The ICRAF Genebank

Dr. Alice Muchugi

Regional Technical Workshop on Great Green Wall/Dryland

Restoration for East Africa, Nairobi 22-24 February 2016

Introduction

• ICRAF Genetic Resources Unit established in 1993;

previously germplasm activities were within other programs

• Objective: to collect, conserve, document, characterize and

distribute a diverse collection of agroforestry trees

• Main focus on indigenous tree species

• Genebank-MTS established in 1997; previously collection

kept with partners e.g ICRISAT Niamey, KEFRI Seed Centre

• Field genebanks-mainly for species with recalcitrant seeds

established across ICRAF working regions and are managed

in collaboration with national partners.

• Temporary seed storage in Bamako and Lilongwe

Current genebank collection

• Ex situ genebank-5300 accessions representing 190 tree species of which 136 species are from African

• Over 10,000 accessions of 45 species established either from seeds or clonally; located in 37 sites in 15 countries the different regions in Africa, Latin America, South Asia and South East Asia

• 2280 accession of 120 species are held at Kunming Institute of Botany genebank, China and the Millennium Seed Bank, UK as safety duplicates

• Over 700 accessions representing 120 agroforestry tree species deposited at Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway

Agroforestr y Tree Ger mplasm Management

Characterization Fruit/seed collected from planted or

wild tree stands

Further growth evaluation in

the field

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Seed extraction and

cleaning

Seed drying and moisture

determination

Viability and health

assessment

Safety backup at

Svalbard

Long-term storage/safety

duplication with partners

Medium-term

storage

Seed

distribution

Documentation is a

key activity in all

processes

Periodic

monitoring

Seedling growth &

health evaluation at the

nursery

Ex-situ Genebank activities

• Germplasm acquisition–Agroforestry tree seeds are acquired through donations and collection missions with national partners

• Seed cleaning and processing – Type of cleaning to be undertaken depends on the species

• Germination method testing-for less known species, to establish dormancy breaking techniques

• Viability monitoring –

– Initial viability testing is carried out on acquisition of the germplasm. Acceptable initial germination level varies- 45%- 90%, depends on the type of species,

– Periodic viability assessments are done every ten years during storage (longevity study being undertaken.

– Distribution- about 70% supporting ICRAF research; use SMTA; National and international seed laws observed

Agroforestry Tree Field Genebanks Kenya

Malawi

Cameroon

Niger

Vietnam Burkina Faso

Peru Nigeria DRC Zambia Zimbabwe

Tanzania

Uganda Mali

Muguga

Warburgia ugandensis

Leucaena trichandra

Leucaena diversifolia

Leucaena pallida

Grevillea robusta

Prunus africana

Kakamega

Prunus africana

Grevillea robusta

Malava

Grevillea robusta

Kitui

Adansonia digitata

Azanza garckeana

Berchemia discolor

Carissa edulis

Sclerocarya birrea

Tamarindus indica

Cordia monoica

Balanites aegyptiaca

Vangueria rotundata

Ziziphus mauritiana

Makoka-Zomba

Uapaca kirkiana

Gliricidia sepium

Nauko-Machinga

Uapaca kirkiana

Mangochi

Sclerocarya birrea

Chitedze

Gliricidia sepium

Kasinthula

Gliricidia sepium

Chitala

Gliricidia sepium

Mbalmayo

Dacryodes edulis Irvingia

wombolu

Ricinodendron heudelotii

Allanblackia floribunda

Garcinia kola

Cola nitida

Minkoameyos

Dacryodes edulis

Ricinodendron heudelotii

Irvingia gabonensis

Pausinystalia johimbe

Esseng-Long

Allanblackia floribunda

Nkenlikok

Allanblackia floribunda

Ricinodendron heudelotii

Dacryodes edulis

Irvingia gabonensis

Garcinia kola

Cola nitida

Irvingia wombolu

Feutap

Allanblackia floribunda

Bivouba

Allanblackia floribunda

Diwom

Allanblackia floribunda

Bangangte

Irvingia wombolu

Garcinia kola

Dacryodes edulis

Cola nitida

Ricinodendron heudelotii Sadore

Prosopis africana

Adansonia digitata

Son La

Docynia indica Ouagadougou

Ziziphus mauritiana

Dinderesso

Tamarindus indica

Djibo

Adansonia digitata

Gonse

Vitellaria paradoxa

Ucayali

Guazuma crinita

Calycophyllum spruceanum

Bactris gasipaes

Mauritia flexuosa

Inga edulis

Onne

Irvingia

gabonensis

Irvingia wombolu

Irvingia robur

Kinshasa/INERA

Dacryodes edulis

Bas Congo

Nephelium

lappaceum

Dacryodes edulis

Masupe

Uapaca kirkiana

Sclerocarya birrea

Msekera

Strychnos

cocculoides

Domboshawa

Uapaca kirkiana

Acacia

angustissima

Leucaena spp

ARI Tumbi

Strychnos cocculoides

Sclerocarya birrea Gliricidia

sepium

Amani Nature Reserve

Allanblackia stuhlmannii

Mukongoro

Vitellaria

paradoxa

Nalwana

Prunus africana

Samanko

Adansonia digitata

Adansonia gregorii

Adansonia za

Tamarindus indica

Vitellaria paradoxa

Jatropha curcas

Ziziphus mauritiana

Cinzana

Sclerocarya birrea

Combretum glutinosum

Acacia senegal

Strychnos cocculoides

Msekera, Zambia

Bactris gasipaes

Ucayali, Peru

Irvingia wombolu

Mbalmayo, Cameroon

Tamarindus indica

Dinderesso, Burkina Faso

Guazuma crinita Ucayali, Peru

Warburgia ugandensis Muguga, Kenya

Opportunities for collaboration with

Dryland Restoration Project

• ICRAF global presence can facilitate:

– Acquisition germplasm- mutual germplasm

exchange among partners

– Species diversity coverage

– Seed quality/health

• Experience in propagation of less known

indigenous species; fasten establishment

• Bringing more partners with common goals on

board-through bilateral project

Improved propagation techniques-grafting

Fruiting in 5 years

Adansonia digitata-

Dacryodes edulis

2002

2005

Six year old A. parviflora in Ghana

Calotropis procera “Greening the Sahel”

Thank you

Learn more on:

http://www.worldagroforestry.org/products/grunew