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Evidence Project Final Report

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Project identification
1.
Defra Project code
2.
Project title
GC0144
Support for the Warwick HRI Genetic Resources Unit as
Base Collection and for Use in Vegetable Research
3.
Contractor
organisation(s)
School of Life Sciences
University of Warwick
Wellesbourne Campus
Warwick
CV35 9EF
54. Total Defra project costs
(agreed fixed price)
5. Project:
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 1 of 14
£
1425439
start date ................
1/4/2009
end date .................
31/3/2014
6. It is Defra’s intention to publish this form.
Please confirm your agreement to do so. ............................................................................................... YES X
(a) When preparing Evidence Project Final Reports contractors should bear in mind that Defra intends that
they be made public. They should be written in a clear and concise manner and represent a full account
of the research project which someone not closely associated with the project can follow.
Defra recognises that in a small minority of cases there may be information, such as intellectual property
or commercially confidential data, used in or generated by the research project, which should not be
disclosed. In these cases, such information should be detailed in a separate annex (not to be published)
so that the Evidence Project Final Report can be placed in the public domain. Where it is impossible to
complete the Final Report without including references to any sensitive or confidential data, the
information should be included and section (b) completed. NB: only in exceptional circumstances will
Defra expect contractors to give a "No" answer.
In all cases, reasons for withholding information must be fully in line with exemptions under the
Environmental Information Regulations or the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
(b) If you have answered NO, please explain why the Final report should not be released into public domain
Executive Summary
7.
The executive summary must not exceed 2 sides in total of A4 and should be understandable to the
intelligent non-scientist. It should cover the main objectives, methods and findings of the research, together
with any other significant events and options for new work.
Conservation of plant genetic resources such as the seed collections of the UK Vegetable Genebank is a
significant and necessary activity to ensure the continuing availability of genetic diversity in crop
genepools. This diversity is the raw material for plant breeding programmes, and global concerns were
raised from the 1970s onwards about the loss of genetic variation in cultivated species caused by the
displacement of landrace and traditional varieties by more broadly adapted commercial varieties. Ex-situ
collections were set up, including the UK Vegetable Genebank, in order to conserve crop genetic diversity
through the management of germplasm collections (either seed or other propagative material).
The UK Vegetable Genebank forms part of the UK’s plant genetic resource collection, and includes the
following crops: Allium (onion, leek, etc), Brassica (Brussels sprout, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.), Daucus
(carrot), Raphanus (radish), Lactuca (lettuce) and minor vegetables (celery, spinach, endive, cress, etc.).
As signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the International Treaty on Plant
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), the UK holds commitments to the conservation,
the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from utilisation, and the making available of such genetic
resources. Through this contract Defra provided support to Warwick Genetic Resources Unit (GRU) for
the conservation and management of the seed collections, and the distribution of seed to users in
academic, public and commercial organisations.
All project objectives and milestones were met, and a summary of the work undertaken as part of this
project is described below in sections relating to each of the main objectives.
1. To comply with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in the
conservation, documentation and distribution of the genetic resources collections of Allium, Brassica,
Daucus, Raphanus, Lactuca and minor vegetables (e.g. celery, spinach, endive, cress) using
international standards and working practices to provide efficient management and enhance their use.
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 2 of 14
Seed was stored at conditions considered optimal for the maintenance of long-term viability for the
species in question. Over 3100 germination tests were carried out during the project to monitor the
viability of seed in long-term storage. A programme of regeneration was undertaken to ensure seed of
sufficient quality and quantity remain available for use in plant research and breeding, and a total of 688
accessions were grown out for regeneration.
The Standard Material Transfer Agreement required by the ITPGRFA was used for all material. Between
Feb 2010 and the end of the contract 4279 accessions were distributed to organisations in 23 countries.
The material was distributed primarily to seed companies, academic institutions and public research
bodies. At the end of the contract the collection totalled 13418 accessions.
2. To organise on a quid pro quo basis duplicate ‘black box’ security storage for the Warwick HRIGRU
collections, and to maintain the security duplicates of horticultural crops for other gene banks under
long-term storage conditions (-200C).
Safety duplication of accessions was carried out in parallel with the regeneration programme to ensure
that only high quality seed samples are kept as safety duplicates. A subsample (generally 10g seed) was
removed from the regenerated seed lot after processing, drying and packaging and shipped to the Center
for Genetic Resources, The Netherlands (CGN) for storage under a ‘black box’ agreement. The work
resulted in a 6% increase in the number of accessions with a safety duplicate sample during the course of
the project. Warwick GRU also continued to store duplicate samples under ‘black box’ arrangements for
a variety of other institutions, including CGN, the Heritage Seed Library, and AVRDC (the World
Vegetable Center).
