History of the Conservation and Use of Plant

Genetic Resources in RussiaVavilov Federal Research Center of Plant Genetic Resources - VIR

Aleksei ZAVARZIN, Yulia UKHATOVA

Work with PGR

• MOBILIZATION: Targeted collecting of genetic resources economically important for Russia

• PRESERVATION: Long-term conservation of plant genetic diversity and modernization of conservation technologies

• STUDY: Complex study of crop genetic resources and identification of new source materials for efficient plant production and adaptive plant breeding; fundamental and applied research on global PGR

• USE: Setting up collections of genes and donors of economically valuable traits; development of principles and technologies of plant breeding and improvement of priority crops; breeding of new crops

Bureau of Applied Botany

organized in 1894 at the Scientific Committee of the Ministry of Land Cultivation and State Property of Tsars for

• Comprehensive study of cultivated plants • Initiation and development of scientific plant breeding in Russia• “Bulletin of the Bureau for Applied Botany” (since 1908)

Prof. Batalin Prof. Borodin Robert E. Regel

First directors

Nikolay VAVILOV

1920: Nikolay Vavilov isHead of the Departmentof Applied Botany andPlant Breeding:

• enhancing collecting

• fostering research

• attracting prominentscientists

• estbalishing the world recognised center

Vavilov’s collecting missions

Khoresm (Khiva, Novyi Urgench, Gurlen, Tashauz)

1921 Canada (Ontario) and USA (New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, California, Oregon, Maine)

1924Afghanistan (Herat, Afghan Turkestan, Gaimag, Bamian, Hindu Kush, Badakhshan, Kafiristan, Jalalabad, Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, Baquia, Helmand, Farakh, Sehistan)

1925

Vavilov Research Center of PlantGenetic Resources (VIR)

1926

-

1927

Mediterranean countries (France, Syria, Palestine, Transjordan, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Greece, Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus and Crete, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Egypt, where Gudzoni was explored by Vavilov's request);Abyssinia (Djibouti, Addis Ababa, banks of Nile, Tsana Lake), Eritrea (Massaua) and Yemen (Hodeida, Jidda, Hedjas)

Iran1916

China (Xinjiang - Kashgar, Uch-Turfan, Aksu, Kucha, Urumchi, Kulja, Yarkand, Hotan) together with M.G. Popov, then alone to China (Taiwan), Japan (Honshu, Kyushu and Hokkaido) and Korea

1927 Germany (mountainous regions in Wuertemberg, Bavaria,)

1929

Vavilov Research Center of PlantGenetic Resources (VIR)

1930 USA (Florida, Louisiana, Arizona, Texas, California), Mexico,Guatemala and Honduras

1932

-

1933

Canada (Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia),USA (Washington, Colorado, Montana, Kansas, Idaho, Louisiana, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North and South Dakotas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah); Cuba, Mexico (Yucatan), Ecuador (Cordilleras), Peru (Lake Titicaca, Puno Mt., Cordilleras), Bolivia (Cordilleras), Chile (Panama River), Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Amazon), Argentina, Uruguay, Trinidad and Porto Rico.

Centers of origin of cultivated plants

Mobilizing and preserving

125

• MOBILIZATION: focused search and collection of economically significant plants; exchange

• CONSERVATION: long-term storage of vital accessions of PGR and CPWR and improving conservation technologies

Territory covered by collections

VIR structure

• Departments of genetic resources

• Long-term storage• Herbarium WIR

• Research laboratories• Core facilities• Field stations• Agricultural library

Oat, Rye and Barley

Wheat

Genetic Resources Departments

Collection started in 1901.

50 000 accessions of wheat from over

70 countries, Aegilops (5,275), Triticale

(4,384)

Collection started in 1894.

37 000 accessions including

oat (13,065 accessions), rye

(3,386) and barley (20,410).

Groat CropGrain Legume

47 000 accessions of more

than 160 species, including pea

(8,118), common bean (7,700),

soybean (7,441), vetch (5,702), faba

bean (1,978), lentil (3,080), chickpea

(3,567), cowpea (4,085) and other

legumes.

49 000 accessions of species and

varieties of maize (15,215), sorghum (9,799),

buckwheat (2,325), rice (5,874), millet (9,114)

and some other species.

Genetic Resources Departments

Fruit Crop Vegetable and Cucurbit Crop

52 000 accessions of 282 species of

tomato (7,653 accessions), cabbage (3,432),

pepper (1,851), eggplant (737), spinach (791),

lettuce (2,576), dill (883), carrot (3,312),

radish (2,443), beet (2,356), onion and garlic

(3,124), cucumber (4,283), melon (4,297),

watermelon (3,145), rare vegetables

22 000 accessions (field)including apple (3,819), pear

(1,585), quince (148), sour and

sweet cherry (1685), plum (3,701),

apricot (491), peach (345), grape

(3,391), etc

Genetic Resources Departments

Perennial Forage CropPotato

Over 8 000 accessions of

wild, primitive and cultivated

potato species from the centers of

origin, and cultivars from all the

countries in which this crop is

cultivated.

