Two genebanks

Genebanks’ ability to support research and contribute to food security requires their seeds to be effectively managed. The seeds they distribute must be well understood, so genebank managers and breeders know how they will germinate. They must have viability and longevity, so breeders know they will germinate when they need them to. They must resemble the original sample as closely as possible, so breeders can be sure what genetic traits they are dealing with. This presents quite a challenge of seed quality management.

During this course, you will watch a series of documentaries about how scientists at two CGIAR Centers are rising to this challenge. Filmed in the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Nigeria, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, the videos feature Dr Fiona Hay of Aarhus University, Dr Olaniyi Oyatomi of IITA, and scientists and technicians from the two genebanks.

Watch Video 1 (below), which introduces you to the genebanks and scientists who will appear in videos throughout this course. It begins with scientists celebrating what they love about their work. As you watch the video, think about what you love about your own work.

Download this video clip.Video player: Video 1: Two genebanks
The image is a still from the video. It shows rice growing in test plots at the international Rice Research Institute. The video transcript gives more detail on the video’s content.
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Transcript: Video 1: Two genebanks

Monette:
The best thing about my job is the feeling that the work that I’m doing here makes a difference.
Andy:
The best thing about my job is to witness the amazing diversity that rice has.
Narration:
The International Rice Research Institute has the world’s largest collection of rice. It holds both cultivated and wild species.
Arma:
even if they are from the wild, they can really contribute in our rice improvement programs.
Sola:
The best thing about my job is ensuring food security globally, because seed security is food security.
Narration:
The International Institute for Tropical Agriculture conserves seeds to improve the livelihoods of farmers and their communities.
Oyatomi:
The essence of this conservation is to make them to be available, to make them to be alive and to make them to be useful for food security across Africa.
Narration:
Just like you, the scientists in these genebanks are part of a global scientific community, protecting the future of genetic diversity. Their success, like yours, depends on harnessing the biology of seeds.
Fiona:
It's important for you to be able to understand the science behind what you're doing so that you can make sure that the longevity of the seeds that you have in the gene bank is going to be optimal.
Oyatomi:
It's important to know the principles behind seed conservation, the conditions in which the seeds should be properly processed.
Fiona:
It's important to, to look at the maturity of the seeds when you harvest, 'cause that's going to affect the quality of the seeds when you put them into gene bank storage.
Oyatomi:
to know the science of longevity, the science of seed maturation, the science of the period of harvest, such that every condition around the seed in every stage of conservation proceedings managed to maintain the long life of the seeds.
Fiona:
I think if you have an understanding of the science behind what you're doing in a genebank, it will help you to do a better job to conserve the genetic diversity that you have in your gene bank.
End transcript: Video 1: Two genebanks
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Video 1: Two genebanks
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Please write your thoughts about the video. How did it make you feel about your own work? You should spend up to ten minutes on this. If your reflections on the video raise any questions, please post them on the Forum, which you’ll find in the left-hand menu, where the course moderators will be able to help you.

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Discussion

The video touches on some of the values and goals of genebanks and the importance of understanding the science underpinning genebank procedures, in order to achieve those goals. By applying the latest scientific knowledge, you and your own organization will be able to play an important role in the work of a global network of national and international genebanks.

Objectives of genebanks

Genetic integrity: a key aim