3. To collaborate in the European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR) and
the AEGIS (A European Integrated Genebank System) project as UK inputs-in-kind.
Warwick GRU staff were active within several crop Working Groups during the project. Representation of
the UK was provided on the Brassica, Allium, Umbellifer Crops, Leafy Vegetables and vegetable
Solanaceae groups. Dr Astley chaired the Vegetables Network of ECPGR until 2011, and was Chair of the
Allium Working Group. Dr Allender was Vice-Chair of the Umbellifer Crops group and then was elected
Chair at the meeting of the group in 2013. Warwick GRU staff were also active in the AEGIS programme,
being involved in two research projects to further the selection of material to be included in the
European Collection
4. To develop the WGRU web site to maximise the access for potential users to the WHRIGRU
collections, data and images.
The Warwick GRU website (www.warwick.ac.uk/go/gru) was kept updated with information regarding
the collections, and the possible routes to make requests for seed (Milestone 11). Links were provided to
EURISCO and the European Umbellifer Crop Database and European Allium Database to enable access to
passport data for users. The website was also used to publicise upcoming events such as the Warwick
Crop Centre Open Afternoons. Communication of the activities of Warwick GRU and the development of
links with new potential users were enabled through the use of the @WarwickGRU Twitter account.
Other: Utilisation
Utilisation of the collections was promoted by participation in various outreach activities. These ranged
from open days and tours of Warwick GRU, to presence and promotion of the collections at horticultural
industry events, and presentations at academic conferences and workshop. A number of articles were
produced describing the work of the genebank to non-specialist audiences.
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 3 of 14
Project Report to Defra
8.
As a guide this report should be no longer than 20 sides of A4. This report is to provide Defra with details of
the outputs of the research project for internal purposes; to meet the terms of the contract; and to allow Defra
to publish details of the outputs to meet Environmental Information Regulation or Freedom of Information
obligations. This short report to Defra does not preclude contractors from also seeking to publish a full,
formal scientific report/paper in an appropriate scientific or other journal/publication. Indeed, Defra actively
encourages such publications as part of the contract terms. The report to Defra should include:
 the objectives as set out in the contract;
 the extent to which the objectives set out in the contract have been met;
 details of methods used and the results obtained, including statistical analysis (if appropriate);
 a discussion of the results and their reliability;
 the main implications of the findings;
 possible future work; and
 any action resulting from the research (e.g. IP, Knowledge Exchange).
Introduction
Conservation of plant genetic resources such as the seed collections of the UK Vegetable Genebank is a
significant and necessary activity to ensure the continuing availability of genetic diversity in crop
genepools. This diversity is the raw material for plant breeding programmes and global concerns were
raised from the 1970s onwards about the loss of genetic variation in cultivated species caused by the
displacement of landrace and traditional varieties by more broadly adapted commercial varieties. Ex-situ
collections were set up, including the UK Vegetable Genebank, in order to conserve crop genetic
diversity through the management of germplasm collections (either seed or other propagative material).
The UK Vegetable Genebank forms part of the UK’s plant genetic resource collection, and includes the
following crops: Allium (onion, leek, etc), Brassica (Brussels sprout, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.), Daucus
(carrot), Raphanus (radish), Lactuca (lettuce) and minor vegetables (celery, spinach, endive, cress, etc.).
As signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the International Treaty on Plant
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), the UK holds commitments to the conservation,
the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from utilisation, and the making available of such genetic
resources. Through this contract Defra provided support to Warwick Genetic Resources Unit (GRU) for
the conservation and management of the seed collections, and the distribution of seed to users in
academic, public and commercial organisations.
All activities were carried out with the standards suggested by the FAO “Genebank Standards for Plant
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture” document produced in 2013. All project objectives and
milestones were met, and the work undertaken as part of this project is described below in sections
relating to each of the main objectives:
1. To comply with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in the
conservation, documentation and distribution of the genetic resources collections of Allium, Brassica,
Daucus, Raphanus, Lactuca and minor vegetables (e.g. celery, spinach, endive, cress) using
international standards and working practices to provide efficient management and enhance their use.
a) Conservation
The original focus of the Vegetable Genebank, as defined in 1980 by the VGB Management Committee in
consultation with other interested nation and international parties, centred on UK field horticultural
crops as the priority targets for conservation. This remit has continued unaltered through the working
history of the Vegetable Genebank and has guided conservation activities in the current project.
