Papers and Posters

Abstract

Genebanks as GBIF data providers – first experiences
Helmut Knüpffer¹, Nobert Biermann¹, Dag Terje Endresen², Pawel Kolasinski³, Wieslaw Podyma^{3, 4}, Javier de la Torre^5
1Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), D-06466 Gatersleben, Germany (knupffer@ipk-gatersleben.de)
²Nordic Gene Bank, POB 41, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
³Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute (IHAR), PL-05870 Blonie, Radzików near Warsaw, Poland
⁴Present address:
⁵Botanic Garden & Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Königin-Luise-Str.6-8, D-14191 Berlin, Germany

Genebanks are living collections of plant genetic resources (PGR), comprising wild and cultivated plants from all over the world, representing thousands of plant species. Their primary aim is to make germplasm of crop plants and their wild relatives available to plant breeders and researchers. They also play an important role in preserving plant biodiversity.

The number of germplasm accessions is estimated by FAO at 6 million worldwide, preserved in hundreds of genebanks, many of them well documented. For three decades, genebanks have exchanged their data and built up joint „Central Crop Databases“, especially in Europe, using PGR-specific data exchange standards.

Data exchange standards for PGR and biodiversity collections are compared, and the experiences of the first genebanks that became GBIF data providers are reported. The Nordic Genebank (NGB, Alnarp, Sweden) and The Polish Genebank (IHAR, Radzików) with 29,878 and 40,459 accessions, respectively, are using the Darwin Core. The German Genebank (IPK, Gatersleben) with 109,711 accessions is linked via the ABCD (Access to Biological Collections Data) standard.

To facilitate the full integration of PGR collections into GBIF, ABCD was extended. It is suggested to use GBIF mechanisms and facilities (e.g., data provider and protocol building tools) also within the PGR community.