BBSRC National Bioscience Research Infrastructure: Germplasm Resources
Lead Research Organisation:
John Innes Centre
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
Ex situ seed conservation is vital for global food security by providing a source of allelic variation for research and crop improvement through breeding. A decade of BBSRC National Capability Grant investment enabled the JIC to transform its Germplasm Resources (GR) Unit into a leading international genebank for UK strategic crops, now a Tier 1 NBRI. The GR-NBRI team is powered by a world-class germplasm information management system and public database (www.SeedStor.ac.uk), enabling cost-effective data and germplasm distribution. The GR holds comprehensive collections of wild relatives, landraces, modern cultivars, derived populations, and mutated diversity sets, primarily of wheat, barley, oat and pea. Recently, germplasm has been deposited as resources to disseminate knowledge from EU projects, BBSRC ISPs, and UK Genetic Improvement Networks. The GR-NBRI inventory, now totalling >51,000 accessions, is extensively used by researchers, educators, and breeders, requesting >5000 accessions annually. Most of the germplasm diversity is unique and can only be accessed from the GR. The GR collections form a major part of the UK’s national contribution to the International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). While continuing our established activity, we will improve the storage infrastructure to maintain safety and increase cost-effectiveness; enhance the value of the germplasm by generating data on their phenotypic range;? develop stabilised lineage to facilitate genomic studies; and further advance capability to use molecular markers to improve seed conservation and enhance utilisation.
Planned Impact
unavailable
Organisations
- John Innes Centre (Lead Research Organisation)
- Open Wild Wheat (Collaboration)
- Nottingham Scientific (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF READING (Collaboration)
- University of Bristol (Collaboration)
- IPK Gatersleben (Collaboration)
- Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) (Collaboration)
- EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL - EBI) (Collaboration)
- The European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources (Collaboration)
- Rothamsted Research (Collaboration)
- JOHN INNES CENTRE (Collaboration)
- ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- National Institute of Agronomy and Botany (NIAB) (Collaboration)
- Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen (Collaboration)
- EARLHAM INSTITUTE (Collaboration)
Publications

Barratt LJ
(2023)
Co-expression network analysis of diverse wheat landraces reveals markers of early thermotolerance and a candidate master regulator of thermotolerance genes.
in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology

Cavalet-Giorsa E
(2024)
Origin and evolution of the bread wheat D genome.
in Nature

Cheng S
(2024)
Harnessing landrace diversity empowers wheat breeding.
in Nature

Ellis N
(2023)
Recombinant inbred lines derived from wide crosses in Pisum.
in Scientific reports

Ellis T
(2024)
The Taxonomic Status of Genera within the Fabeae (Vicieae), with a Special Focus on Pisum
in Diversity

Feng C
(2024)
Genomic and Genetic Insights into Mendel's Pea Genes

Description | Maintenance of the Pea Genebank to facilitate R&D needs |
Amount | £248,700 (GBP) |
Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2023 |
End | 04/2027 |
Description | Title: Protect and promote Crop Wild Relatives. Call: HORIZON-CL6-2023-BIODIV-01 (Biodiversity and ecosystem services) Topic: HORIZON-CL6-2023-BIODIV-01-13 Proposal acronym: PRO-WILD |
Amount | € 6,000,000 (EUR) |
Funding ID | Proposal number: 101134965 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 09/2023 |
End | 10/2029 |
Title | SeedStor |
Description | SeedStor acts as the publicly available database for the seed collections held by the Germplasm Resources Unit (GRU) based at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK. The GRU curates germplasm collections of a range of temperate cereal, legume and Brassica crops and their associated wild relatives, as well as precise genetic stocks, near-isogenic lines and mapping populations. With >35,000 accessions of wheat, barley, oat and pea. SeedStor is a fully searchable system that allows our various collections to be browsed species by species through to complicated multipart phenotype criteria-driven queries. The results from these searches can be downloaded for later analysis or used to order germplasm via our shopping cart. The user community for SeedStor is the plant science research community, plant breeders, specialist growers, hobby farmers and amateur gardeners, and educationalists. Furthermore, SeedStor is much more than a database; it has been developed to act internally as a Germplasm Information Management System that allows team members to track and process germplasm requests, determine regeneration priorities, handle cost recovery and Material Transfer Agreement paperwork, manage the Seed Store holdings and easily report on a wide range of the aforementioned tasks. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The work of JIC has become more efficient and more defective. 1. The unit capacity increased for seed dissemination 2. Automatic prioritization of stock for regeneration ensures that resources are accurately and effectively spent 3. Assosiated information is gradually uloaded to the database adding value to the curated germplasm collections 4. Users enjoy an Amazon like experiance when they order seeds. 5. We are able to comunicate and resieve feedbacks in automated manner to improve our work 6. Reports for the international bodies (EURISCO, FAO) are easily produced 7.Reports to founders funders are easily generated |
URL | http://www.seedstor.ac.uk |
Description | Custodianship and distribution of wheat Germplasm developed by The Wheat Genetic Improvement Network |