32 000 accessions of alfalfas

(5,652 accessions), sainfoin (1,058),

clovers (7,683), melilot (1,308), timothy

(1,932), fescue (1,239), bromegrass (1,584),

meadow grass (1,911), cock's foot (1,477),

ryegrass (1,227), arid and silage crops.

Genetic Resources Departments

Oil and Fibre Crop

Over 29 000

accessions including

cotton (6,549), flax

6,506), hemp, kenaf

and jute (2,609),

rapeseed (1,748),

mustard (1,631), various

oil crops (4,460) and

poppy (1,853).

Genetic Resources Departments

Long-term preservation

Ultra-dry seed storage

Low-temperature conservation of seed collections (+4°С; –10°С).

In-vitro collection

Cryobank (–196°С)

Specialized herbarium WIR of CP and CPWR

(1894) - types, references, weeds

Herbarium

Study and use

125

• Study: complex studies of PGR and identification of traits for effective and adaptive breeding; fundamental and applied studies of the world PGR diversity

• Use: development of breeding technologies for improvement of cultivated plants; genes and donors; molecular breeding

Research facilities

Laboratory facilities – molecular genetics, biochemistry, plant physiology, biotechnology, etc.

11 regional branches (field stations and duplicate storage)

Established in 1838

Over 1.7 mln books

Agricultural library

Main research vectors

Monitoring of cultivated plants and CPWR diversity and dynamics

Development of technologies of PGR long-term preservation, health maintenance, etc.

Interdisciplinary research of the crop groups involving new techniques and technologies for product improvement, food security, technologies development

Analytical services on plant genetic resources policies and development of PGR legislation

Target genes

Gene functions and crop improvement using CRISPR/Cas

(1)Identification of new target genes to improve crop resistance and RNA directed modification of genes

(2)de novo domestication –identification of target genes of CPWR to modify for domesticated traits

Focused breeding

New allelic variants to promote southern crops to the North Screening of vigna and soya

been accessions • to identify allelic variants of

known genes that affect developmental types and maturation rates

• for comparative transcriptomic analysis to identify new genes, responsible for these traits.

Further studies - oil and fiber crops, fruit plants and spring grains.

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2.GTCGTGTCTGCCTC----TCCAAC

Сравнительные генетические и

геномные исследования образцов,

контрастных по срокам развития,

цветения и созревания в южных и

северных широтах.

Идентификация генов-кандидатов

и аллельных отличий

Ускоренная ориентированная

селекция для

«осеверения» южных культур

High value added products

Genomic approaches to improve technological properties of crops

Guar gum - the main ingredient for hydraulic fracturing

in oil and gas exctraction

Potato starch with desired properties -

important ingredient for food, pulp and

paper, chemical industries

Grapes - source for winemaking and for high value products

for functional, children's and dietary food

Pathogen resistance

Molecular and genetic mechanisms of resistance to biotic stresses

1200пн

440пн

380пн

M 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Barley resistant (left) and sensitive (right) to powdery mildew - selected for transcriptome profiling

Potato genotypes resistant to golden nematode

(1) grain crops (barley, wheat) resistance to powdery mildew and other fungi, (2) structural and functional organization of genes controlling the resistance of cereals (sorghum, barley) to common cereal aphids, (3) potato resistance to the most harmful pathogens (including quarantine pests).

Expanding crop genetic diversity

Molecular and cytogenetic, marker-based genomic analysis of introgression lines

125 лет

Cell and chromosome engineering of Solanaceae and Poaceae crops

Breeding new crops

Somatic hybridization for breeding and breeding

125 лет

Development of optimal parameters of nutrient media for invitro introduction of hybrid embryos obtained as a result ofintra-and interspecific hybridization of species of the genusPrunus L.

Breeding of new crops from different crop groups basing on extensive data of collection studies

Collaboration

Mobilization, monitoring and conservation in situ of agrobiodiversityDevelopment of national gene banks and system of conservation of exploration on common methodological principles Development of technologies for long-term preservation and maintenance of PGRDevelopment of joint bilateral and multilateral breeding and seed programs Training and professional development of staffHarmonization of the regulatory framework for exploration in the participating countriesEducation and involvement of the population in the conservation of PGR

vir@vir.nw.ru

www.vir.nw.ru

Thank you for

attention!