Replenishment and rationalization of seed collections of pumpkin, vegetable marrow and summer squash for ex situ conservation and use for breeding in Armenia

Main Article Content

Alvina Avagyan
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5499-7967
Gayane Sargsyan
Raya Balayan
Laura Tadevosyan
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1800-8700

Abstract

The conservation and sustainable use of crop genetic resources are crucial for food security and economic development, and diverse genetic resources are a critical input in the agricultural production process. To conserve the gene pool of vegetable crops of Armenia, the Scientific Centre of Vegetable and Industrial Crops of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia carried out activities to upgrade storage facilities and optimize the existing seed collections. Newly created long-term and medium-term seed collections of pumpkin, vegetable marrow and summer squash reliably conserve genetic resources of these crops and create a base for undertaking genetic enhancement and base-broadening efforts. A database and application of barcodes and QR-code labels facilitate the search of required accessions, making the stored genetic materials more accessible for users and promoting their wider use in breeding.

Article Details

How to Cite
Avagyan, A., Sargsyan, G., Balayan, R. and Tadevosyan, L. (2020) “Replenishment and rationalization of seed collections of pumpkin, vegetable marrow and summer squash for ex situ conservation and use for breeding in Armenia”, Genetic Resources, 1(1), pp. 49–52. doi: 10.46265/genresj.2020.1.49-52.
Section
Short Communications
Author Biography

Gayane Sargsyan, Scientific Center of Vegetable and Industrial Crops, Ararat Marz, Republic of Armenia

Director

Scientific Center of Vegetable and Industrial Crops of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, v. Darakert, Ararat Marz, Republic of Armenia

References

Alercia, A, S Diulgherof, and M Mackay (2015). FAO/Bioversity Multi-Crop Passport Descriptors V.2.1 [MCPD V.2.1]. Rome, Italy. URL: https://www.bioversityinternational.org/e- library/publications/detail/faobioversity-multi-crop-passport-descriptors-v21-mcpd-v21/.

FAO (2014). “Genebank standards for orthodox seeds”. In: In Genebank standards for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture rev. ed. Ed. by and others. Rome, Italy: FAO, pp. 17–61. URL: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3704e.pdf.

Hashash, Maher Mahmoud et al. (2017). “Nutritional potential, mineral composition and antioxidant activity squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) fruits grown in Egypt”. European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences 4(03), pp. 5–12.

Piskunova, T. M. and Z. F. Muteva (2016). “The VIR Collection – a source of initial breeding material for the perspective directions of breeding of a vegetable marrow and pumpkin ”. Vegetable crops of Russia 3. (in Russ.), pp. 18–23. URL: https://doi.org/10.18619/2072-9146-2016-3-18-23.

Sackville-Hamilton, Ruaraidh, Jan M M Engels, and Theo van Hintum (2003). “Rationalization of genebank management”. In: A guide to effective management of germplasm collections. Ed. by J.M.M. Engels and L. Visser. Vol. 6. IPGRI Handbooks for Genebanks. Rome, Italy: IPGRI, pp. 80–92. URL: https://www.bioversityinternational.org/e- library/publications/detail/a-guide-to-effective-management-of-germplasm-collections/.