by means of the germ cells: the gamete ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seed Saving
In agriculture and gardening, seed saving (sometimes known as brown bagging) is the practice of saving seeds or other reproductive material (e.g. tubers, Grafting, scions, Cutting (plant), cuttings) from vegetables, grain, herbs, and flowers for use from year to year for annuals and Nut (fruit), nuts, Fruit, tree fruits, and Berry, berries for perennials and trees. This is the traditional way farms and gardens were maintained for the last 12,000 years (see Neolithic Revolution#Agricultural transition, first agricultural revolution). In recent decades, beginning in the latter part of the 20th century, there has been a major shift to purchasing seed annually from commercial seed suppliers. Most farmers regard seed saving as a risky practice. If farmers do not sanitize their seed, this can result in significant pest or disease damage when the saved seed is planted. Other reasons farmers generally do not save seed include inbreeding depression and certain plants not growing Open polli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
