ABSTRACT
Background: Long-Term Preservation of Genetic Resources ..................... 191
Factors that Affect Seed Longevity ................................................................. 192
The Kinetics of Seed Deterioration: Driving Forces..................................... 195
The Kinetics of Seed Deterioration: Resistance Factors............................... 198
Conclusions......................................................................................................... 201
References ........................................................................................................... 201
The USDA National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation (NCGRP) in
Fort Collins, CO, USA is home to over 450,000 accessions of plant and animal
germplasm, maintained in perpetuity so that genetic diversity of agrono-
mically important species is available to future generations. Germplasm is
collected and stored from wild populations, landraces and improved
breeding stocks of over 3000 species. The USDA started genebanking in
the 1890s when plants with interesting traits were introduced to the US and
evaluated at Plant Introduction Stations around the country. The National
Seed Storage Laboratory (NSSL) was built in 1958 to consolidate the plant
collections in a single facility. The name change in 2002 to NCGRP reflected a
broader mission to preserve a diverse array of plant and animal germplasm
and a future goal of preserving microbes. Current preservation protocols
maintain germplasm viability for several decades or centuries, and ensure
that these valuable genetic resources are always replenishable and available
when needed.