Organisation | Rothamsted Research |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Three newly developed germplasm collections were assembled and uploaded to the Germplasm Resources Unit public database. The germplasm and the associated genetic information is publicly available international for users. The collections include: 1) Paragon EMS mutant collection (6500 wheat lines with valuable field phenotype data). 2) Paragon Gamma Skim deletion collection (400 wheat lines with valuable genomic data) 3) Paragon Library collection (mapping populations with both phenotype and genotype associated information) |
Collaborator Contribution | The new WGIN Core Project started in 2008 to provide genetic and molecular resources for research in other DEFRA projects and for a wide range of wheat research projects in the UK. The resources under development include wheat genetic stocks, mapping populations, molecular markers and marker technologies, trait identification and evaluation, genomics and bioinformatics. The twelve "core" research objectives and their interconnections are summarised in the figure below alongside the six research platform activities designed to promote the further integration of the funded work. |
Impact | Thousands of newly developed wheat research and pre-breeding germplasm lines are made available for the UK and the international plant science and plant breeding communities. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Custodianship and distribution of wheat Germplasm developed by The Wheat Genetic Improvement Network |
Organisation | University of Nottingham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Three newly developed germplasm collections were assembled and uploaded to the Germplasm Resources Unit public database. The germplasm and the associated genetic information is publicly available international for users. The collections include: 1) Paragon EMS mutant collection (6500 wheat lines with valuable field phenotype data). 2) Paragon Gamma Skim deletion collection (400 wheat lines with valuable genomic data) 3) Paragon Library collection (mapping populations with both phenotype and genotype associated information) |
Collaborator Contribution | The new WGIN Core Project started in 2008 to provide genetic and molecular resources for research in other DEFRA projects and for a wide range of wheat research projects in the UK. The resources under development include wheat genetic stocks, mapping populations, molecular markers and marker technologies, trait identification and evaluation, genomics and bioinformatics. The twelve "core" research objectives and their interconnections are summarised in the figure below alongside the six research platform activities designed to promote the further integration of the funded work. |
Impact | Thousands of newly developed wheat research and pre-breeding germplasm lines are made available for the UK and the international plant science and plant breeding communities. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | DFW Breeder toolkit collaboration |
Organisation | John Innes Centre |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The GRU is curating, regenerating and distributing a serious of new wheat collections named "Breeder toolkits". These collections are the core practical result of the Designing Future Wheat (DFW), a BBSRC funded consortium which spans eight research institutes and universities and aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits. The GRU further develops the "Breeder toolkit" plant material and related information in a tight collaborative effort with all major wheat breeders in the UK (LSBP, BAYER, RAGT, Elsoms, Syngenta, KWS, DSV, Limagrain) and the relevant DFW WP leaders. "Breeder toolkit" is an integration and curation effort of plant material and information originated from 25 research group across the UK to ensure the long-lasting impact of DFW for future food security. |
Collaborator Contribution | The collaborators have been developing the plant material and the related information which the GRU is then curating, and regenerating to form an accessible seed collection and an accessible database for industrial use. |
Impact | 1) A new collection of phenotyped plant material with proven advantageous genomic area is being finalised and soon will be active in the GRU database (SeedStor) 2) A total of 13 requests for newly developed plant material were delivered for breeding companies free of IP to be integrated in running breeding programs. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | DFW Breeder toolkit collaboration |
Organisation | National Institute of Agronomy and Botany (NIAB) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The GRU is curating, regenerating and distributing a serious of new wheat collections named "Breeder toolkits". These collections are the core practical result of the Designing Future Wheat (DFW), a BBSRC funded consortium which spans eight research institutes and universities and aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits. The GRU further develops the "Breeder toolkit" plant material and related information in a tight collaborative effort with all major wheat breeders in the UK (LSBP, BAYER, RAGT, Elsoms, Syngenta, KWS, DSV, Limagrain) and the relevant DFW WP leaders. "Breeder toolkit" is an integration and curation effort of plant material and information originated from 25 research group across the UK to ensure the long-lasting impact of DFW for future food security. |
Collaborator Contribution | The collaborators have been developing the plant material and the related information which the GRU is then curating, and regenerating to form an accessible seed collection and an accessible database for industrial use. |
Impact | 1) A new collection of phenotyped plant material with proven advantageous genomic area is being finalised and soon will be active in the GRU database (SeedStor) 2) A total of 13 requests for newly developed plant material were delivered for breeding companies free of IP to be integrated in running breeding programs. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | DFW Breeder toolkit collaboration |
