- Storage facilities and genebank management
The PGRC of the Taiwan was established at TARI in 1993. The Center has storage facilities with long-term, medium-term, and short-term storage rooms with storage conditions of -12±2 oC and 40±3 %RH, 1±2 oC and 40±3 %RH, and 10±2 oC and 40±3 %RH, respectively.
Activities at the PGRC can be divided into four parts: collection, preservation, distribution, and research on preservation and identification technologies on germplasm. The targets of collection include germplasm currently kept by Seed Units within the country, the new varieties bred by breeding programs, genetic materials acquired from international exchange, and germplasm collected by exploration teams to meet specific demands. When germplasm materials are imported, they have to be examined by the Bureau of Animal & Plant Health Inspection & Quarantine (BAPHIQ) for quarantine purposes so as to make sure it is infection-free and viable for reproduction and distribution.
For the processing of collected samples of germplasm preservation, the method of preservation is divided according to the type of germplasm which is seed or non-seed (clonal materials). For the aspect of storage of plant seeds, according to the storage tolerance of seeds to low temperature and dry environment, seeds are further divided into storable and non-storable types. These storable materials include small-seeded grain crops and vegetables.
They can be stored for a long time under low-temperature and low-humidity environment and are separately stored in long, medium, and short-term store rooms in accordance to the purpose of storage.
The long-term preservation with storage conditions of -12±2 oC and 40±3% RH is provided mainly for the comprehensive base collection. Careful identification and selection processing are conducted stringently before storage. Storage capacity of the long-term room is 240,000 accessions in aluminium cans sealed under partial vacuum. Stored materials are not be used for exchange. They are only preserved for regenerating fresh seed and periodically examined for seed viability level. The main purpose of this storage is for the perpetuation of the seed stocks. Seed life expectancy of seed preserved in long-term storage at this Centre will last from 30 to 50 years.
The facility of medium-term storage with storage conditions of 1±2 oC and 40±3 % RH is provided solely for the seeds of actively used materials. This storage will accommodate 250,000 accessions or samples that can be used for distribution, exchange, multiplication, and evaluation purposes. The seeds are also supplement the base collection in long-term storage.
Regular germination tests and seed regeneration are required for materials in the storage in order to maintain their viability.
The short-term storage room with storage conditions of 10±2 oC and 40±3 %RH is provided for storing working materials frequently requested or used, such as those parents and progenies of the breeding material or those with particular characteristics for research purpose are kept in this storage room. The storage capacities of the short-term rooms are 200,000 accessions.
Those classified as non-storable type of seed which can not be stored under low temperature and low humidity conditions, are certain vegetables, cocoa, longan, litchi, as well as those seeds are large and fleshly. Such seeds may be stored in low temperature ranges (0-10 oC) for short periods such as 1-5 years.
- Number of accessions by crops/species
Up to December, 2006, the PGRC has stored totally 67,942 accessions in its long-term, medium-term storage rooms, tissue culture rooms, or field repositories. These accessions represent more than 180 families, 696genus, and 1,058 species of plant germplasm (Table 1).
The collections of seeds including 31,832 accessions in the long-term and 64,118 accessions in the medium-term storage room are conserved. For the field genebank, the collection and preservation of germplasm including fruit trees, medicinal plants etc., approximately, 4,800 accessions are grown and maintained in several repositories. A total of 1,734 accessions of collecting clonal germplasm are cultured in vitro.
Table 1. The summary of germplasm accessions preserved in PGRC in 2006.
Crop Scientific name No. of
passport data
No. of character data
No. of image data
Soybean Glycine max 18,940 14,876 64
Tomato Lycopersicon esculentum 6,745 87 1459
Mungbean Vigna radiata 6,301 9,438 51
Rice Oryza sativa 5,910 15,520 84
Pepper Capsicum annuum 4,301 917 118
Eggplant Solanum melongena 2,740 470 320
Peanut Arachis hypogaea 2,112 1,479 127
Common flax Linum usitatissimum 1,811 0 3
Sugarcane Saccharum officinarum 1,397 590 0
Asparagus bean Vigna unguiculata 1,333 516 116
Sweet potato Ipomoea batatas 1,309 596 0
Corn Zea mays 997 293 13
Tea Camellia sinensis 102 101 415
Others 4,792 599 381
Total 67,942 48,952 4298
- In-vitro culture of plant germplasm
Recent studies have made it possible to use tissue culture of plant parts such as shoot meristems, leaves, buds, tubers, etc., of vegetatively reproduced plants. Many clonal materials such as potatoes, sweet potato, yam, taro, strawberry, and some ornamental plants are cultured in artificial media. It is more space-saving of intensively managed than field plantings.
