Research Group - IPK Gatersleben

Abteilung Genbank/Department of Genebank
Programme:
Management and
Evaluation
Research Group:
Resources Genetics and
Reproduction
Head: Dr. Andreas Börner
Scientists
IPK financed
Dittbrenner, Anke (0,5 P)
Lohwasser, Ulrike, Dr. (P)
Navakode Gangadharan, Sheeba (0,5 P)
Tikhenko, Natalya, Dr. (0,75 Annex, 03.09.-30.11. 007)
Weidner, Annette, Dr. (0,75 Annex)
Grant Positions
Neumann, Kerstin (0,5 Saxony-Anhalt)
Visiting Scientists
Daniel, Isaac, Dr. (Humboldt Foundation)
Dobrovolskaya, Oxana (DFG, 15.07.-1 .10. 007)
Landjeva, Svetlana (DFG, .09.- .1 . 007)
Schloenvoigt, Michael, Dr. (InWEnt, 5.04.-30.09. 007)
Zaynali Nezhad, Khalil (Iranian government)
Scholars
Liu, Ligong (InWEnt, 0 .05.-14.09. 007)
Liu, Dongyon (InWEnt, 0 .05.-14.09. 007)
Goals
Long-term seed storage; reproduction, evaluation and
genetic characterisation of genebank collections.
Research Report
The total number of accessions maintained at the
Gatersleben site comprises 1 8,083 samples, of which
1 ,468 are preserved in the cold store. Safety duplicates
are available for 9,605 accessions. 8,867 samples were
used for performing germination tests. 10,538 accessions
(excluding the External Branch “North”) were distributed
4
to users, two thirds of which were provided to research
institutes including IPK (S. Pistrick, A. Börner). During the
growing season 006/ 007 a total of 8, 05 accessions
were cultivated, including 1, 05 samples grown for evaluation
only. A taxonomic classification was performed
for ,716 accessions. Descriptor lists were created or revised
for the genera/species Spinacia, Cichorium, Eruca,
Valerianella and Vicia faba as well as the forage grasses
(U. Lohwasser, E. Willner, M. Grau).
In March 007, a Quality Management System according
to the international standard DIN EN ISO 9001: 000 was
implemented successfully. After passing an external audit
the Genebank was certified for the scope “Research
and Service on Plant Genetic Resources”. The Genebank
activities are divided into four main processes. Herein individual
tasks and processes are described by procedure
and working instructions in order to ensure an efficient
and well-documented work. Five procedure instructions
define the operations performed within the Resources
Genetics and Reproduction group: handling of new seed
material, seed reproduction, pollination, maintenance of
vegetative plant material, and taxonomical determination
of the genebank material. Reproducible and traceable
processes ensure the high quality of the genebank
material (U. Lohwasser, A. Graner, A. Börner).
The collection-related research focussing on seed longevity
studies was continued. Analysing wheat accessions
stored up to 33 years in the cold store, it was
demonstrated that beside the duration of storage the
germination rate is significantly influenced by the genotype.
Furthermore, it was found that germinability of
identical accessions after accelerated (ISTA) and natural
aging was highly comparable (see Fig. 13). It was clearly
demonstrated that by applying the accelerated aging
test, it is possible to differentiate between high-vigour
and lower-vigour accessions (S. Landjeva, M. Nagel,
S. Pistrick, A. Börner).
Fig. 13: Longevity of wheat accessions stored at 0 °C. Whereas after
15 years high germination rates were maintained for nearly all
accessions analysed an increased variation ranging between > 90
and < 10 % germinability was obtained after more than 30 years of
storage, determined by genotype (S. Landjeva, M. Nagel, S. Pistrick,
A. Börner).