What is germplasm?
It is the pool of genetic material (in the form of plants, seeds, cuttings and tissue) that is maintained for use in research and breeding efforts around the world. Germplasm is maintained by all of the above groups for research programs, breeding programs and the preservation of endangered species. Because in commercial breeding programs it is all too easy to lose disease resistance or stress tolerance when searching for the largest fruit or most dynamic flower, keeping this bank of genetic material in reserve allows plant breeders to request ancestral plants and use them to bring back valuable traits that might otherwise be lost. The kinds of germplasm maintained varies by location, facility and the type of agency that controls it. New plants. New plants come from breeding programs and introduction programs around the world. Each of the agencies above plays some role in the breeding, development, introduction or preservation of ornamental crops. There are many factors that affect how
Plant germplasm refers to the ‘genetic base’ of a particular crop, including individuals, populations, or relatives that may contribute genetically to breeding and crop improvement. Germplasm may include: • Currently utilized or formerly used “elite” germplasm–the product of modern plant improvement. • Landraces, or traditional varieties–the product of selection by traditional cultures. The term ‘landrace’, is widely applied to local, often genetically highly variable, crop variants cultivated as part of traditional agriculture. Frequently, a landrace includes a broad mixture of genotypes. • Wild or weedy plants with the potential of providing useful genes for plant improvement and natural products useful to humans. These plants may be candidates for domestication. • Specialized genetic stocks for research. Germplasm is the genetic base for recombination and selection in breeding programs needed to improve crops. Diversity is needed to: • sustain genetic improvement for polygenic tra