Organisation | Nottingham Scientific |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | The GRU is curating, regenerating and distributing a serious of new wheat collections named "Breeder toolkits". These collections are the core practical result of the Designing Future Wheat (DFW), a BBSRC funded consortium which spans eight research institutes and universities and aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits. The GRU further develops the "Breeder toolkit" plant material and related information in a tight collaborative effort with all major wheat breeders in the UK (LSBP, BAYER, RAGT, Elsoms, Syngenta, KWS, DSV, Limagrain) and the relevant DFW WP leaders. "Breeder toolkit" is an integration and curation effort of plant material and information originated from 25 research group across the UK to ensure the long-lasting impact of DFW for future food security. |
Collaborator Contribution | The collaborators have been developing the plant material and the related information which the GRU is then curating, and regenerating to form an accessible seed collection and an accessible database for industrial use. |
Impact | 1) A new collection of phenotyped plant material with proven advantageous genomic area is being finalised and soon will be active in the GRU database (SeedStor) 2) A total of 13 requests for newly developed plant material were delivered for breeding companies free of IP to be integrated in running breeding programs. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | DFW Breeder toolkit collaboration |
Organisation | Rothamsted Research |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The GRU is curating, regenerating and distributing a serious of new wheat collections named "Breeder toolkits". These collections are the core practical result of the Designing Future Wheat (DFW), a BBSRC funded consortium which spans eight research institutes and universities and aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits. The GRU further develops the "Breeder toolkit" plant material and related information in a tight collaborative effort with all major wheat breeders in the UK (LSBP, BAYER, RAGT, Elsoms, Syngenta, KWS, DSV, Limagrain) and the relevant DFW WP leaders. "Breeder toolkit" is an integration and curation effort of plant material and information originated from 25 research group across the UK to ensure the long-lasting impact of DFW for future food security. |
Collaborator Contribution | The collaborators have been developing the plant material and the related information which the GRU is then curating, and regenerating to form an accessible seed collection and an accessible database for industrial use. |
Impact | 1) A new collection of phenotyped plant material with proven advantageous genomic area is being finalised and soon will be active in the GRU database (SeedStor) 2) A total of 13 requests for newly developed plant material were delivered for breeding companies free of IP to be integrated in running breeding programs. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | DFW Breeder toolkit collaboration |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The GRU is curating, regenerating and distributing a serious of new wheat collections named "Breeder toolkits". These collections are the core practical result of the Designing Future Wheat (DFW), a BBSRC funded consortium which spans eight research institutes and universities and aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits. The GRU further develops the "Breeder toolkit" plant material and related information in a tight collaborative effort with all major wheat breeders in the UK (LSBP, BAYER, RAGT, Elsoms, Syngenta, KWS, DSV, Limagrain) and the relevant DFW WP leaders. "Breeder toolkit" is an integration and curation effort of plant material and information originated from 25 research group across the UK to ensure the long-lasting impact of DFW for future food security. |
Collaborator Contribution | The collaborators have been developing the plant material and the related information which the GRU is then curating, and regenerating to form an accessible seed collection and an accessible database for industrial use. |
Impact | 1) A new collection of phenotyped plant material with proven advantageous genomic area is being finalised and soon will be active in the GRU database (SeedStor) 2) A total of 13 requests for newly developed plant material were delivered for breeding companies free of IP to be integrated in running breeding programs. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | DFW WP4 |
Organisation | EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL - EBI) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Designing Future Wheat (DFW) is a BBSRC funded consortium which spans eight research institutes and universities and aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits. The GRU is not an integral funded partner of the consortium. The GRU collaborates with WP4 for data access and analysis. The core of this collaboration is shearing GRU database and management system (SeedStor) software code with WP4. In a collaborative effort, APIs were developed to enable automatic data harvesting from SeedStor. Thus, DFW consortium end users would use the information stored on SeedStor DB behind the scene when using the consortium germplasm related data |
Collaborator Contribution | DFW WP4 developed the necessary tools to enable automatic data harvesting from SeedStor. This added feature could be used by the GRU in the future to collaborate with other potential future users. DFW WP4 links genomic and phenomic data and data sets to the underlined relevant germplasm which will be maintained by GRU in the future, increasing the UK national small grain collection value. |
Impact | Interdisciplinary: Plant science and Computer sciences Output: The necessary set of functions and procedures were developed and coded into SeedStor. These will allow the creation of applications that access the SeedStor curated data and use it in DFW newly constructed operating system. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | DFW WP4 |
Organisation | Earlham Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Designing Future Wheat (DFW) is a BBSRC funded consortium which spans eight research institutes and universities and aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits. The GRU is not an integral funded partner of the consortium. The GRU collaborates with WP4 for data access and analysis. The core of this collaboration is shearing GRU database and management system (SeedStor) software code with WP4. In a collaborative effort, APIs were developed to enable automatic data harvesting from SeedStor. Thus, DFW consortium end users would use the information stored on SeedStor DB behind the scene when using the consortium germplasm related data |
