Plant Genetic Resources Conservation in Poland, Prof. Jerzy H. Czembor

Prof. dr hab. Jerzy H. Czembor
National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources - KCRZG,
Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute –
National Research Institute - IHAR-PIB, Radzików, Poland
Plant Genetic Resources
Conservation in Poland

 State of biodiversity
 Policy context for plant genetic resources conservation
 Polish National Plant Genetic Conservation Programme
 Goals, Tasks, Organization structure, Partners
 National collections - crop categories and their wild relatives
 State of ex situ management
 Collection - expeditions
 Field collections
 Long term preservation, Herbarium,
 Application of the molecular techniques
 Information system
 State of the in situ conservation: reintroduction,
 The use of collected material:
Outline

New varieties
Breeding
Crop
diversity
Seed systems
Genebanks
Increased yields, stability…
Adaptation to climate change
Food and nutritional security

 Plant genetic resources are a strategic resource for sustainable crop
production.
 Their efficient conservation and use is critical to safeguard food and
nutrition security, now and in the future.
 The loss of genetic diversity reduces the options for sustainably
managing resilient agriculture, in the face of adverse environments, and
rapidly fluctuating climate conditions.
 In the 21st century agriculture faces a number of challenges:
 to produce more food and fibre (growing world population, mainly
living in urban areas, while relying on a decreasing rural labour force),
 to produce more feedstock for a growing bio-energy market,
 to contribute to overall development in the many agriculture-dependent
developing countries, while adopting more efficient and sustainable
production methods (FAO).
State of biodiversity

 The number of genotypes collected in genebanks is still increasing.
 Currently, about 7.4 millions of accessions are stored in about
1750 gene banks worldwide.
 The Genebank Standards for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture, prepared under the guidance of the FAO Commission on
GRFA in 2013, lay down the procedures that need to be followed for
conservation of plant genetic resources (http://www.fao.org/3/a-
i3704e.pdf).
 Well-managed genebanks both safeguard genetic diversity and make it
available to breeders, scientist or hobbyists (FAO).

Ecosystems
Ecosystem diversity
Species
Diversity between species
(taxonomy)
Genotype
Diversity within species

 ex situ
 Field (genebank)
 Long term
 Seed conservation
 cryopreservation
 in vitro
 DNA
in situ
 On-farm conservation
 National parks, reserves,
 Lanscape parks
State of biodiversity –
conservation

 Because of Poland membership in the EU, we are obliged to take into
account the EU Biodiversity Strategy and its action plans.
 International Agreements – affecting the implementation of the
National Strategy (the most important):
 The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), 1994 – ratified by
Poland
 FAO and the global programs for genetic resource conservation and
sustainable use, including the Global Plan of Action (GPA ) - adopted
by 150 countries in 1996.
 The GPA describes 20 Priority Activities in four areas:
- in Situ Conservation and Development;
- ex Situ Conservation;
- utilization of Plant Genetic Resources;
- institutions and Capacity Building.
Policy context for plant genetic resources conservation and use

 The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and and
Agriculture (IT-PGRFA) (concluded in 2001, ratified by Poland 2004)
 The objectives of the IT-PGRFA are the 'conservation and sustainable
use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and
equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use, in harmony
with the Convention on Biological Diversity, for sustainable agriculture
and food security'
 The centrepiece of the IT-PGRFA is a multilateral system (MS) for
access and benefit sharing.
 Poland is implementing IT-PGRFA directly – lack of national law on
conservation of PGR
 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (the Climate
Convention), which was signed along with the Convention on
Biological Diversity at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and
ratified in 1994.
Policy context for plant genetic resources conservation and use