The range of crops and wild taxa conserved by the Vegetable Genebank at Warwick GRU is as follows:
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 4 of 14
-
Allium - cultivated forms of onion, leek & Welsh leek; selected wild species
-
Brassica oleracea - cultivated forms including Brussels sprout, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale
& kohl rabi; wild UK relatives
-
Brassica napus - horticultural & fodder forms; kale & swede
-
Brassica rapa - horticultural & fodder forms; including Chinese cabbage, broccoletto, kale &
turnip; UK wild taxa
-
Brassica juncea - horticultural & fodder forms; leaf mustards
-
Daucus - all cultivated & wild carrot
-
Lactuca – cultivated & wild lettuce, as an adjunct to the Centre for Genetic Resources the
Netherlands collection.
-
Raphanus - all cultivated & wild radish
-
Miscellaneous vegetables including celery, garden beet, parsnip, tomato, chicory, endive,
spinach & other leaf salad crops
The seed collections as of 31st March 2014 totalled 13418 accessions with the breakdown in terms of
major crop groups as in Table 1.
The seed conserved is ‘orthodox’ in that it tolerates low moisture content and storage at sub-zero
temperatures. The storage regime for the seed collections in Warwick GRU is to dry seed to 5% moisture
content by weight and to package in foil laminate pouches to prevent rehydration during storage. The
seed is then kept at -20°C (Milestone 2). This matches the recommendations given by the FAO in the
2013 revision of the “Genebank Standards for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture”. Seed
moisture content was assessed using the standard differential weight test as described by the
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA); a subsample of accessions of each crop type was tested to
ensure that seed moisture levels were low enough to ensure longevity during storage at -20°C. Seeds are
dried by allowing them to equilibrate with ambient conditions in drying rooms maintained at 15°C and
15% relative humidity. The exact time to equilibration depends on the species and the original seed
moisture content.
The storage and drying environments are monitored and logged, and a call-out system is in place should
either environment deviate beyond pre-set parameters. The system is able to automatically dial out to a
monitoring centre outside of normal working hours. A maintenance contract is in place to ensure regular
routine servicing of the refrigeration and dehumidification equipment, along with a call-out facility to
enable any repairs required to be made as rapidly as possible. Both cold stores are chilled by two
independent refrigeration systems; a failure in one system results in the second system taking over the
cooling of the room.
The seed collections are split into two components; the base and the active collection. The base
collection is a 5g seed sample (or 10g for larger seeded crops such as beet and radish) from each
accession which represents the highest quality seed, and the best representation of genetic diversity
within the accession. This is the sample which is used for regeneration, and is not distributed. It is
packaged in two layers of foil laminate for extra protection against moisture ingress. The active collection
comprises the rest of the seed stock for each accession, minus a sample kept elsewhere for safety
duplication (see section 5). This is packaged in 5g and 10g packs with 0.5g packs (1g for larger seeded
crops) being kept for distribution and routine germination testing. During the course of the project the
active and the base collections were placed in physically separate cold stores to further enhance the
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 5 of 14
security of the collection overall and to mitigate the effects of a catastrophic failure of one of the stores.
Foil packets are labelled with a unique accession number and taxonomic information. A re-labelling
exercise is currently being undertaken which will enable seed packets to be labelled with synthetic labels
with resin/thermal transfer printing and linear barcodes (based on the Code 128 standard). Adhesive on
the new labels is suitable for the long-term storage environment of -20°C. This will offer more robust
identification of seed packs as labels and text will not be affected by condensation or exposure to water,
and the use of will open up more efficient methods of updating stock records within the Genebank data
management system. Currently about 30% of the active collection has been relabelled.
Table 1: Composition of the Vegetable Genebank collections for key crops and changes in availability and safety
duplication over the duration of the project. Available material comprises those accessions with sufficient seed
stocks and viability above the 50% management baseline (see section2). Negative changes occur due to reclassification of material due to incorrect original taxonomic identification, and removal of seed stock or decreased
viability of individual accessions. The total number of accessions includes the specific crops listed in the table
together with other minor crops such as chicory, endive, cress, rocket and others, including wild related species.
Crop
Total
Accessions
2014
1626
Available
Accessions
2014
1035
% change in
availability
2009-2014
0
Safety
Duplicated
2014
1066
% change safety
duplication 20092014
0
270
163
18
167
23
88
52
0
32
-3
174
11
0
21
0
Broccoli
402
259
3
238
2
Brussels Sprouts
1011
331
0
226
0
Cabbage
1184
754
6
716
6
Cauliflower
1003
530
0
410
0
Kale
610
481
9
493
13
Kohl rabi
55
54
0
47
0
Brassica juncea
87
56
-2
53
0
B. napus
476
410
0
386
0
B. rapa
752
618
1
609
1
Celery/celeriac
(Apium)
Beet (Beta)
95
85
4
70
4
123
111
0
111
0
Carrot (Daucus)
1620
1195
9
1111
10
Lettuce (Lactuca)
1710
1026
11
637
18
Parsnip (Pastinaca)
58
24
29
15
80
Radish (Rahpanus)
804
392
-1
390
3
Total
13418
8234
5
7320
6
Onion (Allium cepa)
Leek/Kurrat (A.
