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, 2012-2018
HINT: Use the search key to filter the data. For descriptions of performance indicators, click here.| Crop | Indicator | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit trees | Total number of accessions | 3,600 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 8,246 |
| Fruit trees | Total number of accessions that are currently available | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 8,246 |
| Fruit trees | Number of seed accessions | 3,600 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 3,600 | 8,246 |
| Fruit trees | Number of vegetatively-propagated accessions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Fruit trees | Number of live plant accessions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8,246 |
| Fruit trees | Number of seed accessions held in long-term storage and safety duplicated at two levels | 0 | 0 | 325 | 610 | 610 | 610 | |
| Fruit trees | Number of vegetatively-propagated accessions in cryopreservation or safety duplicated as in vitro | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Multipurpose trees | Total number of accessions | 5,307 | 5,490 | 4,577 | 5,345 | 5,594 | 5,997 | 6,336 |
| Multipurpose trees | Total number of accessions that are currently available | 4,882 | 4,122 | 1,341 | 2,084 | 2,735 | 3,292 | 4,728 |
| Multipurpose trees | Number of seed accessions | 5,307 | 5,490 | 4,577 | 5,345 | 5,594 | 5,997 | 6,336 |
| Multipurpose trees | Number of vegetatively-propagated accessions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Multipurpose trees | Number of live plant accessions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Multipurpose trees | Number of seed accessions held in long-term storage and safety duplicated at two levels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 777 | 777 | 777 | 1,085 |
| Multipurpose trees | Number of vegetatively-propagated accessions in cryopreservation or safety duplicated as in vitro | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
Genebank operations, 2012-2018
HINT: Use the search key to filter the data| Crop | Indicator | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit trees | Number accessions received | 0 | 18 | 12 | 0 | 131 | 0 | - |
| Fruit trees | Number accessions regenerated | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fruit trees | Number accessions multiplied | 0 | 0 | 0 | 119 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fruit trees | Number accessions health tested | 0 | 2,120 | 1,480 | 1,544 | 3,600 | 398 | 8,246 |
| Fruit trees | Number accessions cleaned | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 520 | 0 | |
| Fruit trees | Number accessions viability tested | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Multipurpose trees | Number accessions received | 190 | 50 | 48 | 202 | 261 | 212 | 15 |
| Multipurpose trees | Number accessions regenerated | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Multipurpose trees | Number accessions multiplied | 389 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Multipurpose trees | Number accessions health tested | 290 | 35 | 103 | 117 | 298 | 736 | 531 |
| Multipurpose trees | Number accessions cleaned | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Multipurpose trees | Number accessions viability tested | 409 | 112 | 203 | 928 | 1,162 | 917 | 644 |
Number of samples distributed to users within and outside the CGIAR, 2012-2018
HINT: Use the search key to filter the data. For descriptions of performance indicators, click here.| Crop | Indicator | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fruit trees | Number of samples distributed within the CGIAR | 260 | 736 | 2,844 | 1,529 | 5,745 | 6,972 | 577 |
| fruit trees | Number of samples distributed outside the CGIAR | 0 | 622 | 601 | 1,682 | 7,387 | 2,069 | 2,069 |
| fruit trees | Total number of samples distributed | 260 | 1,358 | 3,445 | 3,211 | 13,132 | 9,041 | 2,646 |
| fruit trees | Number of accessions distributed within the CGIAR | 45 | 66 | 132 | 226 | 37 | 133 | 65 |
| fruit trees | Number of accessions distributed outside the CGIAR | 0 | 130 | 77 | 64 | 148 | 149 | 149 |
| fruit trees | Total number of accessions distributed | 45 | 196 | 209 | 290 | 185 | 282 | 214 |
| multip trees | Number of samples distributed within the CGIAR | 401 | 88 | 77 | 139 | 82 | 37 | 28 |
| multip trees | Number of samples distributed outside the CGIAR | 332 | 268 | 232 | 408 | 359 | 890 | 885 |
| multip trees | Total number of samples distributed | 733 | 356 | 309 | 547 | 441 | 927 | 913 |
| multip trees | Number of accessions distributed within the CGIAR | 230 | 51 | 45 | 56 | 42 | 26 | 17 |
| multip trees | Number of accessions distributed outside the CGIAR | 141 | 92 | 75 | 56 | 59 | 298 | 113 |
| multip trees | Total number of accessions distributed | 371 | 143 | 120 | 112 | 101 | 324 | 113 |
| all crops | Number of samples distributed within the CGIAR | 661 | 824 | 2,921 | 1,668 | 5,827 | 7,009 | |