2008 - National Plant Genetic Conservation Programme is realized
according to national regulation, financed by Ministry of Agriculturae and
Rual Development and coordinated by Polish National Centre for Plant
Genetic Resources (KCRZG) in IHAR-PIB Radzików.
 2008 – 2013 Programme „Improving Plant for Sustainable agro-
ecosystems, High Quality Food and Crop Production for non-food
purposes” IHAR-PIB Radzików.
 2015 – 2020 Programme „Creation of scientific basis for biological
improvement and conservation of plant genetic resources as source of
innovation and support of sustainable agriculture and national food
security”, PBAI-NRI Radzikow . Area I: Conservation of Genetic
Resources of Crop Plants.
Major partners: IHAR-PIB Radzików and InHort Skierniewice
In addition - Rural Development Programmes (2007-2013, 2014-2020).
National Plant Genetic Conservation Programme

 Goals
To preserve and make available genetic material of major crop plants and
their wild and weedy relatives for
breeding, research, education - and to preserve of the surrounding nature
and cultural heritige (breeders, scientists, farmers)
2015-2020
Photo mgr inż. Kamilla Kużdowicz

 Activities
 Collecting of plant genetic resources
 Identification and characterization
 Evaluation
 Multiplication and regeneration
 Long term preservation
 Related research activites – e.g. application of mol. techniques
 Documentation (data bases, herbarium collections)
 Supporting on-farm management
 Promoting in situ conservation of wild crops relatives WCR
 Distribution (dissemination) of plant material
National Plant Genetic Conservation
Programme 2015-2020

7 TASKS
 Task 1.1 Coordination of activities related to the protection and sharing of
genetic resources of plants. (IHAR-PIB Radzików)
 Task 1.2 Collection and preservation of the collections field, in vitro and
cryopreservation, characterization, evaluation, documentation and sharing of
genetic resources and information in the field of agricultural crops and other
plants, related wild species and plant associated. (IHAR-PIB Radzików)
 Task 1.3 Collection, preservation of collections ex situ, cryopreservation and
characterization, evaluation, documentation and sharing of genetic resources
and information in the field of vegetable, fruit, ornamental and providing
pollen and related wild species. (InHort Skierniewice)
 Task 1.4 The maintenance of the Central Long-term Seed Storage of genetic
resources of crop plants, the maintenance of the Herbarium. (IHAR-PIB
Radzików)
 Task 1.5 The maintenance of the Central Database and sharing information on
Genetic Resources of Crop Plants. (IHAR-PIB Radzików)
2015-2020

 Task 1.6 Expanding the diversity of species and varieties of agricultural plants
and herbs on rural areas and raising public awareness of the importance of
genetic resources. (IHAR-PIB Radzików)
 Task 1.7 Expanding the diversity of species and varieties of horticultural and
melliferous plants on rural areas and raising public awareness of the
importance of genetic resources. (InHort Skierniewice)
Finnancial support
Total for 2015 – 2020: 1 123,38 thous. Euro

Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Development
KCRZG
IHAR – PIB Radzików
Plant
Breeding Co.Universities
foudation coordination
InHort Skierniewice
Programme – Organization
OtherInstitutes

• Research Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice,
• Institute of Plant Genetic - Polish Academy of Science, Poznań
• Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation in Puławy,
• Research Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants in Poznań,
• Botanical Garden of Polish Academy of Science in Powsin,
• Warsaw University of Life Science in Warsaw,
• University of Life Science in Lublin,
• University of Life Science in Olsztyn,
• University of Life Science in Poznań, Experimrntal Station in
Baranowo,
• Plant Breeding Ltd. Co. in Palikije,
• Poznan Plant Breeding Ltd. Co. in Tulce,
• Plant Breeding Strzelce Ltd. Co. - IHAR Group
• Malopolska Plant Breeding Ltd. Co.
• Association of the Chełminski and Nadwislański Scienic Parks in
Świecie,
• Arboretum and Institute of Physiography in Bolestraszyce,
Programme - partners

 Cereals (Triticum spp., Secale spp., Hordeum spp., Avena spp., Panicum spp.,
Zea mays, Fagopyrum spp., triticale),
 Large seed legumes (main are: Pisum spp., Vicia spp., Glycine max,
Phaseolus spp.),
 Small seed legumes (main are: Medicago spp., Trifolium spp. and other
minor species),
 Grasses (pasture, lawn and ornamental),
 Oil plants (Brassica napus, Helianthus annuus, Papaver somniferum and other
minor spp.),
 Sugar and pasture beet plants,
 Potato,
 Industrial plants (Humulus spp., Nicotiana spp., Linnum spp.),
The national collections - crop categories/
plant and their wild relatives