ampeloprasum)
Welsh onion (A.
fistulosum)
Wild taxa
B. oleracea crops
b) Germination testing
Viability monitoring of seed in long-term storage is a fundamental Genebank management activity. In
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 6 of 14
line with the 2013 FAO Genebank Standards for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture,
accessions are tested prior to entering long-term storage (original or regenerated material), after a
period of five years and then every ten years subsequently. Germination test data are logged so that
viability changes can be monitored over time. The target viability for material entering storage is 80%,
with a threshold of 50% triggering shortlisting of accessions for regeneration. Germination tests are
generally carried out in the laboratory using incubators with controlled temperatures and lighting. The
exact temperature and lighting regime depends on the species being tested and is determined by ISTA
protocols. The standard lab-based protocol has been found to give unsatisfactory results for some
accessions, particularly wild taxa, and an alternative protocol of germination testing in a compost
growing medium under glasshouse conditions is preferentially employed for this material. A total of 3102
germination tests were carried out during the project (Milestone 1).
c) Regeneration
While long term storage of seed is carried out under recommended conditions, it is inevitable that seed
will decline in viability over time, despite optimal storage conditions. Additionally, seed stocks can
become depleted through requests. Both situations result in a requirement to regenerate fresh stocks of
seed for accessions as needed. During the project a total of 688 accessions were grown out for
regeneration (Milestone 4). The scale of the annual regeneration programme is determined by the
physical and staffing resources available, with a target of 125 accessions per annum. The required total
was therefore exceeded over the course of the project. Many of the crops conserved within Warwick
GRU are outbreeding and accessions must be isolated from other of the same or compatible species to
conserve the genetic integrity of each accession. Protocols are crop-specific but generally 45 plants are
grown for seed production, subjected to a vernaliszation treatment if required and then placed in
isolation cages. Such a number represents a balance between the space available in the isolation cages
(46 individual cages which can accommodate two non-compatible accessions) and requirement to
maintain intra-accession genetic diversity, specifically obtaining seed from a suitable number of
individuals. The number of plants meets the crop-specific standards for the maintenance of AEGIS
accessions as determined by the various relevant ECPGR crop Working Groups. Pollination is carried out
through the use of blowflies, or where this is not possible, by hand. Seed are harvested and placed in the
drying room environment immediately in order to ensure seed retains the highest health and viability. A
management programme is undertaken for the control of pests and diseases and this, along with good
plant husbandry also contributes to the reliable production of high quality seed for long term storage.
For inbreeding crops such as lettuce, isolation and pollination is not required due to the self-pollinating
reproductive biology of these groups. Most regeneration takes place under glasshouse conditions but for
larger crops such as onions, leeks and asparagus, plants are grown in an external Dutch Light coldframe
with portable isolation cages being deployed as required.
Harvested plant material is placed in a drying room until it is ready to thresh. Seed cleaning is carried out
using dedicated facilities with adequate LEV (local exhaust ventilation) and standard operating
procedures to ensure that staff exposure to sensitising agents from plant debris is minimised. All
material harvested is labelled with the accession number, and the use of this number as an identifier
means that batches of seed from different accessions are kept separate from each other to prevent cross
contamination between accessions. Seeds are placed in paper envelopes or bags and replaced in the
drying room to complete the drying process. Once all seed has been threshed and cleaned, the seed
harvested for each accession is weighed, packaged and labelled and replaced in the active and base
collections, and a safety duplicate sample is sent to the Center for Genetic Resources, The Netherlands
for ‘black box’ storage (section 5; Milestone 3).
The number of accessions shortlisted for regeneration is far greater than the resources available can
handle, and so accessions are prioritised based on uniqueness within the collections, interest from
potential users and the availability of other accessions of that particular crop type. A growing interest in
crop wild relatives (CWR) from both the breeding and research community has meant that larger
numbers of these types of accessions were selected for regeneration during the final two years of the
project. CWR are often difficult to regenerate successfully, with longer and more variable juvenile
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 7 of 14
periods meaning flowering is often unpredictable, and the plants themselves are more difficult to grow
under the conditions which are suitable for cultivated material. The presence of dormancy in seeds also
means that standard germination tests often do not give a true reflection of the viability of seed lots.