| all crops | Number of samples distributed outside the CGIAR | 332 | 890 | 833 | 2,090 | 7,746 | 2,959 | |
| all crops | Total number of samples distributed | 993 | 1,714 | 3,754 | 3,758 | 13,573 | 9,968 | |
| all crops | Number of accessions distributed within the CGIAR | 275 | 117 | 177 | 282 | 79 | 159 | |
| all crops | Number of accessions distributed outside the CGIAR | 141 | 222 | 152 | 120 | 207 | 447 | |
| all crops | Total number of accessions distributed | 416 | 339 | 329 | 402 | 286 | 606 |
Publications by ICRAF genebank staff in 2018
Recent publications with at least one CGIAR genebank staff as author. HINT: Use the search key to filter the data.| Authors | Article title | Publication name | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tata,H. L., Muchugi, A., Kariba, R., Van Noordwijk, M. | Genetic diversity of Dyera polyphylla (Miq.) Steenis populations used in tropical peatland restoration in Indonesia. | Mires and Peat | READ |
| Nyoka, B.I., Kamanga, R., Njoloma, J., Jamnadass, R., Mng'omba, S.A., Muwanje, S. | Quality of tree seedlings produced in nurseries in Malawi: an assessment of morphological attributes. | Forests, Trees and Livelihoods | READ |
| Muriira, N., Muchugi, A., Yu, A., Xu, J. C., Liu, A. | Genetic diversity analysis reveals genetic differentiation and strong population structure in Calotropis plants. | Scientific reports | READ |
| Chang, Y., Liu, H., Liu, M., Liao, X., Kumar Sahu, S., Fu, Y., Song, B., Cheng, S., Kariba, R., Muthemba, S., Hendre, P., Mayes, S., Kuan Ho, W., E.J. Yssel, A., Kendabie, P., Wang Linzhou Li, S., Muchugi, A., Jamnadass, R., Lu, H., Peng,S., Van Deynze, A., Simons, A., YanaShapiro, H.,Van de Peer, Y., Xu, X., Yang,H.,Wang, J., Liu, X. | The draft genomes of five agriculturally important African orphan crops. | Giga Science | READ |
| Cornelius, J.P., Pinedo-Ramírez, R., Sotelo Montes, C., Ugarte-Guerra, L.J., Weber, J.C. | Efficiency of early selection in Calycophyllum spruceanum and Guazuma crinita, two fast-growing timber species of the Peruvian Amazon. | Canadian Journal of Forest Research |
READ |
| Alain, T., Ebenezar, A., Roger, L., Zacharie, T., Van Damme, P., Daniel, O., Ramni, J. | Effects of pre-severance irradiance on the growth of Allanblackia floribunda Oliv. stockplants and on the subsequent rooting capacity of leafy stem cuttings. | Journal article (New Forests) | READ |
| Tiep, H.V., Thuong, H., Nguyen, L., Thi Lua, H. Van Thuan, V., Thi Kieu, L., Carsan, S., Degrande, A., Catacutan, D., Harwood, C. | Domestication of Docynia indica in Vietnam. | Forests, Trees and Livelihoods | READ |
Publications by ICRAF genebank staff in 2017
Recent publications with at least one CGIAR genebank staff as author. HINT: Use the search key to filter the data.| Authors | Article title | Publication name | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tata,H. L., Muchugi, A., Kariba, R., Van Noordwijk, M. | Genetic diversity of Dyera polyphylla (Miq.) Steenis populations used in tropical peatland restoration in Indonesia. | Mires and Peat | READ |
| Cornelius, J.P., Pinedo-Ramírez, R., Sotelo Montes, C., Ugarte-Guerra, L.J., Weber, J.C. | Efficiency of early selection in Calycophyllum spruceanum and Guazuma crinita, two fast-growing timber species of the Peruvian Amazon. | Canadian Journal of Forest Research |
READ |
| Bazié, P., Ky-Dembele, C., Jourdan, C., Roupsard, O., Zombré, G., & Bayala, J | Synchrony in the phenologies of fine roots and leaves of Vitellaria paradoxa in different land uses of Burkina Faso. | Agroforestry Systems | READ |
| Tsobeng, A., Asaah, E., Tchoundjeu, Z., Van Damme, P., Ofori, O., Jamnadass, R. | Growth, flowering and fruiting of stecklings, grafts and seedlings of Allanblackia floribunda Oliver (Clusiaceae). | Agroforestry Systems | READ |
| Roshetko, J.M., Dawson I.K., Urquiola, J., Lasco, R.D., Leimona, B., Weber, J.C., Bozzano, M., Lillesø, J.P.B., Graudal, L., Jamnadass, R. | To what extent are genetic resources considered in environmental service provision? A case study based on trees, carbon sequestration and the Clean Development Mechanism. | Climate and Development | READ |
| Gachuiri, A.N., Carsan, S., Karanja, E., Parmutia, M., Kuyah, S. | Diversity and importance of local fodder tree and shrub resources in mixed farming systems of central Kenya. | Forests, Trees and Livelihoods | READ |
| Muthai, K., Karori, M., Muchugi, A., Indieka, A.,Dembele, C., Mng’omba, S., Jamnadass, R. | Nutritional variation in baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) fruit pulp and seeds based on Africa geographical regions. | Journal of Food Science and Nutrition | READ |
| Minja, R.R., Kimaro, A.A., Mpanda, M., Moshy, S., Mwaijande, V.,Ngereza, A., Ambrose, J., Ndee, A., Kihula, B., Nyalusi, G. |
Effects of rootstock type and scion cultivar on grafting success and growth of mango (Mangifera indica L.) seedlings. |
Journal of Experimental Agriculture International | READ |