 Fruit trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants (main are: Malus spp., Prunus spp., Cerasus
spp., Persica spp., Corylus sp., Juglans regia L., Fragaria spp., Ribes nigrum spp., Rubus
spp., Vitis spp., Vaccinium sp., Oxycoccus spp.),
 Vegetable plants and mushrooms (main are: Alium spp., Brassica spp., Raphanus spp.,
Asparagus spp., Lactuca spp, Antheum spp., Daucus spp., Cucumis spp., Cucurbita spp.,
Phaseolus spp., Licopersicon spp.),
 Medicinal and aromatic plants (main are: Hyssopus officinalis, Satureja montana,
Thymus sp., Origanum vulgare, Hierochloë austral Roem. & Schult., Armoracia rusticana,
Rheum rhaponticum, Archangelica officinalis Hoffm., Centaurium umbellatum Gilib.,
Arnica montana L., Convallaria majalis L., Asarum europaeum L., Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
L., Spreng., Adonis vernalis L., Colchicum autumnale L., Asperula odorata L., Helichrysum
arenarium sp.).
 Ornamental plants (main are: Lilium spp., Narcissus spp., Tulipa spp., Gladiolus spp.),
 Alternative plants (for use as source of energy, for recultivation of devastated lands
by industry,
 Weedy endangered species.
The national collections - crop categories/
plant and their wild relatives

 KCRZG, IHAR-PIB, Radzikow
Dr Fu Dostatny, G. Kloc, D. Dziubińska
 BG Powsin, PAN
Dr W. Podyma
Areas: arable, orchards (Poland and abroad)
Genetic resources
• cereals (rye),
• crop wild relatives,
• fruit trees in cooperation with
Single-crop expeditions or Multicrop exploration
Photo. Dr Fu Dostatny
Collection - expeditions

KCRZG - Botanic Garden
Dr W. Majtkowski,
Mgr G. Majtkowska,
Dr J. Schmidt
Photo. W. Majtkowski, G. Majtkowska
EXAMPLE
Areas: meadows, pastures
Genetic resources
• perennial grasses,
• legumes,
• herbage, ornamental
• other
Collection - expeditions

White clover
Red clover
Hare's-foot clover
Alsike clover
Large clover
Common
Bird's-foot-trefoil
Alfalfa
Ribbed melilot
White melilot
Wild liquorice
Cicer milkvetch
PROW 2014 – 2020
•Species included
White melilot
•Species that should be included
Common Bird's-foot-trefoil, Alfalfa, Ribbed melilot
Curator: Dr J. Schmidt
Expeditions - Small-seed legumes collection
2015-2016
EXAMPLE

ORNAMENTAL PLANTS
HERBAL PLANTS
1. English plantain,
2. burnet saxifrage
3. Ragged-Robin
4. meadow fleabane
5. Irish fleabane
6. Hogweed
MELLIFEROUS PLANTS
spotted knapweed
PROTECTED PLANTS
Mouse Garlic
1. oxeye daisy
2. spiked speedwell
3. Thrift Seapink
4. maiden pink
5. Harebell
6. Dwarf thistle
7. Sneezewort Yarrow
8. Meadowsweet
9. Common Betony
10. meadow bistort
11. hoary plantain
12. oregano
Expeditions: Meadow – pasture collection
2015-2016
Curator: Mgr G. Majtkowska
EXAMPLE

Mouse garlic
PROTECTED
Oregano
Herbal
Expeditions: Meadow – pasture collection
2015-2016
EXAMPLE

