The 2012 ASHS Annual Conference

The world-wide capacity of genebanks for ex-situ conservation of crop genetic resources has increased greatly since the 1970s, improving the access of crop breeders to landraces, and wild relatives (Wright, 1997). In south Korea, systematic seed germplasm management was begun at the Rural Development Administration (RDA) in 1985 and consequently genebank system was established in 1988. The RDA genebank, National Agrobiodiversity Center (NAC) of south Korea, preserve 173,217 accessions of plant seed germplasm and 10.7% (18,509 accessions) of whole preserved germplasm is occupied by horticultral PGR by 2011. Horticultural PGR preserved in NAC is composed with 67 genera of crops including pepper (3,817 accessions), tomato (2,040 accessions), cabbages (1,690 accessions) and etc. According to horticultural plant sub-group, fruit-vegetable is the biggest group with 60% of accession share and leafy vegetable (19%), root vegetable (10%), bulb vegetable (8%), and ornamental (3%) follow subsequently. In aspect of PGR status, landrace is dominant part of conserved accession and then developed cultivar, wild relatives, cultivated material, wild, and weedy type follow subsequently. Recently characterization and evaluation of horticultural PGR have been activated for 3 years in NAC, which are useful for breeders and users focused on disease-resistance or active ingredient. It will promote utilization of horticultural PGR and development of horticultural crop breeding program for both human being and sustainable agriculture in near future.