Collaborator Contribution | DFW WP4 developed the necessary tools to enable automatic data harvesting from SeedStor. This added feature could be used by the GRU in the future to collaborate with other potential future users. DFW WP4 links genomic and phenomic data and data sets to the underlined relevant germplasm which will be maintained by GRU in the future, increasing the UK national small grain collection value. |
Impact | Interdisciplinary: Plant science and Computer sciences Output: The necessary set of functions and procedures were developed and coded into SeedStor. These will allow the creation of applications that access the SeedStor curated data and use it in DFW newly constructed operating system. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | DFW WP4 |
Organisation | Rothamsted Research |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Designing Future Wheat (DFW) is a BBSRC funded consortium which spans eight research institutes and universities and aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits. The GRU is not an integral funded partner of the consortium. The GRU collaborates with WP4 for data access and analysis. The core of this collaboration is shearing GRU database and management system (SeedStor) software code with WP4. In a collaborative effort, APIs were developed to enable automatic data harvesting from SeedStor. Thus, DFW consortium end users would use the information stored on SeedStor DB behind the scene when using the consortium germplasm related data |
Collaborator Contribution | DFW WP4 developed the necessary tools to enable automatic data harvesting from SeedStor. This added feature could be used by the GRU in the future to collaborate with other potential future users. DFW WP4 links genomic and phenomic data and data sets to the underlined relevant germplasm which will be maintained by GRU in the future, increasing the UK national small grain collection value. |
Impact | Interdisciplinary: Plant science and Computer sciences Output: The necessary set of functions and procedures were developed and coded into SeedStor. These will allow the creation of applications that access the SeedStor curated data and use it in DFW newly constructed operating system. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | DFW WP4 |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Designing Future Wheat (DFW) is a BBSRC funded consortium which spans eight research institutes and universities and aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits. The GRU is not an integral funded partner of the consortium. The GRU collaborates with WP4 for data access and analysis. The core of this collaboration is shearing GRU database and management system (SeedStor) software code with WP4. In a collaborative effort, APIs were developed to enable automatic data harvesting from SeedStor. Thus, DFW consortium end users would use the information stored on SeedStor DB behind the scene when using the consortium germplasm related data |
Collaborator Contribution | DFW WP4 developed the necessary tools to enable automatic data harvesting from SeedStor. This added feature could be used by the GRU in the future to collaborate with other potential future users. DFW WP4 links genomic and phenomic data and data sets to the underlined relevant germplasm which will be maintained by GRU in the future, increasing the UK national small grain collection value. |
Impact | Interdisciplinary: Plant science and Computer sciences Output: The necessary set of functions and procedures were developed and coded into SeedStor. These will allow the creation of applications that access the SeedStor curated data and use it in DFW newly constructed operating system. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Defra Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network (PCGIN) |
Organisation | Aberystwyth University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The undersigned lead PI on the 'Germplasm Resources Unit' National Capability grant (BBS/E/J/000PR8000) is a member of the PCGIN management team to support any aspect directly linked to the germplasm supply and germplasm curation in planning and running of PCGIN and its network activities. A central goal of the tight collaboration is to correctly plan activities related to future custodianship and distribution of germplasm arising from PCGIN activities and to increase PCGIN future positive impact on legume use in agriculture through long term curation and provision via the GRU |
Collaborator Contribution | The Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network (PCGIN), funded by Defra, is a platform that serves the process of legume crop improvement in the UK. It establishes the route by which scientific resources, results and knowledge are delivered to breeders, producers and end users, providing a link between these groups and the research base to achieve added value for pulse crops. It provides resources, expertise and understanding that are drawn upon by both public and commercial sectors in breeding, analysis, and in the definition and improvement of product quality relating to both commercial and public goods. It promotes and executes the translation of genomic research tools to crop improvement, consistent with both the needs of UK industry, and Defra objectives relating to sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, it provides links with, and involvement in, European pulse crop research programmes. Crop diversification and lowering inputs are major drivers for sustainable agricultural policy. Pulse crops can contribute positively to these two policy goals because, as a consequence of biological nitrogen fixation, they require minimal inputs and are less environmentally polluting that other crops such as cereals or brassicas. They act as a very effective break crop in our cereal dominated rotation. However, there is a need to make legume crops more attractive to farmers, and to increase the market value of their product. These two are the major strands of PCGIN research activity. Limitations to growing pulse crops in rotations are being addressed through research aimed at improving crop performance and reliability. The genetic basis for agronomic traits such as standing ability, yield and disease will be established. Pulse crops are also an efficient source of plant-derived protein for food and animal feed. Increasing the market value of seed products will depend on genetic studies that define and underpin the traits that limit seed quality. |
