Genebank Web Data
National Plant Genetic Resources Centre
Background
The traditional landraces, weedy and wild relatives of crop plants, which constitute a significant pool of the available genetic diversity, are continuously being lost or threatened with loss due natural and human driven factors. One of the most important causes of this loss is the introduction of improved varieties. While this is desirable for increased crop productivity, it tends to narrow the genetic base making crops more vulnerable to disease epidemics and other vulgaries of nature.
It is this realization, which has led Government to put in place deliberate measures aimed at the conservation and sustainable utilization of the locally available crop germplasm.
Overall Objective
The overall objective of the National Programme on Plant Genetic Resources is the long-term support of agriculture in general and crop development and improvement in particular thereby contributing to the ultimate purpose of improving the quantity and quality of crops for food security and poverty alleviation. To achieve the above objective we strive to mobilize and conserve the maximum genetic variability of the indigenous and locally adapted crops, their wild relatives and the useful wild plant species so that they are available for both present and future use.
Organization
National Plant Genetic Resources Centre (NPGRC)
The National Plant Genetic Resources Programme is co-ordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives (MACO) through the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute. The National Plant Genetic Resources Centre (NPGRC) located at Mount Makulu Research Centre holds the National Gene bank and shoulders the overall responsibility for the implementation of the relevant activities under the programme.
The National Plant Genetic Resources Committee (NPGRCom.)
The National Plant Genetic Resources Committee which is composed of representatives from relevant institutions involved in various aspects of crop/plant development and improvement work in the country provides policy guidelines in the implementation of the National plant Genetic Resources Programme and provides a mechanism for collaboration and networking among various stakeholders in the country.
Crop working Groups
The Crop Working Groups consists of relevant crop experts, charged with the responsibility of providing technical guidance or backstopping to the NPGRC and ensure that activities are implemented on a sound scientific and technical basis. Currently there are only three crop working groups that have been formed and these are:
1. Cereals
2. Food Legumes and Oilseeds
3. Fruit tree and Plantation crops
Activities
Inventory involves gathering information or taking stock of crop genetic variability existing both as germplasm collections and that still available in the field.
Collection expeditions have been undertaken covering almost all parts of the country and involving all the major traditional crops, some of the minor crops and wild.
The following are the major activities under the programme:
1.Inventory and collection of plant genetic resources
Relatives. Crops that have been collected include, Maize, Sorghum, Millets, Rice, Finger millet, Pearl millet, Cowpea, Bean and Groundnut. Major root and tuber crops (cassava and sweet potato) and indigenous/local vegetable species have also been collected. Over 2000 germplasm accessions of different crops have been collected since the inception of the national programme in 1990.
The collection has however not been done for all areas and crops and other plants relevant for food and agriculture. Current collection effort is aimed at gap filling in terms of geographical and crop diversity.
2. Conservation of the collected crop/plant material
There are basically two methods for the conservation of plant genetic resources namely; in-situ and ex-situ. The main method used at the National Gene bank is the ex-situ and involves the storage of seed samples and to limited extent maintenance of living collections for such crops like cassava and sweet potato.
The ex-situ conservation of seed samples involves drying seeds to moisture contents of below 8% and storage at temperatures of -20°C after hermetically sealing in aluminium foil bags. The seed samples are periodically tested for germination test to see if there is any change in seed viability. For most crops seed regeneration is recommended if the germination is below 85%.
There are also some activities relating to the promotion of on-farm conservation that have been initiated in the programme These activities involve farmer participation to managing their genetic resources with a pilot site in Rufunsa, Chongwe district.
3.Characterization and Evaluation
Characterisation serves to provide descriptive information on the highly heritable traits of an accession. Accessions are characterised using morphological data obtained from growing plants. Evaluation focuses on the agronomical important traits such as diseases resistance and yield. The information generated is important for breeders and other end users. A total of 1436 germplasm accessions, representing about 20% of the accessions maintained in the active have been characterized
About 20% of the accessions held in the Gene bank have so far been characterised using morphological data. Use of molecular techniques in germplasm characterisation is envisaged in the future to complement morphological characterisation.