Facilities for regeneration at Warwick GRU were improved by re-glazing and the refurbishment of the
automatic irrigation system in 2012/2013. The latter improvements will allow better control of irrigation
and fertigation, and hence free up staff time for other activities in the future.
d) Documentation
Passport and stock data for each accession are managed within an MS Access database. Passport data
follows the Multi-Crop Passport Descriptor format and contains information on taxonomy, origin,
cultural identity and provenance. Stock information covers data such as seed stock levels, store location,
viability, safety duplication and packaging regime, and is updated whenever packets are removed from
or added to the stores (Milestone 5). The stock data are the basis for prioritising the accessions selected
for regeneration, and to determine whether there is sufficient seed of a high enough quality to distribute
to users on request.
Data are transferred to the UK National Focal Point (Dr Ian Thomas, University of Aberystwyth) for the
purpose of updating both the UK National Inventory and the Eurisco database. Material included in the
Multi-Lateral System (MLS) of the ITPGRFA was flagged in order to identify this material in Eurisco. Data
were also transferred to several of the European Central Crop Database managers for inclusion in the
relevant Central Crop Databases where update of these took place during the course of the project.
Inclusion of the collection data in these online resources means that potential users can browse
genebank catalogue and easily obtain passport data and select accessions to request. The European
Allium Database and European Umbellifer Database were both hosted at Warwick Genetic Resources
Unit during the project. The EADB was transferred to Dr Joachim Keller at IPK Gatersleben following the
retirement of Dr Dave Astley from Warwick GRU, but the EUDB is still hosted by the University of
Warwick and can be downloaded from the Warwick GRU webpages. The EUBD was updated following a
meeting of the Umbellifer Crops Working Group in 2013.
A decision was taken to introduce linear barcode labels to all seed packets in the collection, in order to
facilitate the accurate identification of accessions and increase the efficiency of the maintenance of stock
records. Research was undertaken to select the most suitable format, hardware, software and
consumables to ensure efficient production and deployment of durable labels. To date, approximately
30% of the active collection has been relabelled with unique barcodes printed onto water resistant
labels. Work on the remaining packets is scheduled to be carried out over the next two years.
e) Distribution of Germplasm
The Standard Material Transfer Agreement required by the ITPGRFA was adopted by Warwick GRU for
the Vegetable Genebank collections in February 2010. To simplify administration for both users and
Warwick GRU, a decision was made in conjunction with Defra to use the sMTA for both Annex 1 and nonAnnex 1 material, with indications over which clauses do not apply in the case of non-Annex 1 or non
‘food and agriculture’ uses. Table 2 shows the totals of requests made via an sMTA request form and
numbers of accessions requested per year from February 2010 until March 2014. Requests were made
by organisations in the following categories; 61 seed companies, 46 academic, 5 non-governnmental, 39
public research and 18 private research institutions. Material was distributed to institutions in a total of
23 countries. The majority of seed requests came from the UK, The Netherlands and France. In a small
number of cases distribution to certain countries was not possible as the phytosanitary testing
requirements could not be met; generally this was where certification required the destructive testing of
large quantities of seed or where specific phytosanitary inspections were required during seed
production.
Strategic differential test collections have been maintained, documented and distributed for use as
international standards in applied and pure research in consultation with University of Warwick
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 8 of 14
specialists and user groups, namely Brassica S-allele lines, Brassica European Clubroot Differentials and
Lactuca Bremia Differentials (Milestone 10). In addition, a duplicate safety collection of the HRI tomato
Ailsa Craig Near-Isogenic Lines has been conserved in the -200C long-term seed store.
Table 2: Distribution of germplasm under the sMTA (includes both Annex 1 and non-Annex 1 material as
the sMTA is used for both; Milestone 6)
Time Period
Feb 2010 – March 2011
April 2011-March 2012
April 2012-March 2013
April 2013-March 2014
Total
Number of sMTA seed
requests
50
46
41
32
172
Accessions Requested
1315
1321
764
859
4259
a) 2. To organise on a quid pro quo basis duplicate ‘black box’ security storage for the Warwick
Horticulture Research International Genetic Resources Unit (WHRIGRU) collections, and to
maintain the security duplicates of horticultural crops for other gene banks under long-term
storage conditions (-200C).Safety Duplication
In accordance with the existing MoU with the Center for Genetic Resources, The Netherlands, a
subsample (generally 10g seed) was removed from the regenerated seed lot after processing, drying and
packaging and shipped for storage under a ‘black box’ agreement. Safety duplication of accessions was
carried out in parallel with the regeneration programme to ensure that only high quality seed samples
are kept as safety duplicates; subsampling older seed lots would result in a duplicate collection with
reduced viability over time and require more frequent replacement. The work resulted in a 6% increase
in the number of accessions with a safety duplicate sample during the course of the project (Table 1).
Warwick GRU also continued to store duplicate samples under ‘black box’ arrangements for a variety of
other institutions, including CGN (as per the MoU), the Heritage Seed Library, and AVRDC, the World
Vegetable Center (Milestone 7).
