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Submitted to: Chronica Horticulturae
Publication Type: Popular Publication Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/2014 Publication Date: 5/7/2014 Citation: Jenderek, M.M. 2014. The Second International Symposium on Plant Cryopreservation. Chronica Horticulturae. 54:32-33. Interpretive Summary: The Second International Symposium on Plant Cryopreservation was held in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, from August 11-14, 2013, under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science. The town of Fort Collins is home to the USDA-ARS, National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation, one of the largest genebanks in the world that stores seeds, clonally propagated plant material and animal germplasm, and carries research on cryopreservation of both plant and animal genetic resources. Cryopreservation is the most efficient means of long-term storage of genetic resources. It supports global efforts to secure food sustainability and the preservation of plant diversity. The symposium brought together scientists from 28 countries interested in cryobiology, genebanking and ex situ plant preservation. The scientific program consisted of presentations on advances in fundamental cryobiology, applied cryobiology in plant preservation, storage of tropical, recalcitrant and endangered species in liquid nitrogen, application of systems biology, cryo-genebanking of germplasm in China, Germany, India and Peru. A special session was dedicated to Prof. Akira Sakai, a pioneer researcher on cold hardiness and plant cryopreservation. The symposium was a productive forum for reporting, discussing and strengthening scientific collaborations among the relative small group of plant cryopreservation scientists worldwide. Technical Abstract: The Second International Symposium on Plant Cryopreservation was held in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, from August 11-14, 2013, under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science. The town of Fort Collins is home to the USDA-ARS, National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation, one of the largest genebanks in the world that stores seeds, clonally propagated plant material and animal germplasm, and carries research on cryopreservation of both plant and animal genetic resources. Cryopreservation is the most efficient means of long-term storage of genetic resources. It supports global efforts to secure food sustainability and the preservation of plant diversity. The symposium brought together scientists from 28 countries interested in cryobiology, genebanking and ex situ plant preservation. The scientific program consisted of presentations on advances in fundamental cryobiology, applied cryobiology in plant preservation, storage of tropical, recalcitrant and endangered species in liquid nitrogen, application of systems biology, cryo-genebanking of germplasm in China, Germany, India and Peru. A special session was dedicated to Prof. Akira Sakai, a pioneer researcher on cold hardiness and plant cryopreservation. The symposium was a productive forum for reporting, discussing and strengthening scientific collaborations among the relative small group of plant cryopreservation scientists worldwide. |
