Training in Plant Genetic Resources Management: A Way Forward

Abstract

Plant genetic resource collections are national treasures that are critical to the success of breeding programs and the long‐term resiliency of agriculture in the United States and worldwide. The USDA National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is a coordinated network of 19 genebank locations throughout the United States that conserve and protect nearly 600,000 accessions representing ∼16,000 plant species. The expertise of current curators must be captured, and training materials must be developed to educate the next generation of those who maintain and use plant genetic resources. A group of experts convened in April 2018 to discuss the needs, pedagogical approaches, educational content, delivery platforms, and mechanisms for sustaining a possible future plant genetic resources management training program. A three‐component approach was envisioned to achieve the task of educating current and future genebank managers, as well as those who use genetic resources in their research and breeding programs. The proposed training program will include the development of online Resource Libraries, online courses, and workshops. Resource Libraries, hosted by GRIN‐Global, will make learning objects, downloadable information, and links to other online sources publicly available. These Resource Libraries will be available for use in existing classes, as well as for the development of new workshops and online courses. Development of, and public access to, training resources will capture key information about genebanking, make it more widely available, and secure its long‐term viability.