Expeditions
perennial grasses collection
2015 - 2016
Bromus inermis
Reed Sweet-grass
Wood Meadow-grass
Smooth Meadow-grass
Soft Brome
Bromegrass
Colonial Bentgrass
Rye Brome
Brown Bent
Bearded Couch
Lesser Hairy-brome
Slender False Brome
Jointed Rush
Purple Moor Grass
Curator: Dr W. Majtkowski
EXAMPLE

 KCRZG seed gene bank is a vault for more than 70 000 accessions.
 Potato in vitro genebank preserved 1 400 accessions of tetraploid
potato plants in in vitro cultures.
 Both of them belong to the group of the biggest not only in Europe
but all over the world.
 Seed gene bank is ranked on 17th place in the world ,
3 in Europe, 2 in UE http://www.fao.org/docrep/u8480e/U8480E0r.htm
State of ex situ management
- Long term preservation – seed gene bank
Photo. Dr G. Gryziak
seed
conserv
ation
79%
in
vitro;
19%
in
vivo;
2%

In vitro preservation of potato
collection in Bonin i Młochów
• Collecting and long term preservation
of accessions free of pathogen for
plant breeding and research.
• This is the only gene bank of this
type in Poland and one of very fiew
in the world.

http://www.fao.org/wiews/map-test/en/
(17 in the world, 3 in Europe, 2 in UE )
Number of accesions (2016) - 69 420
State of ex situ managementy Long term storage

State of ex situ management -
Long term storage

Dr G. Gryziak
Old Polish varieties –
long term storage, KCRZG

Herbarium
Photo. Dr Fu Dostatny
 KCRZG Herbarium has a rich
collection of seeds, blossoms and
herbarium sheets
• over 20 000 specimens

 The application of molecular techniques is increasing rapidly in the
conservation of plant genetic resources.
 While many molecular techniques, from allele identification and marker
assisted selection (MAS) to gene transformation, have been developed
specifically to enhance crop improvement, are also proving invaluable in
conservation such as:
 techniques for estimating the spatial and temporal distribution of genetic
diversity and relationships between and within populations;
 gaining insights into crop domestication and evolution;
 monitoring gene flows between domesticated and wild populations;
 increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of genebank operations (e.g.
deciding what material to include within a collection, identifying duplicates;
increasing the efficiency of regeneration and establishing core collections).
Application of molecular techniques

It differs from molecular phylogeny in that
the main goal is not to determine patterns
of relationship but to identify an unknown
sample in terms of a preexisting
classification.
For plants, the concatenation of the
chloroplast genes
matK
trnH-psbA
trnL-trnF
psbK-psbI
atpF-atpH
Dr M. Boczkowska, 2016
DNA barcoding is a taxonomic method that uses a short genetic marker in an
organism's DNA to identify it as belonging to a particular species.
Application of molecular techniques

Genomics-assisted breeding (GAB) has
become popular for crop improvement in recent
years partly due to availability of low-cost high-
throughput genotyping and NGS technologies.
It starts to be used in NCPGR for:
 characterization of diverse germplasm
collections;
 development of mapping populations;
 identification of genomic regions through
genetic or association mapping;
 application of markers in breeding.

1. Germplasm
collection
2. amplification
3. Sequencing
3
steps
 Next-generation sequencing refers to non-
Sanger-based high-throughput DNA
sequencing technologies.
 Millions or billions of DNA strands can be
sequenced in parallel, yielding substantially
more throughput and minimizing the need for
the fragment-cloning methods that are often
used in Sanger sequencing of genomes

Jizeng Jiaa et al. 2016. Genomics-based plant germplasm research (GPGR). The Crop J.
Genomics Germplasms
Diversity &
evolution
Germplasm
enhancement
Core collection
Gene discovery
Conservation
protection
X
The content and strategy of
genoplasmics

 In 2008, a new centralized database system was installed in the
National Genetic Resources Centre (NCPGR) of the PBAI-NRI to
improve accessibility, processing and data flow, as well as to facilitate
the management of seed collections and activities.
 Currently over 90% of all accessions have passport data stored in the
database.
 Since 2006, all passport data is available through the EURISCO web
catalogue and a majority is available through the Global Biodiversity
Information Facility (GBIF).
 About 2000 samples of all collected genetic resources were distributed
annually of which 50% to 70% were requested by the researchers, 5%–
20% by the breeders, 5%–10% by gene banks.
 Our system also allows free ordering of genetic material in the form of
seeds, slips or microtubers.
 It serves breeders, researchers, farmers and hobbyists.
Information Systems

