Genetic Resources of Agricultural Plants

Studies and collection of genetic resources of agricultural plants has been started in the course of development of breeding. In Lithuanian breeding of agricultural plants started in 1922, after establishing of the Dotnuva Breeding Station. The successor of this Station is the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, which continues breeding of crops, feed grasses, and technical plants. It also collects and stores genetic resources of these plants, as genetic resources represent one of the most important objects in the cycle of creation of new strains.

Throughout the history of existence of this Institute, its breeders have bred 262 strains of which 103 are included in the National Plant Strains List and 47 are included into the EU’s General Catalogue of Agricultural Plants.

Genetic resources of agricultural plants are selected in terms of the value, actual condition, actual or potential eradication, obsolescence, or sustainability impairment factors, present stocks, and reproductive properties. Genetic resources of plants are being preserved using methods suitable for biology of species or strains.

Spike and legume crops. Four institutions are working with genetic resources of spike crops, including Avena L., Hordeum L., Triticum L., Secale L., and legume crops, including Lupinus luteus L, Lupinus angustifolius L., Pisum sativum L., Vicia faba L., and Glycine max L: Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Vokė Branch of the Lithuanian Institute of Agrculture, Lithuanian University of Agriculture, and Vilnius University.

Spike, legume feed, and lawn grasses. Two institutions accumulate, study, and store genetic resources of spike grasses, including Poa pratensis L., Phleum pratense L., Festuca pratensis L., Dactylis glomerata L., Dactylis polygama Horv., Lolium perenne L., Festulolium, Lotus uliginosus, legume feed grasses, including Trifolium pratense L., T. hybridum L., T. repens L., Medicago falcata L., M. sativa L., M. lupulina L., Vicia villosa Roth., V. angustifolia L., V. hirsuta Gray., Vicia craca L., V. sepium L., V. pisiformis L., L. sylvestris L., L. tuberosus L., Lathyrus pratensis L., L. palustris L., and lawn grasses, including Poa pratinsis L., P. compressa L., Festuca rubra L., F. ovina L., and Agrostis capiliaris. These institutions are Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture and Lithuanian University of Agriculture.

Technical plants. Genetic resources of potatoes are studied and their collection is stored at the Vokė Branch of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture. Genetic resources of linen (Linum usitatissimum L.) are studied and accumulated in the Upytė Trial Station of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture.

National genetic resources of plants are genetic resources of plants, having ecological, breeding, and economic significance to the Republic of Lithuania, which have been selected and included into the Central Database of the National Genetic Resources.

Genetic resources for inclusion into the Database are proposed by coordination centers, approved by the National Genetic Resources Commission, and submitted to the Ministry of Environment for grating of the National Resource Status and inclusion into the Central Database.

Table 3. The list of field plants species stored in the Plant Genes Bank (2006 m.)

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