Abstract

Brazil is one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth, holding ∼10% of the world's vascular plant species. Despite that, Brazilian agriculture is highly dependent on genetic resources originating from other countries. Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) is the governmental institution that, since 1973, has been responsible for the introduction and conservation of genetic resources in Brazil. In this article, we report on the experiences that Embrapa has faced over the past 45 years to build and improve a national network for the preservation of plant genetic resources under the coordination of Embrapa Genetic Resources & Biotechnology (CENARGEN), one of the 42 Embrapa decentralized units. The first network-based model, RENARGEN, initiated in 2003, was followed by the National Platform for Genetic Resources (Platform RG) in 2009; and from 2014 until today Embrapa manages the conservation of genetic resources through Portfolio REGEN, in which the plant component is called Plant Genetic Resources Network (RGV). This network covers activities of enrichment, conservation, characterization, and documentation of genebanks. Embrapa's plant genetic resources are conserved in active genebanks (AGs), in long-term seed bank (Colbase), and in vitro and DNA banks. In situ and on-farm conservation are also handled at Embrapa to complement and reinforce ex situ conservation. The latest survey reveals that Embrapa has 134 AGs with ∼150,000 accessions of 1130 plant species, 123,000 accessions of 735 species within Colbase, 1250 in vitro accessions, and 12,000 DNA samples. At least 65% of this collection is documented and available to the public in the Embrapa Alelo system, which also handles quarantine, germplasm exchange, and herbarium data. By the end of 2018, the public Alelo data will be automatically migrated to the Genesys system. In the last 40 years, ∼650,000 accessions have been exchanged by Embrapa, with 70% of them imported from other countries.

Highlights

  • Brazil is one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth

  • Brazil has achieved important results in agricultural research, with significant progress in the conservation and use of plant genetic resources, especially those related to food production

  • We report on the experiences that Embrapa has faced in the construction of a national network for the conservation and use of Brazilian plant genetic resources

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Summary

Introduction

Brazil is one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth. Its advantageous location (between 5°N and 33°S and between 35°E and 74°W) and its large continental dimension (it is the largest country in the southern hemisphere and the fifth largest in the world in total area) may be the geographic attributes that provide Brazil with the following characteristics:. - Brazil has 33,161 species of vascular plants, which represents *25% of the Americas and 10% of the world plant diversity2;. Brazilian agriculture is highly dependent on genetic resources originating from other countries. The systematic introduction of exotic genetic resources, the ecological diversity, and the development of technologies and new varieties adapted to the different Brazilian biomes resulted in an intense and ample adaptation and expansion of several crops that are today considered, globally, as basic commodities. Brazil has achieved important results in agricultural research, with significant progress in the conservation and use of plant genetic resources, especially those related to food production. We report on the experiences that Embrapa has faced in the construction of a national network for the conservation and use of Brazilian plant genetic resources

Background
27. Visualization of component project
Findings
32. Technology Solutions
Full Text
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