b'A THREAT TO HUMANITYThe destruction of the genetic potential of the agricultural sector.Siuzana GrygorenkoWhat are Genebanks? Collecting the SamplesWHY IT MATTERS Genebanks operate in a number ofThe employees asked foreign breed-In mid-May 2022, the employeescountries and within scientific institu- ing companies, companies present in of the Yuriev Plant Productiontions. They are created in order to haveUkraine, Ukrainian breeders and other Institute were informed thatan opportunity to breed new sustainablecountries to provide them with samples Russian troops had purposefullyplant varieties from these samples in theof varieties and hybrids bred in them. In shot at one of the facilities wherefuture. And without primary (so-calledthis way, the so-called selection fund was the genetic samples of variousoriginal) seeds it would be rather difficultformed and as mentioned above, it num-plants were stored. Spring cropsto do that. bered about 160,000 samples.were about to be preparedNowadays, there are about 1,500 for sowing. As a result of thegenebanks in the world. One of themImportance of Genebanksshelling, the sample room burnedis located in Kharkiv at the Yuriev PlantFirst, breeding is an extremely long and down completely. However, as itProduction Institute. The genebanktime-consuming process. It takes 5-7 turned out later, the employeeshouses over 160,000 plant varietiesyears to develop a new variety and to managed to make duplicatesand hybrids, collected from all over thetest it under different environmental of these samples. Instead, theworld. With several breeding stations, theconditions. And then another 2-3 years to winter crops are in danger. Fuel,Institute employees not only collect andcommercialize the variety. But conduct-crop protection and fertilizerspreserve, but also work on developinging scientific investigations with cross-are lacking to process them.various varieties and hybrids of sunflower,breeding and various combinations and But the greatest danger are thecereals, and other crops. their conservation is a whole new level.mined fields, where those cropsSecond, the employees expertise must are sown. In her article below,also be taken into account. The number of Siuzana Grygorenko, executiveworkers engaged in this activity is actually director of Seed Association oflimited. Meaning that the work is sophis-Ukraine, explains the importanceticated, demanding field knowledge and of genebanks, the danger of theirgreat experiencedestruction and how it impacts the global food security in general.66/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2022 PHOTO CREDIT: RUBRYKA.COM'