Tissue culture also ensures virus-free condition and pathogen-free from plants. Moreover, these materials are also desirable for international shipment and germplasm exchange. A total of 1734 clonal materials are collected and cultured in vitro (Table 2). In order to save labour cost in a limited space, as well as maintain the minimum growth of plants in vitro, the low temperature, low light, and modified artificial medium are used in the tissue culture room in PGRC.
Table2. Accessions of clonal germplasm in vitro conservation in PGRC
Crops Number of varieties
Sweet potato (Ipomoea babatas (L.) Lam.) 1361
Yam (Dioscorea spp.) 22
Taro (Colocassia esculenta (L.) Schott.) 40
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) 22
Banana (Musa sapientum L.) 123
Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis Duch. var. ananassa Hort. 16
Lily (Lilium spp.) 129
Herbs 16
Amoectochilus spp. 5
Total 1,734
- Field genebanks
Germplasm materials such as fruit trees, sweet potato, medicinal plants, and grasses are grown in nursery field for conservation. So far TARI has maintained seven field nursery sites at different elevations for clonal germplasm. Of two nurseries at TARI, one is used for quarantine and isolation reproduction purpose and one repository site is used for medicinal plants preservation. The aim of the repository is focusing on collection, introduction, propagation, and conservation. The total collections of fruit trees repository include 45 families, 88 genera, and about 800 accessions. In this repository system, tropical/subtropical fruits such as apple, plum, peach, pear, Chinese apricot, persimmon, grape, loquat, pimple, longan, litchi, citrus, avocado, passion fruit, banana, papaya, mango, Indiana jujube, star fruit, guava, wax apple, mulberry, and some exotic fruits were preserved in field genebank (Table 3).
Table 3. Germplasm materials of fruit trees grown in field nursery for conservation.
Repository garden Crops of preservation Accessions
Wanshiang high-altitude field repository
Apple, Peach, Pear 72
Loona middle-altitude field repository
Peach, Plum, Chinese apricot, Persimmon 240
Wanfeng (TARI) low-altitude
Fengsan tropical repository Papaya, Mango, Indiana jujube, Star fruit, Guava, Wax apple
311
Guansih citrus repository Citrus 112
Banana Research Institute Banana 214*
Miaoli Agricultural Research and Extension Station
Mulberry 138
* Detail referring Table 4
Table 4. Collection of banana germplasm in different genome types.
Type of genome accessions
AA 19
AB 2
BB 1
AAA 98
AAB 36
ABB 27
AAAA 1
AABB 1
Other 22
Total 214
In order to expand the functions of fruits germplasm, we investigate the growth habit, evaluate the utilization, and establish the primary database. The main purpose is to select the species or lines which may have the economic value or can be used as stocks with resistance to diseases or pests or can be used as the substrates for hybridization. Some indigenous or local plums with a distinct aroma and sweet skin (non-astringent) are adopted to breed with commercial variety and that become the important low chilling plum genepool in the world.
Most of citrus trees in Taiwan are likely infected with virus or virus-like disease. Nursery trees propagated from the material of existing trees in orchard are likely to be infected with these pathogens. Therefore, the program of establishment of virus-free citrus stock has been conducted since 1982. A two-level propagation procedure of foundation grove and scion grove was developed to improve the clonal germplasm. The mother trees in foundation grove are generated through shoot-tip grafting, heat therapy and indexed free from the above-mentioned pathogens. Scion trees from budwood are released and propagated directly from mother trees.
Mother trees and scion trees are conserved in isolated screen house. There are 22 cultivars 36 lines have been preserved in scion grove.
