ECPGR Wheat Working Group
Third meeting of the ECPGR Wheat Working Group, Piešt'any, Slovakia, 15-17 May 2012
Precise genetic stocks: An ad hoc group was created, lead by Mike Ambrose (UK), with the tasks to:
- work on the definition of cereals genetic stocks,
- develop criteria to select valuable material,
- complete the inventory of material,
- develop specific descriptors or fields that indicate the cereals genetic stocks’ special characteristics.
The ad hoc group should develop a proposal for the implementation of the above tasks, making use of available funds (€ 4000), to be spent before the end of 2013.
Adding value to the Web Site: The Wheat Working Group members planned to provide data to be uploaded on the ECPGR Web site, covering studies on genebank material and other activities of interest carried out in their respective institutes.
The ECPGR Wheat Database (EWDB): The list of descriptors was revised and the members committed to update the database on an annual basis. The EWDB Manager, Iva Faberová (Czech Republic), will progressively transfer her responsibilities to her colleague Ludmila Papousková [link to EWDB]
EURISCO vs. Central Crop Databases: The Group is looking forward to the development of EURISCO as a reliable unique database that could serve all the current needs of the Working Groups. This will require the inclusion of standardized crop-specific descriptors in EURISCO. The DB Managers could be assigned the responsibility for C&E data delivery to EURISCO. The risk should also be avoided of losing historical data. The Group is looking forward to developments driven by the Doc&Info Network and decisions of the Steering Committee. [EURISCO website]
AEGIS – European Collection: A first set of 107 accessions of Triticum accessions held in the country of origin by Belarus (19), Cyprus (80) and Estonia (8) were proposed for flagging as European Accessions. National Coordinators will be invited to flag the respective accessions. Additional lists of Triticum and Aegilops accessions conserved in their country of origin will be proposed by the DB Manager for flagging within 2012. WG members were invited to prepare by the end of 2013 additional lists of “genetically unique” material conserved in their genebanks. Criteria for the selection of accessions were the country of origin (same as holding country), safety-duplication (either completed or in the process of being completed) and completeness of minimum documentation (mandatory descriptors were defined). [AEGIS website]
AEGIS – AQUAS: The group agreed that they did not need to elaborate crop-specific standards in addition to those proposed by FAO. A. Börner (Germany) and H. Sela (Israel) will prepare a document summarizing the necessary genebank management knowledge for breaking dormancy, viability testing and multiplication of Aegilops and other wild cereals (by the end of June 2012).
Chair and Vice-Chair: Gert Kleijer and Iva Faberová resigned from their current roles. François Balfourier (France) and Külli Annamma (Estonia) were elected as new Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively.
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