U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service
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U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service |
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NCGRP Program |
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Facts NCGRP is one of the world’s largest genebanks, housing genetic resources of plants and animals with current or future importance to agriculture. Genetic diversity of species is maintained through multiple accessions of germplasm collected from around the world from wild populations, landraces and improved breeding stock. The three research units at the NCGRP are dedicated to the maintenance of genetic resources and researching new ways to conserve genetic resources. Future expansion will allow NCGRP to preserve genetic resources of beneficial insects and microbes. NCGRP houses the base collection for plant genetic resources for USDA’s National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), a network of cooperating institutions, agencies and research units in the Federal, State and private sectors. The plants are grown, evaluated and regenerated at regional Plant Introduction Stations and repositories around the country. Research Units at NCGRP Plant Genetic Resources Preservation Program - Maintains the NPGS collection of seeds and plant cuttings Plant Germplasm Preservation Research Unit - Develops new approaches for genebanking plant genetic resources to enhance the genetic diversity and security of collections. National Animal Germplasm Program– Determines the genetic diversity of live animal populations and maintains cryopreserved animal germplasm and associated information systems. History 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 that uses state-of-the-art preservation practices. The use of liquid nitrogen (cryogenic storage) to store seeds at NSSL was introduced in 1977 and became a routine practice by 1990. Cryogenic storage also made it possible to preserve germplasm from vegetative cuttings and recalcitrant seeds. In 1992, the NSSL building was expanded and the capacity to store germplasm increased ten-fold. The greater security and access to liquid nitrogen made the facility an attractive place to establish the USDA’s first animal genebank, the National Animal Germplasm Program (NAGP) which was initiated in 1999 under the auspices of the National Genetic Resources Program, authorized by Congress in 1990. The expanded mission of preserving germplasm of animals, and eventually insects and microbes, prompted the designation of the facility as a Center in 2002 and a name change to the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation. |
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USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Genetic Resources
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