Impact | Main output include the improvement of member knowledge which allow better germplasm circulation within PCGIN including swift and full fulfilment of the legal and phytosanitary needs. The collaboration is multidisciplinary as member of the management team include seed quality scientists in addition to phytologists, plant physiologists, geneticists, growers and breeders from the public and the private sector in addition to government sector (representation of DEFRA ). |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Defra Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network (PCGIN) |
Organisation | National Institute of Agronomy and Botany (NIAB) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The undersigned lead PI on the 'Germplasm Resources Unit' National Capability grant (BBS/E/J/000PR8000) is a member of the PCGIN management team to support any aspect directly linked to the germplasm supply and germplasm curation in planning and running of PCGIN and its network activities. A central goal of the tight collaboration is to correctly plan activities related to future custodianship and distribution of germplasm arising from PCGIN activities and to increase PCGIN future positive impact on legume use in agriculture through long term curation and provision via the GRU |
Collaborator Contribution | The Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network (PCGIN), funded by Defra, is a platform that serves the process of legume crop improvement in the UK. It establishes the route by which scientific resources, results and knowledge are delivered to breeders, producers and end users, providing a link between these groups and the research base to achieve added value for pulse crops. It provides resources, expertise and understanding that are drawn upon by both public and commercial sectors in breeding, analysis, and in the definition and improvement of product quality relating to both commercial and public goods. It promotes and executes the translation of genomic research tools to crop improvement, consistent with both the needs of UK industry, and Defra objectives relating to sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, it provides links with, and involvement in, European pulse crop research programmes. Crop diversification and lowering inputs are major drivers for sustainable agricultural policy. Pulse crops can contribute positively to these two policy goals because, as a consequence of biological nitrogen fixation, they require minimal inputs and are less environmentally polluting that other crops such as cereals or brassicas. They act as a very effective break crop in our cereal dominated rotation. However, there is a need to make legume crops more attractive to farmers, and to increase the market value of their product. These two are the major strands of PCGIN research activity. Limitations to growing pulse crops in rotations are being addressed through research aimed at improving crop performance and reliability. The genetic basis for agronomic traits such as standing ability, yield and disease will be established. Pulse crops are also an efficient source of plant-derived protein for food and animal feed. Increasing the market value of seed products will depend on genetic studies that define and underpin the traits that limit seed quality. |
Impact | Main output include the improvement of member knowledge which allow better germplasm circulation within PCGIN including swift and full fulfilment of the legal and phytosanitary needs. The collaboration is multidisciplinary as member of the management team include seed quality scientists in addition to phytologists, plant physiologists, geneticists, growers and breeders from the public and the private sector in addition to government sector (representation of DEFRA ). |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Defra Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network (PCGIN) |
Organisation | Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | The undersigned lead PI on the 'Germplasm Resources Unit' National Capability grant (BBS/E/J/000PR8000) is a member of the PCGIN management team to support any aspect directly linked to the germplasm supply and germplasm curation in planning and running of PCGIN and its network activities. A central goal of the tight collaboration is to correctly plan activities related to future custodianship and distribution of germplasm arising from PCGIN activities and to increase PCGIN future positive impact on legume use in agriculture through long term curation and provision via the GRU |
Collaborator Contribution | The Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network (PCGIN), funded by Defra, is a platform that serves the process of legume crop improvement in the UK. It establishes the route by which scientific resources, results and knowledge are delivered to breeders, producers and end users, providing a link between these groups and the research base to achieve added value for pulse crops. It provides resources, expertise and understanding that are drawn upon by both public and commercial sectors in breeding, analysis, and in the definition and improvement of product quality relating to both commercial and public goods. It promotes and executes the translation of genomic research tools to crop improvement, consistent with both the needs of UK industry, and Defra objectives relating to sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, it provides links with, and involvement in, European pulse crop research programmes. Crop diversification and lowering inputs are major drivers for sustainable agricultural policy. Pulse crops can contribute positively to these two policy goals because, as a consequence of biological nitrogen fixation, they require minimal inputs and are less environmentally polluting that other crops such as cereals or brassicas. They act as a very effective break crop in our cereal dominated rotation. However, there is a need to make legume crops more attractive to farmers, and to increase the market value of their product. These two are the major strands of PCGIN research activity. Limitations to growing pulse crops in rotations are being addressed through research aimed at improving crop performance and reliability. The genetic basis for agronomic traits such as standing ability, yield and disease will be established. Pulse crops are also an efficient source of plant-derived protein for food and animal feed. Increasing the market value of seed products will depend on genetic studies that define and underpin the traits that limit seed quality. |