Among the banana germplasm, using mass screening of resistant clones in indigenous plant Musa formosana (Warb.) Hayata, we investigate the feasibility of using root-pruning inoculation method. The results showed that the disease incidence of 'Pei Chiao' was 87%, but 0% of M. formosana. Browning internal symptom was appeared in 'Pai Chaio', but not in M.
formosana. It obviously indicated the native species of M. formsana has high resistance to Fusarium wilt in banana. This character of disease resistance is considered as precious sources for utilizing banana gene pool in breeding program.
- Germplasm collection of medicinal plants
For the indigenous and local medicinal plant collection, PGRC collaborated with other agricultural institutes conducting the collection and preservation of genetic resources of medicinal plants. These materials including 23 species of Devision Pteridophytes, one species of Devision Gymnosperms, 880 species of Devision Dicotylendons, and 114 species of Devision Monocotyledons were added to PGRC collection. Among these materials, 109 species are native species (Table 5). Some materials are waiting for further regeneration, characterization, and utilization evaluation. Three conservation sites of medicinal plants were established for long-term preservation. A low altitude garden of medicinal herbs collection was set up at TARI. The germplasm of medicinal trees is located in Guansi Experiment Station and the other one repository nursery is established at Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station for the manipulation of backup system. The information system of networks of medicinal plants germplasm has established to offer the academic research and genetic resources exchange. Aperiodical workshop has been held for exchanging knowledge and experiences on collection and development of native medicinal plants.
Table 5. Collection and conservation of medicinal plants added into PGRC in 2006.
Devision Families Genera Species Native species
Pteridophytes 14 16 23 0
Gymnosperms 1 1 1 0
Dicotylendons 90 312 880 92
Monocotyledons 19 56 114 17
Total 124 385 1,018 109
- Distributions and exchange of germplasm
Germplasm distribution remains a major function of the PGRC. Germplasm materials stored and maintained at PGRC are not only for conservation purposes but also to support research and utilization. These genetic materials are available to all persons with academic purpose and can be applied via internet or intranet. The supply of seeds is free of charge as well as including relative information for referring. In the past five years, many accessions of germplasm were distributed and transferred to domestic researchers listed in Table 6.
Table 6. Summary of germplasm distributed and transferred to domestic researchers in the past 5 years.
Crop 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Food Crops 13 (381) 9 (295) 5 (82) 11 (1,069) 9 (627)
Vegetable 17 (583) 12 (393) 6 (76) 28 (336) 14 (516)
Fruit Crop 1 (1) 1 (2) - 6 (8) -
Special Crops 22 (28) 1 (1) 2 (22) 7 (10) 3 (139)
Forage 1 (3) - - 1 (1) -
Ornamentals 2 (2) - - 5 (5) 4 (60)
Total 56 (998) 23 (691) 13 (180) 58 (1,429) 30 (1,342) The number of species and subsequent accessions in parentheses
International genetic resources exchange is also an important part of the center’s service.
Since 1960, TARI has been actively engaged in international exchange of crop seeds and seedlings for research purpose. The germplasm collections imported from foreign countries are conserved in an isolated greenhouse or repository nursery in TARI for quarantine examination.
Crop seeds that go out of the center need pass through Seed Unit for monitoring and quarantine processing. In 2005, more than 1,000 accessions of seed packets were exchanged and distributed (Table 7). The diverse germplasm collection provides materials that genotypes can be particularly used to diversify production systems and chose as a source of novel varieties for development into new crops for commercialization.
Several kinds of publications have been printed from PGRC, such as proceedings of workshop on germplasm, annual report, catalogs, bulletins of genetic resources collection and exchange etc. Some publications also provide the regulations and instructions of application on germplasm which is available for exchange.
Table 7. Summary of germplasm exchanged to foreign countries in the past 5 years.
Crop 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Food Crops 4 (23) 3 (3) 1 (4) 2 (499) 3 (866)
Vegetable 28 (69) 18 (35) 12 (18) 3 (271) 2 (230)
Fruit Crop 4 (11) 8 (35) 1 (1) 1 (11) -
Special Crops - 65 (86) - - -
Forage 1 (3) 2 (176) - - -
Ornamentals 2 (48) 1 (1) - 5 (13) 1 (12)
Total 39 (154) 97 (336) 14 (23) 11 (794) 6 (1,108)
The number of species and subsequent accessions in parentheses