Seed Bank

The Seed Genebank at the Scientific Centre safeguards a diverse range of landraces, modern breeding varieties, prospective lines, and hybrids across vegetable, melon, and industrial crops. Serving as a pivotal repository, it provides essential raw materials for breeding endeavors. The seed bank meticulously stores accessions, with the base collection preserved at -20°C for long-term storage and the active collection at +5°C for medium-term storage, adhering to international standards.

In addition to the core collections, the Scientific Centre maintains a dynamic working/selection collection. Accessions from this collection actively contribute to ongoing breeding processes and are integral to characterization and evaluation studies. Regular efforts are undertaken to enrich and optimize the collection, facilitating the utilization of stored accessions in breeding initiatives.

A systematic approach is employed for data management, with an electronic database housing passport and phenological information in an internationally recognized format. To enhance accessibility, seed packages are labeled with QR and barcodes, streamlining the identification process for scientists seeking specific accessions for multiplication, restoration, or breeding purposes. The collection undergoes continuous updates and expansions.

Functioning as the national focal point of the European catalog of ex situ  collections (EURISCO), the Scientific Center operates under a bilateral agreement with Bioversity International. Passport data for accessions in the seed genebank are also accessible in EURISCO (https://eurisco.ipk-gatersleben.de/), ensuring transparency and cooperation on a broader scale.