 All materials form Polish genebank are distributed under terms and
conditions of Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA)
according to INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON PLANT GENETIC
RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
 As an example in 2016 - Multilateral System (MLS) included 14 968
new germplasm.
 At a regional level - Poland participates in the European Cooperative
Programme for Plant Genetic Resources ECPGR - through
involvement in the Working Groups work, in a European Gene Bank
Integrated System (AEGIS) and through maintaining central
databases of Secale, Dactylis, Festuca and Lupinus.
Information Systems

Data quality of KCRZG collection
(M. Zaczyński Oct. 2016)
Descryptors According
EURISCO
accessions (%)
Collecting number 21,4
Collecting institute code 18,2
Genus 100,0
Species 84,4
Species authority 86,5
Subtaxa 13,5
Common crop name 68,2
Accession name 70,9
Acquisition date 72,8
Country of origin 73,3
Location of collecting site 33,3
Latitude of collecting site 27,6
Longitude of collecting site 27,2
Collecting date of sample 22,5
Biological status of accession 63,0
Ancestral data 8,4
Collecting/acquisition source 20,2
Donor institute code 51,1
Type of germplasm storage 80,1
Accession URL 90,8
Multilateral System Status 71,6

Biological status
of accessions
• Over 50% of Polish collection have
foreign origin
• Accession collected in Poland during
expedition missions are of small
proportion of total seed collections
• Accessions of wild native species
and local varieties preserved in long
term seed storage
- in 97% were collected during
collection missions in Poland.
EUROPE
NCPGR - KCRZG

Saving Crop Wild Relatives
GeneBanks are conserving diversity
that was left behind during domestication
and they are making it available to farmers
through pre-breeding.
Use of wild species and landraces -
breeding programmes

Cereals
 Triticum aestivum, T.durum - Haynaldia villosa, Triticum Tauschi,T.
speltoides, T .monococcum,T. dicoccoides, T. ovatum, T. triuncialis,T.
monococcum, Aegilops ventricosa, A. juvenalis, A. kotschyi
• (resistance to fungal diseases and pests, resistance to drought and
sprouting, protein quantity and quality, new protein subunits for
baking quality),
 x Triticosecale –T. timopheevi (male-sterilizing cytoplasm)
 Hordeum vulgare - local forms from north-eastern Africa, Middle East and
Southern Asia
• (disease resistance)
 Secale cereale -Haynaldia villosa S. cereale, ssp.ancestrale, ssp. dighoricum,
ssp. afghanicum, ssp. segetale, S. vavilovii, S. silvestre, S.strictum,
• (disease resistance, male sterility, milling and baking quality)
breeding programmes

grasses
Lolium multiflorum, L. perenne - Festuca arundinacea
• (resistance to drought and low temperatures),
Festuca pratensis
• (resistance to diseases and low temperatures, durable green mass),
 wild Polish ecotypes of L. perenne
• (rust resistance, turf quality)
 Deschampsia caespitosa (tufted hairgrass) – wild Polish ecotypes
• (rust resistance, turf quality)
Legumes
 Pisum sativum - Pisum fulvum, Pisum elatius, P. abyssinicum
• (ascochyta blight resistance)
 Lupinus luteus - wild populations from Iberian peninsula ,L. hispanicus
 Lupinus angustifolius - wild forms from the Mediterranean region
breeding programmes

Vegetables
 Capsicum annuum - Capsicum frutescens
• (fruit size and dry matter content),
 C. chinense
• (capsaicinoides content, resistance to viral diseases)
 Allium cepa - A. fistulosum, A. roylei
• (mildew resistance)
 Solanum tuberesum - S. gourlayi, S. megistacrolobum, S. tarijense,
S.vernei, S. yungasense,
• (starch content, resistance to viral diseases),
 S. microdontum, S. phureja, S. verrucosum, S. stenotomum, S. michoacanum
S. nigrum, S. stoloniferum, S. demissum
• (resistance to late blight and viral diseases)
breeding programmes

