RESULTS OF EX-SITU CONSERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES FOR THE PERIOD 2020 - 2024 AT THE NATIONAL PLANT GENEBANK

Abstract

The National Plant Genebank plays a core role in the plant genetic resources conservation system in Vietnam, both as a strategic reserve to protect plant genetic resources from risks caused by natural disasters and climate change and as a foundation for research, breeding, ensuring food security and sustainable agricultural development. During the period 2020 - 2024, the National Plant Genebank has conserved 28,790 seed accessions of 125 species across five crop groups (including cereals, coarse grains, legumes, vegetables, and root crops), 3,041 clonal accessions of 18 asexually reproducing plants and 659 in vitro accessions. Regeneration was carried out for 10.9% (3,461 accessions), while initial and detailed evaluations accounted for 11.1% and 16.8% (5,354 accessions), respectively. More than 89,000 characterization records and 29,000 evaluation records were digitized and updated in the national database and on the website prc.org.vn. In addition, several local varieties were rejuvenated and reintroduced into production, contributing to a 10 - 15% increase in farmers’ income. The results indicate that Vietnam has significantly expanded its conservation scale; however, the proportion of detailed evaluations and the application of modern biotechnology remain limited. Therefore, priority should be given to infrastructure investment, the integration of molecular tools, and the strengthening of international collaboration to improve the effectiveness of conservation and sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources.