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Plant Genetic Resources: Enhancing germplasm conservation for Australian agriculture

A Report of Activities of the Australian Agricultural Genebanks in 2004 and 2005

Geoff Auricht and Steve Hughes, SARDI

(GRDC Project No. DAS00052)

Introduction

Activities of the 5 Australian PGR Centres during 2004 and 2005 are detailed in this report. The Centres are operating effectively under the framework of a single GRDC project with additional support provided through the State Government agencies and other individual projects from a variety of sources including GRDC, other RIRCs and CRCs. Individual projects often support utilisation of the collection rather than core activities as are funded through this project.
 
The achievements in 2004 and 2005 as a result of this project were closely aligned and revellent to the needs of the Australian agricultural industries. The project supported the maintenance and documentation of the germplasm to international standards and ensured that the requirements of Australian crop improvement programs were met. Researchers continued to have access to high quality germplasm and associated data on germplasm of importance to Australian agriculture. At the same time international obligations of the Centres for germplasm preservation and distribution where also met.  

1. Acquisition and long-term ex-situ conservation of germplasm, of strategic importance to agriculture, for cultivar development and research in Australia.

A total of 13,898 new accessions were introduced into Australia in 2004 and 2005, (7,680 and 6,218 accessions respectively), to meet the requirements of national breeding programs. Germplasm acquired was the result of targeted collection in Australia and overseas or through collaborative exchange with international Genetic Resource Centres. Over 50% of new introductions were acquired by the NSW collection to service cultivar development within national cereal breeding programs.

Table 1: The number of new accessions acquired into the Australian collection in 2004 and 2005.

2. AQIS requirements and quarantine activities
The Australian genebanks clearly demonstrated the capacity to conduct an efficient national plant import and quarantine facility. A total of 14,042 priority accessions were processed through post-entry quarantine, with 6,140 and 7,902 accessions processed in 2004 and 2005 respectively. The majority of quarantine activity in 2004 and 2005 was with cereals, with 8,299 and 2,645 accessions processed through post entry quarantine as a result of collaborative efforts between NSW and Qld respectively.

The outcome of this activity ensured germplasm of importance to Australian agriculture was made available free of disease and weed risks (see Table 2).

Table 2: The number of accessions in the Australian collection processed through post-entry quarantine in 2004 and 2005.

3. Germplasm accessions maintained under appropriate storage conditions to ensure their long-term conservation for future utilisation.  

A total of 186,639 accessions are currently maintained in the Australian collection. In 2004 and 2005 a total of 13,187 new accessions were stored, with 5,621 and 7,566 accessions conserved each year respectively. The majority of accessions conserved in 2004 and 2005 were new perennial pastures in SA accounting for 58% of the national conservation activity (see Table 3).

 Table 3:The number of accessions in the Australian collection conserved in 2004 and 2005.

4. Viability testing of seed samples in long or medium term storage to ensure accessions are not lost through seed deterioration.

 Monitoring of the Australian collection identifies germplasm in need of regeneration. A total of 16,340 accessions representing 8% of the Australian collection were viability tested, with 9,802 and 6,538 samples tested in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Overall the data indicates the Australian collection is being maintained in a satisfactory condition. However the number of accessions requiring regeneration as a result of viability testing and the subsequent health of the Australian collection is unclear for all Centres.

The amount of viability testing varied radically between Centres, with Qld accounting for over 64% of this activity nationally compared to WA with less than half a percent. See Table 4 for details.

Table 4: The number of accessions viability tested in the Australian collection in 2004 and 2005.

 
5. Seed increase and long or medium term storage of valued germplasm accessions with low seed viability or quantity or imported through quarantine.

 Activities in this area see the long-term conservation of the Australian collection through the regeneration of old germplasm or the multiplication of new germplasm. A total of 11,059 valued accessions were grown with over 5,000 accessions grown per annum. Nationally, equal emphasis was placed on multiplying new accessions versus regenerating older germplasm. However this ratio varied dramatically between Centres. SA and NSW placed greater priority on meeting the ongoing demand for new germplasm, with 95% and 71% of this activity respectively supporting multiplying new accessions, whilst WA, Vic and Qld placed 61% and 100% priority respectively on regenerating older germplasm (see Table 5).

Table 5:The number of old germplasm regenerated and new germplasm seed increased in the Australian collection during 2004 and 2005.
 

 
6. Enhanced utilisation of Australian plant genetic resources collections through provision of seed and data (passport, characterisation & evaluation) to research clients, on request.

 The ability for breeders to effectively utilise the Australian collection was greatly enhanced through the characterisation of 12,357 accessions. The number of traits characterised varied with species and across Centres and ranged between 6 and 28 traits per accession. Species characterised and traits recorded were developed in consultation with major stakeholders and supported their research and breeding objectives and also assisted Centres in the taxonomic confirmation of new germplasm. Characterisation activities within some Centres, eg SA, WA and Vic were complimented through additional industry funding. Table 6 details this.

 Table 6. The number of traits and accessions characterised in the Australian collection during 2004 and 2005.

7. Distribution of seed and data of germplasm accessions to research clients in Australia and overseas.

Distribution of seed emphasises the strategic importance of the Australian collection. A total of 49,346 accessions were distributed in 2004 and 2005 with 20,717 and 28,629 accessions each year respectively. The extent of total national utilisation varied between Centres, ranging from 60% of total dispatches coming from NSW to3% in WA. The extent of utilisation within Australia ranged from 73% in 2004 to 81% of total dispatches in 2005. International utilisation accounted for 21% of total dispatches. The extent of international utilisation also varied between Centres, ranging from 43% of total international dispatches coming from NSW to 2% from WA.

 
Table 7. The number of accessions distributed to National and International clients from the Australian collection in 2004 and 2005

8. Documentation

Accurate documentation of the Australian collection on Centre databases is essential to maintain the effectiveness and efficiency of use of the collection. Overall progress was considerable however activities varied between Centres and were not directly comparable. Centres prioritised the documentation of passport data to the highest possible standard on the 186,639 accessions in the Australian collection, including newly acquired lines. Ongoing progress in this activity will greatly improve the quality, reliability and usefulness of the collection. Emphasis differed on other database documentation and advancement activities including weed risk assessment, taxonomic confirmation, inventory management and characterisation documentation.

Clients have www access to passport data via the national database AusPGRIS. Currently only 88% of the total Australian collection is on AusPGRIS. Availability of Centre passport data varies across Centres: NSW 87%; Vic 92%; Qld 100%; SA 77%, and WA 85%. AusPGRIS has Qld characterisation data of 14 tropical crops with 6-30 traits per crop. Qld evaluation data for 34 traits for tropical forage grasses and legumes was added to AusPGRIS in 2005. During 2004 and 2005 the AusPGRIS information was updated every 4 months for Qld, other Centres did not update their data. Some Centres, eg SA have experienced technical difficulties in translating local data onto the AusPGRIS system and as a result AusPGRIS has not been updated since 2001.

9. Communication

Regular communication between Curators and national and international researchers has been essential in meeting client needs and understanding research issues and future directions. Curators have actively participated in national and international symposiums, breeding meetings, industry updates and regional field days. Users have been informed of the activities of the Australian collection through the publication of annual reports and regular attendance at breeding meetings. The Curators will continue to maintain and strengthen collaborative links to ensure the Australian collection stays relevant, focussed and is orientated towards the requirements of the major users of the collection.