The gene bank of the Center for Agricultural
Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) stores one of the world's biggest
collections of barley, faba bean and lentil crops, along with ancient varieties
of durum and bread wheat.
“This collection is a uniquely rich resource
for agricultural scientists and plant breeders seeking genetic material
suitable for national and international breeding programs, especially for
developing drought-tolerant and disease-and-pest-resistant varieties,” says the
Gregor Mendel Foundation.
“The gene bank team in Syria continued
monitoring the gene bank storage conditions despite the difficult situation of
civil war, and safeguarded the resources by sending duplicates of the genetic
material to other gene banks, such as one in Spitzbergen, an island in Norway.
“Preservation of this global heritage is
crucial to the international community and commands its highest respect.
,” the
foundation says.