Impact | Main output include the improvement of member knowledge which allow better germplasm circulation within PCGIN including swift and full fulfilment of the legal and phytosanitary needs. The collaboration is multidisciplinary as member of the management team include seed quality scientists in addition to phytologists, plant physiologists, geneticists, growers and breeders from the public and the private sector in addition to government sector (representation of DEFRA ). |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Defra Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network (PCGIN) |
Organisation | University of Reading |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The undersigned lead PI on the 'Germplasm Resources Unit' National Capability grant (BBS/E/J/000PR8000) is a member of the PCGIN management team to support any aspect directly linked to the germplasm supply and germplasm curation in planning and running of PCGIN and its network activities. A central goal of the tight collaboration is to correctly plan activities related to future custodianship and distribution of germplasm arising from PCGIN activities and to increase PCGIN future positive impact on legume use in agriculture through long term curation and provision via the GRU |
Collaborator Contribution | The Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network (PCGIN), funded by Defra, is a platform that serves the process of legume crop improvement in the UK. It establishes the route by which scientific resources, results and knowledge are delivered to breeders, producers and end users, providing a link between these groups and the research base to achieve added value for pulse crops. It provides resources, expertise and understanding that are drawn upon by both public and commercial sectors in breeding, analysis, and in the definition and improvement of product quality relating to both commercial and public goods. It promotes and executes the translation of genomic research tools to crop improvement, consistent with both the needs of UK industry, and Defra objectives relating to sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, it provides links with, and involvement in, European pulse crop research programmes. Crop diversification and lowering inputs are major drivers for sustainable agricultural policy. Pulse crops can contribute positively to these two policy goals because, as a consequence of biological nitrogen fixation, they require minimal inputs and are less environmentally polluting that other crops such as cereals or brassicas. They act as a very effective break crop in our cereal dominated rotation. However, there is a need to make legume crops more attractive to farmers, and to increase the market value of their product. These two are the major strands of PCGIN research activity. Limitations to growing pulse crops in rotations are being addressed through research aimed at improving crop performance and reliability. The genetic basis for agronomic traits such as standing ability, yield and disease will be established. Pulse crops are also an efficient source of plant-derived protein for food and animal feed. Increasing the market value of seed products will depend on genetic studies that define and underpin the traits that limit seed quality. |
Impact | Main output include the improvement of member knowledge which allow better germplasm circulation within PCGIN including swift and full fulfilment of the legal and phytosanitary needs. The collaboration is multidisciplinary as member of the management team include seed quality scientists in addition to phytologists, plant physiologists, geneticists, growers and breeders from the public and the private sector in addition to government sector (representation of DEFRA ). |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | European Evaluation Network (EVA) of Wheat and Barley |
Organisation | IPK Gatersleben |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | 1. Participating in ECPGR Workshop for the establishment of a European Evaluation Network (EVA) on wheat and barley, 2. Choosing instrumental wheat diversity greatly needed to compete the objectives of EVA on time. The germplasm was supplied acording to teh climatic regions of Europe based on previous studies in JIC. The European Evaluation Network (EVA, 2019-2022) project funded by the German government. Each year a different batch of European genebank accessions will be multiplied and then evaluated in multiple locations for disease resistance. The data will be provided to EURISCO and made widely available after an embargo period, to incentivise the collaboration of private breeders. The GRU, together with IPK were key for the project start since other European genebanks do not hold collections amenable for genotyping and thus require two more years of preparation. The GRU agreed to alleviate the cost which would be recorded by European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR) as a UK contribution to the cooperative project. The supplied germplasm has gone through single seed descend and is stable enough to be immediately implemented |
Collaborator Contribution | Other groups has multiplied the germplasm to levels allowing screening. Next, other groups will evaluate the germplasm to the agreed disease resistance traits. |
