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Rice Germplasm and Genetics - Project Page
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USDA Agricultural Research Service World Rice Collection

The mission of the National Plant Germplasm System is to maintain seedstocks of cultivars (also called “germplasm”) collected from around the world as a means of preserving global genetic diversity. Within this system is a collection of some 19,000 rice varieties that have been maintained for decades. These varieties serve as a resource for a wide diversity of natural genes and traits that help in the development of new rice varieties. The Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center is the only USDA-ARS location where this rice collection is grown, seed rejuvenated, and genomic and trait characteristics are determined. The seed is sent to the National Small Grains Collection (https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/aberdeen-id/small-grains-and-potato-germplasm-research/docs/national-small-grains-collection/) located in Aberdeen, ID where it is distributed to researchers around the world. Orders for seed and the collected trait data can be found at http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/.