Active germplasm bank of strawberry (BGA) in Argentina

CASTAGNARO AP.

Simposio; VII International Strawberry Symposium; 2014

During the 90s in Tucumán, north of Argentina, the Active Germplasm Bank (BGA) of strawberry was established and initiated its collection with an interdisciplinary vision. The main objectives of BGA are: collect, preserve, propagate, provide researchers and investigate strawberry germplasm, for breeding programs and for different research lines. The BGA is a national and regional reference of strawberry germplasm with accessions from different localities of Argentina and other countries. The preserved germplasm is characterized botanically, genetically, molecularly, phytopathologically and agriculturally. Different degrees of resistance to fungal pathogens and other diseases were found. Approximately 200 genotypes are preserved, including cultivars of commercial strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) and related wild species as: Duchesnea indica, Duchesnea chrysantha, Potentilla tucumanensis, Fragaria chiloensis, Fragaria vesca, Fragaria virginiana and hybrids (intergeneric and intraspecies). The BGA uses four conservation modes: 1) in vitro multiplication of materials in laboratory conditions, 2) in vivo conservation and propagation under controlled conditions, 3) in vivo preservation in nursery (field conditions) and 4) stored seeds of wild species.