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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » National Clonal Germplasm Repository » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #335761
Title: Plant Resources Center and the Vietnamese Genebank System

Author
item HOAI, TRAN THIS THU - Vietnam Academy Of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS)
item Hummer, Kim
item NGHIA, LA TUAN - Vietnam Academy Of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS)

Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/18/2017
Publication Date: 12/5/2018
Citation: Hoai, T.T., Hummer, K.E., Nghia, L.T. 2018. Plant Resources Center and the Vietnamese Genebank System. Acta Horticulturae. 1205:425-430. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1205.50.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1205.50

Interpretive Summary: The highly diverse floristic composition of Vietnam has been recognized as a center of angiosperm expansion and crop biodiversity. The broad range of climatic environments include habitats from tropical and subtropical, to temperate and alpine flora. The human component of the country includes 54 ethnic groups. In 1986, the Botanical Resources Department was founded to preserve more than 1000 accessions collected from Hong River Delta. This facility has now become the Plant Resources Center (PRC) of Hanoi, and has become the headquarters of the Vietnamese Genebank System. This system is responsible for preserving the country’s plant resources. The PRC collects, preserves (ex situ and in situ), documents, assesses, and distributes genetic resources. It improves the efficiency of gene usage. The Vietnamese National Crop Genebank System preserves more than 23,000 accessions of 125 crop species as seed collections. The field genebank maintains more than 3000 accessions of 30 species including sweet potato, taro, yam, cassava, and ginger. The in vitro genebank preserves 500 accessions of taro and yam. In addition, the PCR has characterized and evaluated plant genetic resources for agro-biological characteristics, pest and disease resistance, as well as tolerance to harsh climatic conditions. The PCR conducts genomic research of important crop species to support directly the utilization of plant genetic resources. The PRC has developed in situ preservation sites for tropical fruit crop such as longan and guava. The PRC’s data has been documented and entered into a local database. Annually, the PRC distributes between 500 and 1000 accessions to domestic scientists and farmers. In summary, the PCR plays a key role in supporting food security and developing a stable agriculture in Vietnam.

Technical Abstract: The highly diverse floristic composition of Vietnam has been recognized as a center of angiosperm expansion and crop biodiversity. The broad range of climatic environments include habitats from tropical and subtropical, to temperate and alpine flora. The human component of the country includes 54 ethnic groups. In 1986, the Botanical Resources Department was founded to preserve more than 1000 accessions collected from Hong River Delta. This facility has now become the Plant Resources Center (PRC) of Hanoi, and has become the headquarters of the Vietnamese Genebank System. This system is responsible for preserving the country’s plant resources. The PRC collects, preserves (ex situ and in situ), documents, assesses, and distributes genetic resources. It improves the efficiency of gene usage. The Vietnamese National Crop Genebank System preserves more than 23,000 accessions of 125 crop species as seed collections. The field genebank maintains more than 3000 accessions of 30 species including sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), taro (Colocasia esculenta), yam (Dioscorea), cassava (Manihot esculentum), and ginger (Zingiber officinale). The in vitro genebank preserves 500 accessions of taro and yam. In addition, the PCR has characterized and evaluated plant genetic resources for agro-biological characteristics, pest and disease resistance, as well as tolerance to harsh climatic conditions. The PCR conducts genomic research of important crop species to support directly the utilization of plant genetic resources. The PRC has developed in situ preservation sites for tropical fruit crop such as longan (Dimocarpus longan) and guava (Psidium guiava guajava). The PRC’s data has been documented and entered into a local database. Annually, the PRC distributes between 500 and 1000 accessions to domestic scientists and farmers. In summary, the PCR plays a key role in supporting food security and developing a stable agriculture in Vietnam.