Turkey’s plant genetic diversity is being preserved in the Seed Gene Bank

Ankara and Izmir Seed Gene Banks, where the plant genetic diversity of Turkey is preserved for the future, store 120,000 seeds in special rooms at temperatures ranging from -18 to +5 degrees Celsius. Climate change makes food production more challenging, hence Seed Gene Banks are of great importance. The biological wealth of Anatolia is carefully preserved at the Seed Gene Banks in Ankara and Izmir. Thousands of seeds of products ranging from lentils to beans, peppers to melons are meticulously preserved in these banks where Turkey’s plant genetic diversity is carried into the future. A total of 120,000 seeds are stored in special rooms at temperatures ranging from -18 to +5 degrees Celsius at the Seed Gene Banks in Ankara and Izmir.
Citizens can send their seeds to these banks on a collect basis. In addition, researchers at the Field Crops Central Research Institute distribute carefully collected seeds from Turkey’s 81 provinces and 7 regions to the banks. The seeds recorded in the banks undergo a germination test after cleaning. The seeds are dried at specific humidity and temperature. After going through various stages, the seeds are vacuum-sealed in special packaging and stored in rooms where entering at -18 degrees is prohibited. Samples stored in the -18-degree room are not distributed.
The medium-term storage rooms have a temperature ranging from 5 to 8 degrees. The seed samples in this room are only available for distribution for research projects. Thanks to the Seed Gene Bank, Turkey’s plant genetic resources are protected against water stress, drought, and diseases. The Seed Gene Bank in Ankara opened its doors to the IHA team. Dr. Hümeyra Yaman, the Director of the Field Crops Central Research Institute, stated that the collection, preservation, and seed characterization studies of genetic resources in Turkey started years ago.
Dr. Yaman explained that genetic materials obtained from breeding studies are sent to the gene bank and preserved. She also mentioned that donors can send seeds to the bank. Dr. Yaman emphasized the importance of achieving an 85% germination rate for the seeds. All procedures are applied to store the seeds for 50 to 100 years. They follow the 2014 standards of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). After drying, the seeds are placed in a cold storage. Pressed seeds are then moved to rooms at temperatures between +5 to -18 degrees for preservation.
Dr. Yaman highlighted that only seeds from rooms with a temperature of +5 degrees are available for scientific research projects. The -18-degree cabinet can store materials for years, with a current stock of 62,686 seeds. Together with the Izmir Gene Bank, TAGEM has a seed inventory of 120,000.