3. To collaborate in the European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources and the AEGIS
(A European Integrated Genebank System) project as UK inputs-in-kind.
a) ECPGR and International Activities
Warwick GRU staff were active within several crop Working Groups during the project. Representation of
the UK was provided on the Brassica, Allium, Umbellifer Crops, Leafy Vegetables and vegetable
Solanaceae groups. Dr Astley chaired the Vegetables Network of ECPGR until 2011, and was Chair of the
Allium Working Group. Dr Allender was Vice-Chair of the Umbellifer Crops group and then was elected
Chair at the meeting of the group in St Petersburg in 2013 (Milestone 8). Warwick GRU staff were also
active in the AEGIS programme, being involved in two research projects to further the selection of
material to be included in the European Collection (see section 8; Milestone 9). Dr Allender also visited
Brazil during a trip funded by the British Council and the University of Warwick and made contact with
researchers working in vegetable breeding and the conservation of genetic resources at Embrapa, the
Brazilian organisation responsible for agricultural research and development.
4. To develop the WHRIGRU web site to maximise the access for potential users to the WHRIGRU
collections, data and images.
a) Outreach Activities and Website Development
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 9 of 14
The Warwick GRU website (www.warwick.ac.uk/go/gru) was kept updated with information regarding
the collections, and the possible routes to make requests for seed (Milestone 11). Links were provided to
EURISCO and the European Umbellifer Crop Database and European Allium Database to enable access to
passport data for users. The website was also used to publicise upcoming events such as the Warwick
Crop Centre Open Afternoons. Communication of the activities of Warwick GRU and the development of
links with new potential users were enabled through the use of the @WarwickGRU Twitter account.
Dr Allender and Dr Astley represented Warwick GRU at meetings of the UK Plant Genetic Resources
Group, which provides technical and policy advice to Defra.
Work was undertaken during the project to publicise and promote the collections in the Vegetable
Genebank and encourage their utilisation. Warwick GRU staff attended various industry-focused events
such as the UK Onion and Carrot Conference (2009 and 2011), the Open Day of Elsoms Seed Ltd (2010,
2011, 2012) and VeGIN Stakeholder meetings (2010, 2011 and 2012). Academic conferences offered
opportunities to engage with the research community, and Dr Allender attended Brassica 2012 in
Catania, and the International Carrot Conference in 2010 and 2013 to present research outputs and raise
awareness of the Genebank resources.
The University of Warwick provided funding via a Public Engagement Award to produce new display
materials to aid the explanation of the work of Warwick GRU to visitors. These included three banners
(which can be taken off site to other events) and a new printed leaflet. Tours of the facilities were given
to a wide range of visitors including plant breeders, researchers, groups of students and other interested
parties.
Warwick GRU was also a major attraction at the Open Afternoons held at Warwick Crop Centre in 2012
and 2013. These events showcased the research activities of staff in Warwick Crop Centre and the School
of Life Sciences and they allowed the Vegetable Genebank collections to be presented in the context of
the other research on site. Visitors were able to walk around Warwick GRU, speak to the staff and see
examples of genepool variation n crops such as radish and lettuce. The Open Afternoons were attended
by both industry and members of the public as well as researchers and local students.
Opportunities for the provision of teaching and training in the area of plant genetic resource
conservation have been presented by the position of Warwick GRU within the University of Warwick. Dr
Allender teaches on two MSc courses (Environmental Biosciences in a Changing Climate and Agro0nomy
for the 21st Century) and has been able to give lectures and seminars to students about ex-situ
conservation and the work of genebanks. She has also supervised two undergraduate final year research
projects and one Masters level dissertation on topics of relevance to Warwick GRU, including landraces
in Lactuca, factors affecting seed viability during long-term storage and the potential impact of ‘Next
Generation’ sequencing technologies on genebank management.
5. Other activities:
a) Research Activities
Warwick GRU staff were active in seeking funding for related research activities and participating in
funded research projects. The most significant of these was the Vegetable Genetic Improvement
Network (VeGIN; project IF0157 and IF0158 funded by Defra). The projects produced and developed
structured subsamples of germplasm from genetic resource collections (the majority of which originated
from Warwick GRU) and research lines. Four key crop groups were targeted; brassicas, lettuce, onion and
carrot. A key feature of the VeGIN projects was the development of a network of stakeholders interested
in the production and uptake of new crop varieties with improved sustainability traits. This enabled
Warwick GRU and the Vegetable Genebank project to be promoted more widely among stakeholders.
Another closely related project managed by Dr Allender was based on F1 hybrid accessions in the
Genebank collections (project IF0189 funded by Defra). Such accessions cannot easily be regenerated as
the parental lines are often not available. The project investigated several strategies for the regeneration
of hybrids where Self-Incompatibility rather than male sterility was used to produce the original variety,
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 10 of 14
and identified the best one in terms of conservation of genetic diversity and staff effort required.
