The “Sicilian Plant Germplasm Repository” of the University of Palermo: 25 years of activity in biological conservation

The “Sicilian Plant Germplasm Repository” was created in 1993 from the Department of Botanical Sciences of the University of Palermo (SGCR/PA) – today section of Botany and Plant Ecology of the Department “STEBICEF” - with the aim to preserve the genetic diversity of endemic or endangered native plants, species of economical relevance and wild progenitors of plant cultivars. The collections are mostly constituted by seeds, and were recently expanded with tissues and DNA accessions. The specific tasks of SPGR/PA include the short- and long-term ex situ conservation and exchange of seeds, the recovery of the phytogenetic heritage, the reintroduction of threatened or endangered species into th…