Articles
Conservation of plant genetic resources in Lithuania
Article number
1435_22
Pages
165 – 170
Language
English
Abstract
Since 1994, efforts on plant genetic resources (PGR) have been concentrated within the National Programme on Plant Genetic Resources in Lithuania.
This programme encompasses conservation and research of the genetic resources of agricultural and horticultural crops, medicinal and ornamental plants, and forest trees.
For the implementation of this programme, the collaboration of eight scientific institutions, including Vilnius University Botanical Garden and Vytautas Magnus University Kaunas Botanical Garden, started.
In 2001, the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania adopted the Law on National Plant Genetic Resources, which regulates the accumulation, preservation, and use of national PGR and stipulates how to provide for the sustainable use of these resources, protect them from devastation, extinction and compete for destruction as well as to save the biological diversity.
According to the provisions of this law, PGR, which have ecological, selective, and economic value for the Republic of Lithuania, are selected and included in the central database of the national PGR. It might be plant cultivars, plant populations or their parts, single plants or their groups, or reproductive parts of plants (seeds, pollen, embryos, meristematic tissues, buds, sprouts, etc.). The Plant Gene Bank (currently NDASH State Forest Service) with coordination centers of different plant groups (agricultural plants, forest trees, fruits and vegetables, ornamental plants, and medicinal plants) has been established.
At the end of 2022, there were 5914 accessions on the List of National Plant Genetic Resources in Lithuania.
In 2022, the State Forest Service signed an agreement with the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre (NordGen). According to this agreement, NordGen will store the seeds of 123 accessions of Lithuanian PGR in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
This programme encompasses conservation and research of the genetic resources of agricultural and horticultural crops, medicinal and ornamental plants, and forest trees.
For the implementation of this programme, the collaboration of eight scientific institutions, including Vilnius University Botanical Garden and Vytautas Magnus University Kaunas Botanical Garden, started.
In 2001, the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania adopted the Law on National Plant Genetic Resources, which regulates the accumulation, preservation, and use of national PGR and stipulates how to provide for the sustainable use of these resources, protect them from devastation, extinction and compete for destruction as well as to save the biological diversity.
According to the provisions of this law, PGR, which have ecological, selective, and economic value for the Republic of Lithuania, are selected and included in the central database of the national PGR. It might be plant cultivars, plant populations or their parts, single plants or their groups, or reproductive parts of plants (seeds, pollen, embryos, meristematic tissues, buds, sprouts, etc.). The Plant Gene Bank (currently NDASH State Forest Service) with coordination centers of different plant groups (agricultural plants, forest trees, fruits and vegetables, ornamental plants, and medicinal plants) has been established.
At the end of 2022, there were 5914 accessions on the List of National Plant Genetic Resources in Lithuania.
In 2022, the State Forest Service signed an agreement with the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre (NordGen). According to this agreement, NordGen will store the seeds of 123 accessions of Lithuanian PGR in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
Authors
G. Stukeniene, A. Skridaila
Keywords
ornamental plants, seeds, Lithuanian cultivars
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