Warwick GRU staff were involved in other research projects arising from collaborations and activities
with European partners, particularly through ECPGR and the various Crop Working Groups. These
included two projects under the EU GENRES programme (EC870/2004). EURALLIVEG (see
http://euralliveg.ipk-gatersleben.de/home.php) ran from 2007-2011 and the other project (Leafy
Vegetables, Stimulating Use – see http://documents.plant.wur.nl/cgn/pgr/leafyveg/default.htm) ran
from 2007 to 2010. Other ECPGR project activities included a competitively-funded project co-ordinated
by Dr Allender aiming to further the selection of accessions for AEGIS within the Umbellifer Crops
Working Group, and another looking at genetic diversity within Brassica landraces in Portugal, also with a
view to facilitating the uptake of material into AEGIS. Dr Allender was also a partner in a research project
developed through the Umbellifer Working Group looking at wild Daucus (carrot) material in ex-situ
collections.
b) Organisational Changes
The project was originally hosted by Warwick HRI, a department of the University of Warwick formed by
the merger of Horticulture Research International and the University in 2004. However, in 2010, Warwick
HRI and the School of Biological Sciences were merged to form the School of Life Sciences. Activity,
including that of Warwick HRI GRU and the Vegetable Genebank project at the University’s Wellesbourne
Campus became focused into a research unit called Warwick Crop Centre. The re-named Warwick GRU
continued to provide a pivotal role in the provision and management of plant genetic resources for
research and breeding. Dr Dave Astley and Dr Charlotte Allender shared the management of Warwick
GRU and both were appointed as Research Fellows within Warwick Crop Centre. Dr Allender replaced Dr
Astley as project manager after his retirement at the end of 2011.
Investment was made in Warwick GRU facilities by the University of Warwick during the merger;
refrigeration equipment was refurbished in one of the cold stores and additional seed cleaning
equipment was installed in the GRU building from elsewhere on the Wellesbourne Campus. This was
followed up by pre-planned re-glazing of the Warwick GRU glasshouses to improve the quality of the
regeneration facilities. This activity had been discussed and costed into the project as the age of the
existing facilities meant that such significant investment would be required.
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 11 of 14
References to published material
9.
This section should be used to record links (hypertext links where possible) or references to other
published material generated by, or relating to this project.
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Dariusz Grzebelus, Massimo Iorizzo, Douglas Senalik, Shelby Ellison, Pablo Cavagnaro, Alicja MackoPodgorni, Kasia Heller-Uszynska, Andrzej Kilian, Thomas Nothnagel, Charlotte Allender, Philipp W. Simon,
Rafal Baranski (2013) Diversity, genetic mapping, and signatures of domestication in the carrot (Daucus
carota L.) genome, as revealed by Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) markers. Molecular Breeding DOI
10.1007/s11032-013-9979Iorizzo Massimo, Senalik Douglas A., Ellison Shelby L., Grzebelus Dariusz, Cavagnaro Pablo F., Allender
Charlotte, Brunet Johanne, Spooner David M., Van Deynze Allen, Simon, Philipp W. (2013) Genetic
structure and domestication of carrot (Daucus carota subspecies sativus) (Apiaceae). American Journal of
Botany 10.3732/ajb.1300055
Thormann, Q. Yang, C. Allender, N. Bas, G. Campbell, M. E. Dulloo, A. W. Ebert, U. Lohwasser, C. Pandey
and L. D. Robertson, et al. (2012) Development of best practices for ex situ conservation of radish
germplasm in the context of the crop genebank knowledge base. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
DOI: 10.1007/s10722-012-9916-5
Peter G Walley, Graham R Teakle, Jonathan D Moore, Charlotte J Allender, David AC Pink, Vicky
Buchanan-Wollaston, Guy C Barker (2012) Developing genetic resources for pre-breeding in Brassica
oleracea: an overview of the UK perspective. Journal of Plant Biotechnology
Rafal Baranski, Charlotte Allender, Magdalena Klimek-Chodacka (2011) Towards better tasting and more
nutritious carrots: Carotenoid and sugar content variation in carrot genetic resources. Food Research
International 47 SI : 182-187
Daunay, M. C.; Allender, C.; Astley, D.; et al (2011) More Efficient Conservation and Use of Vegetable
Genetic Resources in Europe: ECPGR Achievements and Perspectives. Acta Horticulturae 918: 405-417
Allender CJ and King GJ (2010) Origins of the amphiploid species Brassica napus L. investigated by
