Genetic resources

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CIMMYT manages humanity’s most diverse maize and wheat collections. It starts with the seed. CIMMYT’s germplasm bank, also known as a seed bank, is at the center of CIMMYT’s crop-breeding research. This remarkable, living catalog of genetic diversity contains over 28,000 unique seed collections of maize and 150,000 samples of wheat.

From its breeding programs, CIMMYT sends half a million seed packages to 800 partners in over 100 countries every year. With researchers and farmers, the center also develops and promotes more productive and precise maize and wheat farming methods and tools that save money and resources such as soil, water, and fertilizer.

Related research, conservation and utilization are supported by three units: Seed Health, Biometrics & Statistics and Data Management. Finally, the Seeds of Discovery (SeeD) project analyzes and documents maize and wheat biodiversity and facilitates its use in crop breeding to address current and future production challenges (more info).

CIMMYT’s germplasm research aims to

  • Conserve, characterize, distribute and use genetic resources.
  • Safely distribute seed.
  • Promote scientific stewardship and ensure open access to CIMMYT’s data and derived information.
  • Create quality, open-source software.
  • Develop and validate new tools and methods for gene mining and crop improvement.
  • Build capacity in all the above areas.

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Genetic resources

tag iconClimate adaptation and mitigation, Innovations,
In the media

CIMMYT Director General visit to UQ

tag iconCapacity development, Climate adaptation and mitigation,
tag iconEnvironmental health and biodiversity, Innovations,
tag iconCapacity development, Climate adaptation and mitigation,
tag iconCapacity development, Environmental health and biodiversity,

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Genetic resources projects

Project

CropSustaiN BNI Wheat Mission

tag iconClimate adaptation and mitigation, Environmental health and biodiversity,
tag iconClimate adaptation and mitigation, Environmental health and biodiversity,
tag iconClimate adaptation and mitigation
tag iconEnvironmental health and biodiversity
tag iconEnvironmental health and biodiversity, Innovations
tag iconClimate adaptation and mitigation
Project

Dryland Crops

tag iconCapacity development, Gender equality, youth and social inclusion,
tag iconCapacity development, Gender equality, youth and social inclusion,
Project

MLN Gene Editing Project

tag iconInnovations, Nutrition, health and food security
Project

MasAgro Biodiversidad

tag iconCapacity development, Climate adaptation and mitigation,
Project

Seeds of Discovery (SeeD)

tag iconCapacity development, Climate adaptation and mitigation,
tag iconInnovations, Nutrition, health and food security