Other
 Brassica napus - Brassica campestris
• (male sterility),
 B. oleracea ssp. botrytis
• (increase of erucic acid content)
 Rhododendron catawbiense,R. yakushimanum - Rhododendron aureum, R.
brachycarpum,R.. purdomii
• (winterhardiness, variation)
 Nicotioana tabacum - Nicotiana alata
• (resistance to TSWV virus),
 N.africana
• (PVY virus resistance),
 N. wuttkei
• (male sterility)
breeding programmes

 In situ conservation efforts encompass plant species occurring in nature and
cultivated on farms.
 Environmental protection regulations have led to increase the overall area of
protected land in the last 20 years, with the most noticeable increases
between 1980 and 2000.
 Over 428 plant species are currently covered by a strict form of protection and
51 species are partially protected; of which 14 can be harvested.
 On farm conservation remains a marginal, though growing activity in Poland
as it is regionally localized and includes mainly old varieties of vegetables
and fruit trees and very few field crops.
 There are number of on-going projects which lead to the reintroduction of
old plant cultivars and landraces and promoting traditional technology
related to plant growing and processing.
State of the in situ conservation

 In Poland, on farm conservation projects are conducted mainly by non
governmental organizations, but also by the public institutions which are
partners in the National Genetic Resources Programme, hosting orchard and
ornamental plants, vegetables (InHort, Skierniewice) and crop plant
collections (IHAR-PIB, Radzików).
 These institutions identify, monitor and evaluate existing valuable
accessions of crop plants, as well as plants maintained in old orchards or
plantations, and cooperate with their owners to ensure their proper
maintenance and protection.
 They take actions to increase awareness of users of the value of local plant
forms and to maintain and increase variability of crop plants and cultivars
by reintroducing old local landraces.
On farm protection - reintroduction

Historical species of wheat:
 Spelt Triticum spelta – 5 varieties, 3 registered and cultivated; it has a
high concentration of nutrients, used in therapeutic diets.
 Einkorn T. monococcum – 1 winter wheat variety grown on about 100
ha; 2 spring varieties, now propagated. It has a high content of
bioactive substances; a functional food, health-promoting.
 Emmer T. dicoccum – older than spelt, with valuable nutritional
properties; 1 winter wheat variety, cultivated on 5 farms near Brodnica,
in Warmia-Mazury province, acreage of 15 ha. Also has a health-
promoting properties.
 Old varieties of wheat: eg. Rokicka, White Lady - cultivated on organic
farms in Warmia-Mazury province.
 Naked barley – Orkisz variety
 Oat – Udycz Żółty variety
On farm protection - reintroduction

Education
Botanical Garden Bydgoszcz, KCRZG, Dr W. Majtkowski, Dr J. Schmidt

indicator
2015 r. 2016 r. 2017 r. 2018 r. 2019 r. 2020 r.
B D B D B D B D B D B D
number of the
expeditions
0
22
22
44
44
66
66
88
88
110
110
132
number of germplasms
multiplicated,
characterised
0
1800
1800
3610
3610
5420
5420
7230
7230
9040
9040
10850
number of seed
germination tests
0
6500
6500
13000
13000
19500
19500
26000
26000
32500
32500
39000
number of educational
activities
0
60
60
120
120
180
180
240
240
300
300
360
number of publication
number
0
30
30
60
60
90
90
120
120
150
150
180
2015-2020 - indicators

KCRZG, Botanical Garden - Bydgoszcz
ACNOWLEDGEMENT

KCRZG, Laboratory of Documentation and Long Term Conservation

KCRZG, Laboratory of Plant Collection and Evaluation

Plant Genetic Resources Conservation in Poland, Prof. Jerzy H. Czembor

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