chloroplast and nuclear molecular markers. BMC Plant Biology 10:54
Book Chapters, Reports and other Publications
Grzebelus D, Baranski R, Spalik K, Allender C, Simon PW (2011) Daucus in: Wild Crop Relatives - Genomic
and Breeding Resources (C. Kole ed.), Springer
Allender C (2011) Book review of “The Second Report on the State of the World's Plant Genetic
Resources for Food and Agriculture” Experimental Agriculture 47:574
L. Maggioni, M.C. Daunay, W. van Dooijeweert, D. Astley, N. Bas, F. Branca, M.J. Díez Niclós, E. Geoffriau,
J. Keller, T. Kotlińska, K. Smékalová, R. van Treuren & E. Lipman. (2010) Report of the ECPGR Vegetables
Network (Third Meeting), 10-12 November 2009, Catania, Italy
(http://www.ecpgr.cgiar.org/Networks/Vegetables/vegetables.htm)
Maggioni L, Geoofriau E, Allender C and Lipman E. Report of a Working Group on Umbellifer Crops - First
Meeting, jointly held with the Second Workshop of the AEGIS-funded project on Umbellifer Crops, 29
March–1 April 2011, Quedlinburg, Germany
http://www.ecpgr.cgiar.org/fileadmin/bioversity/publications/pdfs/1477_
Report_of_a_working_group_on_Umbellifer_crops.pdf
J. Keller, D. Astley, A. Tsivelikas, J. Engels and E. Lipman Report of a Working Group on Allium - Seventh
EVID4 Evidence Project Final Report (Rev. 06/11) Page 12 of 14
Meeting, 6-8 September 2011, Perea, Thessaloniki, Greece
http://www.ecpgr.cgiar.org/publications/publication/issue/report_of_a_working_group_on_allium.html
Allender C, Lopes, V.R., Barata, A. M., Nunes, E. , Cartea, E. , Soengas, P. , Bas (2012) Brassica selection
criteria for the identification of the Most Appropriate Accessions: relate to the Brassica oleracea of
Iberian collection.
http://www.aegis.org/Documents/GRANT_REPORTS/SECOND_CALL/Final_reports_second_call/
AEGIS_11_038_Project_summary.pdf
Allender C. 2012. Assessment of Unique Material in the European Collections of Umbellifer
Crops. Newsletter for Europe 44:7
Allender CJ (2011) Food for the Future. Online article describing work of the WGRU to a general
audience. http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/knowledge/science/crops
Charlotte Allender has contributed to a series of articles in The Vegetable Farmer publication which
described not only the newly formed Warwick Crop Centre but also the Warwick GRU and the use and
scope of the collections in Allium, Brassica and carrot research.
http://vegetablefarmer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/magazines/magazine-january-2011/#36
http://vegetablefarmer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/magazines/magazine-february-2011/#14
http://vegetablefarmer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/magazines/magazine-april-2011/#36
http://vegetablefarmer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/magazines/magazine-march-2011/#34
Conference Presentations
Rafal Baranski, Charlotte Allender and Magdalena Klimek-Chodack (2010) Variation of carotenoid and
saccharide contents in carrots from gene bank collections. Poster presented at 15th World Congress of
Food Science and Technology, Cape Town, Republic of South Afria
Charlotte Allender, Ann Baker and Dave Pink (2010) Unlocking the Potential of Genebank Carrot
Collections: Creating a Carrot Diversity Set as a Research and Pre-Breeding Resource. Poster and Full
proceedings article presented at 34th International Carrot Conference, Kennewick, USA, 26th – 28th July
2010
Allender CJ (2012) Describing and using carrot genetic diversity in breeding and research. Presentation at
VeGIN stakeholder Meeting, 20th February 2012, Wellesbourne, UK
Allender C., De Cesare M. - Genetic Diversity in Brussels Sprouts and Conservation of F1 Hybrids in
Genebank Collections. Oral presentation at Brassica 2012, Catania, Italy, November 2012
Graham Teakle & Charlotte Allender. Genetics of vegetables - resources, advances in technology. Oral
presentation at Food Security: the value of vegetables. Meeting at Warwick Crop Centre, Wellesbourne,
July 2012
Lopes, V.R., Barata, A. M., Nunes, E. , Cartea, E. , Soengas, P. , Allender, C. , Bas,
N. Assessment of genetic diversity in Iberian Landraces of Brassica oleracea by
molecular markers. Poster presentation at Brassica 2012, Catania, Italy, November 2012.
Allender, C.J., and M. de Cesare (2013). Diversity in carrot: variation in a structured collection of genetic
resources. Oral presentation at 36th International Carrot Conference, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Allender CJ (2013) The UK Germplasm Collection. Oral presentation to Workshop on the Use of Carrot
Wild Relatives. Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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