Each CGIAR genebank has a mandate to conserve specific crops.
Annex 1 of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture lists the genera and species that come under the Treaty’s Multilateral System and that are managed under agreements between the Centers and the Treaty. Annex 1 lists 35 crop genera. CGIAR genebanks are conserving 30 crops but not all of them listed on Annex 1 of the treaty.
Number of accessions per crop
| Crop name | Genebanks | Number of accessions |
|---|---|---|
| Andean roots and tuber crops | CIP | 2,526 |
| Banana | Bioversity and IITA | 1,959 |
| Barley | ICARDA | 32,790 |
| Beans | CIAT | 37,938 |
| Cassava | CIAT and IITA | 9,339 |
| Chickpea | ICRISAT and ICARDA | 36,513 |
| Cowpea | IITA | 17,051 |
| Faba bean | ICARDA | 10,034 |
| Forages | CIAT, ICARDA and ILRI | 70,514 |
| Grasspea | ICARDA | 4,451 |
| Groundnut | ICRISAT | 15,622 |
| Lentil | ICARDA | 14,597 |
| Maize | CIMMYT and IITA | 30,055 |
| Pea | ICARDA | 6,132 |
| Pearl millet | ICRISAT | 23,841 |
| Pigeonpea | ICRISAT | 13,783 |
| Potato | CIP | 7,209 |
| Rice | IRRI and Africa Rice | 151,765 |
| Small millets | ICRISAT | 11,797 |
| Sorghum | ICRISAT | 41,582 |
| Sweetpotato | CIP | 8,054 |
| Trees: Fruits and multipurpose | ICRAF | 14,582 |
| Wheat | CIMMYT and ICARDA | 199,248 |
| Yam | IITA | 5,839 |
Number of accessions is based on the SMO report based on 2018 data.
Regeneration
A crucial element of genebank operations is to ensure that their accessions are kept viable and at high quality for as long as possible. Even under the highest standards of management, however, germplasm deteriorates with time and needs to be regenerated. For many genebanks around the world this is a complex, time-consuming process, each species requiring different procedures, and as a result a regeneration backlog has built up. To help genebanks undertake the important work of regeneration, the Crop Trust partnered with Bioversity International to draw on the expertise of CGIAR genebanks to compile a set of species-specific guidelines for the regeneration of important crops.
The Genebank Platform is making these guidelines available from this website, as part of the information about each crop.
Can you help?
The information on each crop is not exhaustive. If you feel you have useful information to add for any crop, please contact us on info@genebanks.org.