State of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture in Norway

Abstract

The Second Norwegian National Report on PGR describes the current state of plant genetic resources (PGR) in Norway. Changes and developments since the first national PGR report in 1996 was issued are commented in particular. The most important innovation over the last ten years has been the establishment of both a national programme for conservation and use of plant genetic resources in 2001 and the Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre in 2006. This has significantly increased the resources allocated to conservation and use of plant genetic resources in Norway, the scope of PGR activities has been broadened and the public awareness and stakeholders involvement has increased considerably. The responsibility for ex-situ conservation of Norwegian germplasm is shared between The Nordic Genetic Resource Centre (NordGen, formerly the Nordic Gene Bank) and The Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre. The seed collections of varieties and landraces of edible agricultural and horticultural crops at NordGen have been extended and better documented and characterised since 1996. […]