The seeds of the future

“Semear o futuro” – sow the future -  is the theme of “Grande Reportagem” in SIC, where several Green-it researchers discuss the importance of ensuring the maintenance of seeds that have been the basis of human nutrition for thousands of years.

The Portuguese Plant Germplasm Bank, located in Braga, looks to collect, conserve, characterize, document and value genetic resources, in order to ensure biological diversity and sustainable agricultural production. It is among one of the ten biggest banks in the world and “it holds over 220 different species and 4700 varieties”, as Ana Maria Barata, Green-it member and head of the Portuguese Plant Germplasm Bank, explains to SIC.

The Portuguese Plant Germplasm Bank is one of the biggest contributors to the Svalbard Seed Bank, with already 1300 entries. The Svalbard Seed Bank works as the world seed reserve, in order to preserve species possibly endangered by climate change, war, or other catastrophes, and protect food security. The Portuguese Plant Germplasm Bank has now also started to use cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen for species where conservation in seed is impractical. “Our ambition is to use cryopreservation as an effective and viable method of long-term conservation for all species that at the moment, across the country, are conserved in field collections, for example, and are at the mercy of climatic conditions, pests and diseases, and can therefore be lost” explains Octávio Serra, Green-it member and INIAV researcher.

The National Plant Breeding Station, in Elvas, has as its main objective the enhancement of Mediterranean cultures, from a genetic point. “We often have to sacrifice genetic production potential, to guarantee regularity of production over the years, in order to face the great irregularity of our climate” explains Benvindo Maçãs, Green-it member and head of the National Plant Breeding Station.

See the full piece here.