Plant genetic resources are best stored both in genebanks (ex-situ) and as they grow alive in the soil every year (in-situ). Members of seed conservation organizations, e.g. members of Maatiainen ry., conserve by growing Maatiaien plants. The maintenance of the Maatiia variety takes place in a separately defined area and under conditions similar to those in which the variety has traditionally been cultivated. In addition, the same principles are followed in the maintenance of the maatias variety as in the maintenance of the varieties created as a result of breeding work.
Michelson, Annika & Heinonen Maarit (2024): Security Plant Collections (ppt) Häme University of Applied Sciences / Natural Resources Institute Finland. Recording, 12 min.
In different parts of Finland, we find different collections of genetic resources. Mustiala has the largest grain collection in Finland. Mustiala's grain collection contains hundreds of grain samples from the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection also includes Hankkija's grain samples and samples of plant diseases. MTT researchers Mia Sahramaa and Hannu Ahokas compiled the list of varieties of Mustiala's grain collection in autumn 2004. The grains in Mustiala's collection are dead, but their DNA can be examined. Grains from Mustiala's collection have been studied in cooperation with Nordiska Museet in Sweden. The Saarijärvi plant gene bank is a living garden where different plants from the Saarijärvi region have been collected. Many local museums also keep plants alive in their gardens. There are also different local collections, for example this collection of farmer Onni Rannlila in Tammela municipality, which also contains farm-specific seeds. Anja Pohjanpää's collection includes seeds of wild plants. Collections like this were often collected as part of schooling.
In different parts of Finland, we find different collections of genetic resources. Mustiala old grain collection is the largest grain collection in Finland. Mustiala's grain collection contains hundreds of grain samples from the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection also includes Hankkija's grain samples and samples of plant diseases. Luke (former MTT) researchers Mia Sahramaa and Hannu Ahokas made the inventory of Mustiala grain collection in autumn 2004. The grains in Mustiala's collection are dead, but their DNA can be examined. Grains from Mustiala's collection have been studied in cooperation with Nordic Museum (Nordiska Museet) in Sweden. Many local museums also keep plants alive in their gardens. For example the Saarijärvi plant gene bank is a garden where different plants from the Saarijärvi region have been collected. There are also different local collections, for example collection of farmer Onni Rannlia in Tammela municipality, which also contains farm-specific seeds. Anja Pohjanpää's collection includes seeds of wild plants. Collections like this were often collected as part of schooling.
NordGen, the Nordic genebank stores seeds and their related data from the Nordic countries in the Nordic Baltic Genebanks Information System database (GeNBIS). In 2020, the database moved to a new system called GRIN-Global that is common in European Union. NordGen database is called GeNBIS - Nordic Baltic Genebanks Information System. From NordGen's online store, you can order small quantities of seeds for yourself for shipping costs. NordGen has a lot of heritage grains from Finland in storage. Häme University of Applied Sciences coordinates the propagation of Finnish heritage grains in the network The Heritage Grains Propagation Network.
The world's seed resources are kept in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault at Spitsbergen island, North Pole. FAO has an international program on plant genetic resources, which obliges countries to take care of the protection of genetic resources. This program emphasizes the importance of protection in the growing area. Second Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Solveig: Norway’s “gift to the world”: the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, choose English language on, 5.21 min.
Sperm and embryo banks have frozen sperm and embryos of rare domestic animal breeds. Live animals are kept in private or state-run facilities. Private people also consider native breeds as production animals. Nature Resources Institute Finland (Luke) has established gene bank cattle to preserve endangered Finnish cattle breeds. The Eastern Finnish cattle are at the Ahlman vocational institute and the Northern Finnish cattle are at Lappia vocational institute. Faba Coop (FABA) has some Eastern Finnish cattle (ISK), Western Finnish cattle (LSK), and Northern Finnish cattle (PSK) bulls for use in artificial insemination. In addition, Luke stores frozen sperm and embryos of bulls from Eastern and Northern Finnish Cattle. Luke has its own storage program for Finnish free-range chicken. Private chicken farmers have joined the network.
NordGen Farm Animals work aims to act as a knowledge and competence center that promotes the creation of value based on the protection and sustainable development of livestock genetic resources. It Do also act as a partner of breeding and conservation organizations for the implementation of sustainable development and appropriate management of livestock genetic resources.
The Preparatory actions on EU plant and animal Genetic resources in agriculture project has collected information on the plant and animal genetic resources of the European Union. The European Regional Focal Point is Animal GeneticResources.
Preparatory actions on EU plant and animal genetic resources in agriculture hanke on keränyt tietoa Euroopan unionin kasvi- ja eläingeenivaroista. European Regional Focal Point on Animal GeneticResources is the regional platform to support the in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable use of animal genetic resources (AnGR) and to facilitate the implementation of FAO’s Global Plan of Action for AnGR.
FAO maintains a global database of all domestic animal breeds called the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS). There are 28 domestic animal species and approx. 5,000 breeds in the data bank.
The Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN) is a network that collects worldwide non-human information about genes and genetic research.
Nuffield Foundation: Millennium Seed Bank film, 21:49 min.
Kewgardens: Beyond he Gardens: Millennium Seed Bank Partnership, 5:16 min.