Impact | 1. Vibrant network for collaboration on wheat and barley was established 2.360 Single Seed Derived landrace of wheat from the Watkins collection were chosen according to predicted climate adaptation 3. The lines are currently being multiplied by the industrial partners in the programme |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | European Evaluation Network (EVA) of Wheat and Barley |
Organisation | The European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Participating in ECPGR Workshop for the establishment of a European Evaluation Network (EVA) on wheat and barley, 2. Choosing instrumental wheat diversity greatly needed to compete the objectives of EVA on time. The germplasm was supplied acording to teh climatic regions of Europe based on previous studies in JIC. The European Evaluation Network (EVA, 2019-2022) project funded by the German government. Each year a different batch of European genebank accessions will be multiplied and then evaluated in multiple locations for disease resistance. The data will be provided to EURISCO and made widely available after an embargo period, to incentivise the collaboration of private breeders. The GRU, together with IPK were key for the project start since other European genebanks do not hold collections amenable for genotyping and thus require two more years of preparation. The GRU agreed to alleviate the cost which would be recorded by European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR) as a UK contribution to the cooperative project. The supplied germplasm has gone through single seed descend and is stable enough to be immediately implemented |
Collaborator Contribution | Other groups has multiplied the germplasm to levels allowing screening. Next, other groups will evaluate the germplasm to the agreed disease resistance traits. |
Impact | 1. Vibrant network for collaboration on wheat and barley was established 2.360 Single Seed Derived landrace of wheat from the Watkins collection were chosen according to predicted climate adaptation 3. The lines are currently being multiplied by the industrial partners in the programme |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Mendel_seq |
Organisation | Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen |
Country | China |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Co-leading a work on genebank genomics in Peas. Choosing and providing the germplasm, DNA and morphological characteristic data |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-leading a work on genebank genomics in Peas. Generating sequences and providing bioinformatics and genomic data. |
Impact | Plans were made for whole-genome re-sequencing of ca. 700 accessions of peas from the JIC-GRU collection and to associate them with the GRU historic and contemporary phenotype for gene discovery. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Open Wild Wheat Consortium Ae. tauschii Diversity Panel |
Organisation | Open Wild Wheat |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | The GRU team has incorporated the novel assembled Open Wild Wheat Consortium Ae. tauschii Diversity Panel into SeedStor. This will allow end users to easily access the germplasm and the associated passport information and expedition information. The GRU has agreed to distribute the seeds within and outside the consortium and to handle the necessary ATMs and phytosanitary needed for swift and legal germplasm distribution. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partner assembled the collection from distinct germplasm collections. The partner allowed the entire bio-science community access to the material and the R-gene sequences The partner bulked up the seeds to an amount that allows distribution to start |
Impact | 1. Seeds of the sequenced wild wheat Ae. Tauschii Diversity panel are curated now in condition allowing over 30 years of longevity (preventing possible loss of diversity in nature) 2.. Seeds and associated passport data is now available on-line seed for ordering via SeedStor: https://www.seedstor.ac.uk/search-browsecollections.php |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | A visit by the the Rt Hon Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Teresa Coffey. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Teresa Coffey visited GR as part of a wider tour of the JIC Site. Some positive debate regarding the funding of the GR held and its position within the wider context of research and food production |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | An evening guided tour of GR and presentations delivered to two groups of local businesses within Norwich Freemen |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Two very engaging groups of Freemen were shown the GR facilities and the way we conduct our work. Arranged through JIC Comms, it was regarded important for the JIC and the future involvement of local business |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Annual visit to DSW BTK Breeder Trials Sites |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The DSW BTK trial sites were visited by DSW personnel, Simon Griffiths Platform Lead and Daniel Knevitt Project Manager, Simon Orford BTK Coordinator. The event is coordinated through the GR-NBRI and involves visiting the trial sites of major UK wheat breeders. Elsoms Seeds Ltd, DSV, KWS, LSPB, Syngenta, RAGT and Limagrain to assess the quality of the BTK trials being conducted |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Full day visit by Year10 School Science Camp Attendee Armita Shekari. Hosted by Smitha Chundakkad |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | YR 10 Science camp attendee xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx spent the day learning and helping with aspects of the GR-NBRI. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Future of Agriculture Event chaired by Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallet. Attended and presented by Simon Orford |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A group of approx. 