The Vavilov Research Institute's potato collection survived the siege of Leningrad -- will it survive 21st-century economic restructuring?

摘要

The N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) holds one of the world's largest germplasm collections consisting of 334000 accessions of more than 2000 species. According to a 1997 study, the VIR potato collectionconsists of ?0000 entries. Of these, 6000-7000 are planted in the field and 3000 are stored as true seeds. The survival of this collection is threatened by deteriorating economic conditions in Russia. VIR's funds are being cut, personnel are being laidoff and lack of resources mean that accessions are not being replanted as often as is needed to properly maintain the collection. A fire in the building in 1990 where many true potato seed material was stored has left a major part of the collection unable to germinate due to the high temperatures suffered. The Cornell-Eastern Europe-Mexico (CEEM) International Collaborative Project in Potato Late Blight Control has been involved in several activities in support of VIR during 1996-2000 and some of theseare described.