GENEBANK
NordGen’s genebank is a joint plant genebank for all the Nordic countries. It conserves and documents seeds and living plant samples of Nordic heritage and of importance for the Nordic countries. The genebank ensures that the genetic resources that underpin our food supply are both secure in the long-term for future generations and available in the short term for use by farmers, gardeners, plant breeders, and for research and development.
The seed and plant collections of NordGen are important to ensure that agricultural and horticultural plants do not become endangered or extinct over time. Because these plants may contain genes which enables them to resist diseases, have enhanced nutrition composition or survive in changing or harsh climate environments. The services of the genebank are a common public good. The plant genetic resources stored in our genebank are available for research, education, and breeding purposes.
The plant genetic resources stored in our genebank are available for research, education, and breeding purposes.
Plant groups represented in the active collection | Number of seed samples |
Cereals | 21.290 |
Grain legumes | 2.859 |
Vegetables | 2.068 |
Forages | 4.661 |
Oil, textile fibre and root crops | 1.607 |
Medicinal plants and spices | 421 |
Ornamentals | 272 |
Potatoes | 96 |
Table 2: Plant Groups and number of seed samples (accessions) in the Nordic seed collection.
The genebank contains about 34.000 seed samples (accessions) in the active collection from 438 different plant species. These species carry a wide palette of different genetic traits that constitutes the green infrastructure for research and development of a sustainable agriculture and green growth.
Figure 2: Plant groups represented in the Nordic seed collection.
Laboratories
NordGen has a well-equipped seed laboratory for quality assessment of seed samples and follows the FAO’s international genebank standards. This includes, among others, species identification, seed drying, seed cleaning, estimation of thousand grain weight and seed viability. The molecular laboratory provides facilities to prepare and conduct DNA extractions, both PCR-based marker analyses as well as prepare samples for more complex downstream analyses. The in vitro laboratory provides sterile working conditions and incubators for tissue culture or germination in controlled light and temperature. A room for cryo-preservation is planned for in the new building and will enable safe long-term storage of different kind of samples.
NordGen has a well-equipped seed laboratory for quality assessment of seed samples and follows the FAO’s international genebank standards. This includes, among others, species identification, seed drying, seed cleaning, estimation of thousand grain weight and seed viability. The molecular laboratory provides facilities to prepare and conduct DNA extractions, both PCR-based marker analyses as well as prepare samples for more complex downstream analyses. The in vitro laboratory provides sterile working conditions and incubators for tissue culture or germination in controlled light and temperature. A room for cryo-preservation is planned for in the new building and will enable safe long-term storage of different kind of samples.
Growth Facilities
NordGen greenhouse and field team has experience with regeneration of a very broad variation of agricultural and wild plants. This includes valuable knowledge about specific requirements of sowing, transplanting, isolation, fertilization, watering, weeding, winter storage and seed harvest. The team can also assist in recording plant descriptors during the regeneration.
NordGen greenhouse and field team has experience with regeneration of a very broad variation of agricultural and wild plants. This includes valuable knowledge about specific requirements of sowing, transplanting, isolation, fertilization, watering, weeding, winter storage and seed harvest. The team can also assist in recording plant descriptors during the regeneration.
Reducing the Re-generation Backlogs
Due to historic accumulation of new material to the collection of plant genetic resources at NordGen, a backlog of accessions which needs handling to secure long- term conservation has been built up 2008 -2016. To further expand NordGen’s regeneration activities to reduce the backlog, the Board of NordGen adopted in 2019 a project plan to eliminate the backlog by end of 2024. The project named ‘No regeneration backlog by 2024’ is funded by an extraordinary grant from the Nordic Council of Ministers. In 2022 the project showed good progress and all expected goals were met.