CRI

Crop Research Institute [Vyzkumny ustav rostlinne vyroby v.v.i.]

The Crop Research Institute [Vyzkumny ustav rostlinne vyroby v.v.i.] (CRI) is the leading public research institute devoted to crop production research in the Czech Republic, focusing on basic and applied research in plant genetics, nutrition, crop protection, quality of plant products and safety of food and feedstuff. Via the Czech Gene Bank (GB) it coordinates the National Programme for Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources and Agrobiodiversity.

R&D Infrastructure: The Czech Gene Bank is a department of the Division of Plant Genetics and Breeding. The GB provides conservation of nearly 50,000 plant genetic resources and research of various aspects associated with long-term viability and breeding use. The GB is engaged in the ex situ conservation and evaluation of crop wild relatives (CWR) and is starting activities for facilitating their in situ conservation. It runs the documentation system GRIN Czech and participates in international activities, organizations (ECPGR, FAO, ITPGRFA) and research projects.

Role in PRO-GRACE

The CRI Gene Bank is involved in WP1 (Plant genetic resources inventory and information systems), WP2 (Quality-certified ex situ and in situ management), WP4 (Plant genetic resources evaluation and valorization), WP5 (Research Infrastructure concept, social and regulatory aspects, governance and financial plan). Within WP1, CRI will be involved in developing standards and descriptors for in situ conserved CWR. Within WP2, CRI is responsible for deliverable D2.4 (A blueprint for capacity building programme for genebanks and in situ/on-farm conservation networks). Plans for a capacity-building programme will be proposed with an aim to support the creation of in situ/on-farm conservation networks reaching minimum quality standards and allowing genebanks to be certified. CRI will use its long-term monitoring of CWR populations as a case study. Within WP4, CRI will contribute to the development of crop-specific standards and protocols for the evaluation of the phenotypes and agronomic characteristics of ex situ collections.