4. Multiplication and Regeneration
This is done when the seed quantity (amounts) is below the required amounts and when the seed viability has fallen below the required germination percentage i.e. 85% for most crops. This could be lower for some crop/plant species such as vegetables and grasses. These activities are done to increase seed quantity and renew seed quality in order to maintain genetic integrity of the conserved germplasm accessions. Seed regeneration, multiplication and characterization have been major activities undertaken by the NPGRC. Multiplication and regeneration has been an going activity mainly for the purpose of increasing seed samples in order to have adequate quantities to be able to provide seed samples to the base collection at SPGRC.
5. Documentation & Information System
A large volume of data and information accompanies plant genetic resources material kept in the gene bank. This is generated through inventories, collections, multiplication/regeneration, management, characterization and evaluation. This data is best handled by use of a computer to facilitate data entry, editing, updating, processing, retrieving and ensuring data reliability.
Currently most of the data has been entered in the various databases using an information system developed at the SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre called SDIS. Data and other information are also being kept manually.
Currently there are 6,012 accessions as seed samples and 198 clones of vegetative propagated crops (cassava, and sweet potato) maintained at the National Gene bank
The main crops held in the active collection as at 05th March 2008 is a shown below.
Crop/Number of accessions
1. Sorghum - 1350
2. Fingermillet 297
3. Pearl millet 379
4. Cowpeas - 657
5. Groundnuts 561
6. Maize - 685
7. Beans - 309
8. Bambara - 163
9. Pumpkin - 641
10. Rice 196
11. Cassava 154
12. Sweet potato 44
6. Current germplasm distribution
More than 1626 accessions of germplasm has been distributed to plant breeders researchers, farmers, , institutions of learning, and individuals both within and outside the country from 1991 to 2008.
Achievements
A number of achievements have been realized since the implementation of the NPGRP was embarked upon following the establishment of the center in 1990. Activities implanted include infrastructure development, human resource development, technical activities beginning with inventories and collections and procurement of equipment and facilities required for effective conservation of plant genetic resources.
The NPGRC successfully carried out a number of activities starting from germplasm colletion, characterization, seed regeneration, seed storage and in-situ/ on-farm conservation and management of local crop varieties in traditional sector.
The NPGRC currently maintains a total of 6012 accessions in the active collection in form of seed samples. More than 50% of these has been collected from farmers across the country while about 30% were repatriated from international gene banks outside the country m mainly ICRISAT. Clones of cassava (154) and sweet potatoes (44) were collected from different parts of the country and they are maintained in the field collection or field gene bank
Collaborative Work
The NPGRC has been involved in a number of collaborative research and capacity building activities with National, regional and International partners. These include projects implemented in collaboration with Bioversity International formally known as International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) such as African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs) and the Genetic Resources Policy Initiative (GRPI).
On –farm conservation activities
The NPGRC is carrying out On-farm conservation and management of local crop varieties focusing on restoration of selected local varieties into the affected communities. The on -farm conservation activities aimed at the promotion of local crop varieties in the traditional sector have been carried out in Rufunsa and Lukwipa since 2003 as pilot areas. These activities have been extended to Chikankata in Southern province as part of scaling up programme.
Human Resource Development
The Zambia National Plant Genetic Resources Programme actively took advantage of the training opportunities under the SADC Plant Genetic Resources Programme to develop the necessary qualified human resource. This training was both of long term degree programmes and short term specialised nature provided both within and outside the region.
A total of 6 people obtained MSc degree in Plant Genetic Resources from the inception of the programme to date while 15 were trained under short courses in the introduction course on Management of Plant Genetic Resources conducted in Sweden. Further capacity building and upgrading of the technical skills was given to staff of the NPGRC through regionally organised training workshops.
However, there is still need for advanced postgraduate training at MSc and PhD levels to enhanced conservation and utilisation of plant genetic resources.
Equipment
Basic facilities and equipment required for seed handling and storage have been provided mainly through donor assistance under the SPGRC project. These included deep freezers, seed driers, seed moisture analyser, aluminium foil heat sealer, photocopier, computer and printer.
Three vehicles have been provided to the NPGRC through the SPGRC project since 1992. The latest vehicle was procured and supplied in 2004 and is still in excellent condition.
Future activities
1. Awareness Creation on the value local crop genetic diversity.
2. Strengthening the National Plant Genetic Resources committee.
3. Collection
3. Multiplication and Regeneration
4. Characterization
5. In-situ/On-farm conservation
6. Maintenance of the Field Gene bank
7. Long term and Short term Training
