BP Singh

Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources in India 5National Bureau.of Plant Genetic ResourcesNBPGR was established in its present set up in 1976 althoughPGR activities were initiated in 1946. It is the nodal organisationin India for planning, conducting, promoting, coordinating andleading all activities concerning collection, introduction, exchange,evaluation, documentation, safe conservation and sustainablemanagement of diverse germplasm of crop plants and their wildrelatives with a view to ensuring their continuous availability foruse of breeders and other researchers in India and abroad. IndianNational Plant Genetic Resources System, operated by the NBPGR,comprises National Seed Repository (Base collection), NationalFacility for Plant Tissue Culture Repositories, Cryo-preservationFacility and a chain of Clonal Repositories and Field Gene Banks.This system is suppoited by an active partnership of over 30institutions/ centres designated as the National Active GermplasmSites as well as activities taken up under several bilateral andinternational agreements. Conservation programmes should,however, be justified by the effective use of preserved germplasm.The NBPGR has the following national mandate:* To plan, conduct and coordinate plant explorations forcollection of diversity in germplasm of cultivated plants,"their wild relatives and naturally occurring species ofeconomic importance.* To undertake introduction and exchange of plantgermplasm for research purpose.* To examine seed and plant propagules under exchangefor the presence of associated pests and pathogens andalso to salvage healthy materials from the infected/infested! contaminated samples.* To undertake and promote conservation of plant geneticresources on a long term basis employing in vivo, in vitroand cryopreservation techniques and also to assist in situconservation efforts.* To develop and operate the National Database for storageand retrieval of information on plant genetic resources.* To conduct basic research for prOViding a sound scientificback up to its services.