25 farmers agreed to meet at the first agriculture of the future event to outline what science can do to assist farmers with food production. Chaired by Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallet and attended by leading JIC scientists |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | GR field work presented to four visiting groups as part of the JIC Breeders Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | As part of the annual JIC Breeders Day 2023, GR presented in field trials at Church Farm, the plots of historic and derived Watkins durum landraces. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Guided tour of GRU for Christine Tacon CBE, Chair of Assured Food Standard by Noam Chayut. Conducted with Simon Griffiths and David Roberts JIC Comms |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Guided tour of GRU for Christine Tacon CBE, Chair of Assured Food Standard as part of the Farmers Weekly Question Time event held at the JIC 20/04/2023 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Guided tour of GRU for Martin Kaufmann regarding NGI funding. Conducted with Felicity Perry of JIC Comms |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | As part of the NGI programme, we have begun working with an external consultant to develop the fundraising activities and workstream, and to build a strategy to meet the funding gap in the programme. The consultant, Martin Kaufman will be visiting Norwich next week, to familiarise himself with the site, to meet people and to find out as much as he can to help him shape our strategy moving forwards. Martin was touring the JIC and a request was made to stop off at the GRU. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Hosted two day UK-PGRg meeting June 22 -23 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | GR-NBRI hosted the 2023 UK-PGRg meeting. Presentations, tours and meetings were held both at the JIC Centre and the JIC Field Station |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | JIC Science Camp visit from Year 10 pupils from multiple local High Schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The Year 10 Schools Science Camp held at the JIC annually visited the GR-NBRI. Simon Orford spoke about the work we undertake and also some basic concepts of the life of a seed. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | London International Youth science forum visit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Young scientists from the London International Youth science forum, a STEM summer camp in the UK, visited our facilities. The visit included a tour at our cold room with all the collections and discussions about biodiversity and the importance of germplasm preservation for the combat of climate change and many challenges in plant sciences. We received many questions about and we enjoyed a fruitful discussion afterwards. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Meeting with Pasta Foods John Bagley and JIC Jonathon Clarke. Attended by Noam Chayut and Simon Orford |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Pasta foods to discuss potential avenues of interest for landrace durums and how they may help the industry adapt to more UK grown durum wheat |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Tour and explanation of the GRU for visitors by Noam from DEFRA following a day workshop event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | A tour of facilities and explanation of work conducted in GRU |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Visit by Adam Alexander to Noam Chayut - The Seed Detective. Conducted through James Piercy JIC Comms |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Adam Alexander (The Seed Detective)who has a passionate interest in heritage seeds spoke with Noam Chayut at length as part of a JIC Site visit |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Visit by Daniel Zeichner Labour MP for Cambridge and Shadow Minister for DEFRA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Noam Chayut hosted a visit to GR-NBRI by Daniel Zeichner, as part of a JIC site tour with Jonathon Clarke |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Visit by National Trust Conservation Manager Chris Trimmer, Senior Propogator Juliet Stubbington and Darryl Beck. Hosted by Simon Orford and Eleni Vikeli |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Supporters |
Results and Impact | A visit by National Trust staff involved with pant conservation as part of a site wide visit by Karen Rushmere. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Visit by Year10 School visitor Evan Leverington-Waite. Hosted by Liz Sayers |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Liz demonstrated aspects of the GR-NBRI service to Evan including SeedStor. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Visit by the Precarpathian National University of Ukraiane. Hosted by Peter Emmrich |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The group is from Precarpathian National University in Ukraine. They are visiting UEA for two weeks (and NBI for the day) as part of a delegation from a wide variety of backgrounds with the goal of building research links for future collaborations after the war. The whole group is about 20 people, but that includes economists and journalists |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Visit from Dr. Kerrie Farrar of IBERS Aberystwyth |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Visit from Dr. Kerrie Farrar of IBERS Aberystwyth. Conducted through Simon Griffiths also in attendance |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Visit to GRU by NFU famers as part of a day visit to the JIC |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Approx. 15 farmer members of the NFU from across the country and an NFU policy maker, had a 30 min site tour of the GRU by Noam Chayut, Liz Sayers, Eleni Vikeli and Simon Orford. Focus centered on the wealth of diversity available and how this is used in research and delivery to breeders through DSW |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Visit to GRU requested by Cristobal Uauy for Limagrain visitors Simon Berry (UK) and Cristina Fernandez (Spain) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Noam Chayut and Simon Orford delivered a tour of the GR facilities and explained in particular the approach of the DSW network. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |