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PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES PROGRAMME

NARC, Islamabad

Plant Genetic Resources Institute of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council has a mandate to explore, conserve, evaluate and document the plant biodiversity of Pakistan for the benefit of our future generation. The institute not only provides vital support to national crop improvement programs in the form of required germplasm but also act as a trustee of genetic resources of cultivated plants and their wild relatives. The Institute has linkages with National Crop Coordinators, Agricultural Research Institutes /Universities and other NGOs working for biodiversity conservation.. It also works in close collaboration with International Research and Development Organizations to implement work plan. The Plant Genetic Resources Institute was established in 1993 with the financial and technical assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It comprises of six laboratories i.e. Plant Exploration, Seed Preservation, In vitro Preservation, Germplasm Evaluation, Plant Introduction & Seed Heath, Herbarium and Documentation. In addition to the above there are six glass houses, seed threshing /processing room, soil sterilizer, plant incinerator, insecticide/pesticide store and two stand by electric generators. The research activities being carried out at each Laboratory are highlighted as under:

Plant Exploration.

Plant exploration is the avenue to germplasm for crop improvement, which cannot be obtained by exchange. The spread of improved varieties has resulted in the loss of indigenous crop genetic diversity. Whereas, industrialization and urbanization has seriously damaged the natural environment of crop plants. Plant population is rapidly eroding the reservoir of genetic diversity. Habitats are disappearing at an alarming rate as forests are cleared, roads and cities expand, grasslands are ploughed, burned and overgrazed, land is inundated by lakes impounded by new dams and new lands are irrigated for increased production of modern cultivars. The face of the earth is changing at an accelerating and alarming rate; and as it changes, more genetic diversity is lost forever. The current situation has compelled us to collect and conserve the existing agro-biodiversity in the country before it disappears forever. The Plant Exploration Laboratory organizes three to four plant collecting expeditions every year in different agro-ecological regions of the country to collect/assemble the targeted plant species. The main emphasis is to collect the major crops and their wild relatives as these species are under threat. In some areas where, the natural habitat is important for their conservation, in-situ conservation is being established.

Seed Preservation. 

The genetic conservation of germplasm aims at preserving the genetic integrity of the accessions to avoid the loss of certain genotypes in collection. Seeds are preserved in two types of environment. The active collections are maintained at 10oC to meet the immediate demand of researchers and plant breeders on their request while, the same stocks are kept at 5oC as mid term storage. This seeds stock acts as a back-up to active collection. Currently 19000 accessions of more than 150 crop plant species are available for distribution to research institutes and public. The database of these accessions has been prepared that included information on seed moisture content, germination percentage, quantity of seed, availability status, storage location in the genebank etc. Plant germplasm catalogs, in collaboration with documentation lab., are prepared and distributed to the end-users.
Seed stock in the genebank is periodically subjected to germination tests for monitoring their viability and vigor. Studies are also conducted to find out the most appropriate storage condition for conservation of germplasm. Physiological and biochemical studies are being undertaken to investigate the process of seed deterioration during storage. Research on seed storage behavior aims at enhancing seed longevity in the genebank.

In-vitro Preservation.

All crop seeds do not retain their viability upon drying therefore, for these crops (recalcitrant) a different conservation technique has to be adopted. Similarly for vegetatively propagated crops which do not produce seeds or whose seeds can not be used for crop production, in-vitro conservation is a suitable and widely practiced technique. Application of in-vitro method has added advantages i.e. disease elimination, aseptic plant production, low cost of germplasm conservation and safe and easy international germplasm exchange. Slow growth procedures are adapted to prolong the culture life. Growth retardant and low temperature incubation methods are also used for slow growth purposes.
In-vitro Laboratory is actively engaged in conservation of germplasm of vegetatively propagated crops such as potato, sugarcane, banana, grapes, betel leaf, sweet potato. Effect of sorbitol has been tested for these accessions for slow growth. Root induction has been successfully achieved and shoot growth has been evaluated as influenced by various levels of auxins and cytokinins. It is possible to extend the culture life for up to 8-10 months before it needs to be sub-cultured. Cryo-preservation is also being planned as a future activity for long term conservation of germplasm. Moreover, three training courses have been organized to impart in-vitro culture skills to participants from private and public sector and NGOs.

Germplasm Evaluation.

The germplasm collection and conservation is meaningless if it is not properly evaluated for the traits of interest. Almost 95% germplasm of cereals and legumes have been evaluated for various agro-morphological and genetic traits. Lines moderately tolerant to salt and leaf folder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) in rice, early maturity and short stature in barley, good quality with 5 +10 allelic combination in wheat, powdery mildew resistance in pea, and tolerant to mungbean yellow mosaic virus in mung bean and black gram has been identified for utilization in the breeding programs. Detailed evaluation against biotic and abiotic stresses is being carried out and will remain the major future thrust. SDS-PAGE, Isozyme, and DNA analysis was used to evaluate genetic diversity in different crop species. Several graduate students have completed their thesis research in this lab.


Plant Introduction & Seed Health.

The Plant Introduction and Seed Health Laboratory is charged with acquisition of exotic germplasm, and indexing the health status of material stored in the genebank. Avoiding contamination by pathogens and pests is essential in managing plant germplasm. In addition to imposing quarantine, it is also necessary to secure the vigor, longevity of stored seeds and avoid cross-infection during multiplication. Introduced germplasm as well as the conserved seed stocks are examined for contamination by the pathogens and pests. Indexing the health status helps to avoid spread of pathogens in new geographic regions. New seed borne pathogens especially viruses have been detected in the laboratory in the material even coming from International Agricultural Research Centers. The Seed Health Laboratory also investigate the propagation methods to get healthy seeds from contaminated lots. In collaboration with crop commodity programmes, the laboratory is also engaged in identifying resistance sources to various pathogens like pea seed borne mosaic virus, blackeye cowpea mosaic virus, aphid borne mosaic virus in cowpea, ascochyta blight resistant sources in lentil, powdery mildew resistant sources in peas etc. Effects of pathogens contamination on seed longevity at different storage temperatures are under investigation. The exotic germplasm enters PGRI through the Plant Introduction and Seed Health Laboratory.

National Herbarium:

Herbarium is a kind of filling system in which dried plant specimens pasted on cardboard sheets are placed systematically according to scientific grouping of plants. There are about 100,000 dried plant specimens in the herbarium divided in to Dicotyledons and Monocotyledons, Gymnosperms and ferns placed according to families, genera and species arranged in alphabetical order. National Herbarium is a reference institution at the country level that provide research facility to scientist of related fields and primary source of information about plants of Pakistan.

Data Management:

The plant breeders are unable to use crop germplasm unless and until they have a detail information about each accession. The information about respective crop accessions are compiled in a database system. The management system of plant genetic resources information consists of three main areas. i.e. passport data, stock control data and evaluation data. The Data Management Lab has computerized the genetic resources information, published germplasm inventories for dissemination and edited /cross checked genetic resources information. The Data Management Lab. also facilitates PGRI scientists in data analysis and publishing annual report.

Germplasm Status at PGRI Genebank

a. Genebank Status

b. Characterization and Evaluation of Genetic Resources