Genetic Resources Unit
The Genetic Resources Unit of the World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF) conserves a wide diversity of about 190 species. These are wild, partially domesticated and domesticated trees used in agroforestry systems to supply fruit, timber, medicines and other products.
Many accessions are maintained in field genebanks managed in collaboration with national partners. The field genebanks supply propagating material to local partners in addition to gathering valuable data on the performance of the accessions.
The genebank works closely with research partners to supply agroforestry tree diversity for ICRAF domestication programs and other researchers.
In addition, ICRAF maintains a unique collection of African dryland woody-fodder species.
ICRAF staff carry out basic tests for diseases of quarantine risk. The genebank relies on national partners to monitor plant health in the field genebanks.
Useful information
Leader in Tree Diversity, Domestication and Delivery: Ramni Jamnadass
Head of genebank: Alice Muchugi
Seed scientist: Zakayo Kinyanjui
Genebank Database Officer: Simon Kang’ethe
Key performance indicators of CGIAR genebanks, 2012-2017
HINT: Use the search key to filter the data. For descriptions of performance indicators, click here.| Indicator | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Total number of accessions | 8,907 | 9,090 | 8,177 | 8,945 | 9,194 | 9,597 |
| 2. Total number of accessions that are currently available | 4,882 | 4,122 | 1,341 | 5,684 | 6,335 | 6,892 |
| 3. Number of seed accessions | 8,907 | 9,090 | 8,177 | 8,945 | 9,194 | 9,597 |
| 4. Number of vegetatively-propagated accessions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5. Number of seed accessions held in long-term storage and safety duplicated at two levels | 0 | 0 | 325 | 1,387 | 1,387 | 1,387 |
| 6. Number of vegetatively-propagated accessions in cryopreservation or safety duplicated as in vitro | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PDCI score | - | - | - | 5.34 | 5.34 | 6.69 |
Genebank operations, 2012-2017
HINT: Use the search key to filter the data| Indicator | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number accessions received | 190 | 68 | 60 | 202 | 392 | 212 |
| Number accessions regenerated | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Number accessions multiplied | 389 | 0 | 30 | 119 | 0 | 0 |
| Number accessions health tested | 290 | 2,155 | 1,583 | 1,661 | 3,898 | 1,134 |
| Number accessions cleaned | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 520 | 0 |
| Number accessions viability tested | 409 | 112 | 203 | 928 | 1,162 | 917 |
Number of samples distributed to users within and outside the CGIAR, 2012-2017
HINT: Use the search key to filter the data. For descriptions of performance indicators, click here.| Indicator | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of samples distributed within the CGIAR | 661 | 824 | 2,921 | 1,668 | 5,827 | 7,009 |
| Number of samples distributed outside the CGIAR | 332 | 890 | 833 | 2,090 | 7,746 | 2,959 |
| Total number of samples distributed | 993 | 1,714 | 3,754 | 3,758 | 13,573 | 9,968 |
| Number of accessions distributed within the CGIAR | 275 | 117 | 177 | 282 | 79 | 159 |
| Number of accessions distributed outside the CGIAR | 141 | 222 | 152 | 120 | 207 | 447 |
| Total number of accessions distributed | 416 | 339 | 329 | 402 | 286 | 606 |