Large assemblages of plant germplasm have accumulated in gene banks with time and have led to serious concern among the scientific community as to whether the full range of genetic diversity they contain can be effectively managed and utilized. These collections are often poorly described due to lack of quality information on passport, characterization and evaluation data. Lack of easy access, resource constraints and the large number of accessions make proper evaluation of germplasm material difficult. Managing and investigating all available genetic resources is challenging1.

As an alternative; breeders and researchers use core collection-a representative subset of the entire collection. A good core is characterized by high genetic diversity and low repetitiveness3. To facilitate the realization of the potential benefits of germplasm collections to broaden the genetic base of cultivars in many crops, the mini core (~1% of the entire collection) concept was postulated and a development process proposed to produce resources recognized globally as an “International Public Good” 2.

A set of 2000 Soyabean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] germplasm accessions used to develop 15 per cent core set based on the Standard Stratified Clustering (SSC) approach and validated by evaluating them in different locations. The trait-specific accessions from the best core set are suggested for preferential use in crossing programme to generate variability for developing farmer acceptable varieties with consumer end-user-preferred traits 4.

Developing a core set for crop improvement is a dynamic process that requires careful planning, execution and continuous optimization. By effectively managing genetic resources; breeders can enhance crop performance, adaptability and resilience, contributing to global food security.

References:

1. BHANDARI HR, BHANU AN, SRIVASTAVA K, SINGH MN, SHREYA D AND HEMANTARANJAN A, 2017, Assessment of genetic diversity in crop plants - an overview. Adv. Plants. Agric. Res., 7(3):279-286. DOI: 10.15406/apar.2017.07.00255

2. HARI D UPADHYAYA AND ANDREW H PATERSON, 2022, Mini Core Germplasm Collections for Developing Climate Resilient Crop Cultivars and Achieving Enhanced Genetic Gains in Plant Breeding Programs, Indian J. Plant Genet. Resour. 35(3):69–73 DOI: 10.5958/0976-1926.2022.00045.6

3. FRANKEL, O.H., 1984. Genetic perspectives of germplasm conservation. Genetic manipulation: Impact on man and society, 161-170.

4. KAVERI CHAWAN, P. RAVISHANKAR, S. RAMESH, T. ONKARAPPA AND H.H. SOWMYA, 2024, Development and Validation of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] Core Sets and Identification of Trait-specific Accessions from the Best Core Set, Legume Research, DOI: 10.18805/LR-5215.