Q. Recently which country has established a world’s second largest refurbished gene Bank?
a) China
b) India
c) Indonesia
d) Australia
ANSWER:- b)
RELATED FACTS:-
- Taking an imperative towards conserving the diversity of indigenous crops in the country, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar has inaugurated the world’s second-largest refurbished state-of-the-art National Gene Bank at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Pusa, New Delhi.
- The National Gene Bank will work towards preserving the seeds of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) for future generations, and has the capacity to preserve about one million germplasm in the form of seeds.
The Genesis and purpose of National Gene Bank
- Established in 1996, the National Gene Bank (NGB) works towards preserving the seeds of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) for future generations. Presently, the bank is protecting 4.52 lakh accessions, of which 2.7 lakh are Indian germplasm and the rest have been imported from other nations. National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources is meeting the need of in-situ and ex-situ germplasm conservation through Delhi Headquarters and 10 regional stations across India.
- Primarily, NGB has four kinds of facilities, namely, Seed Gene bank (- 18°C), Cryogene bank (-170°C to -196°C), In vitro Gene bank (25°C), and Field Gene bank, to cater to long-term as well as medium-term conservation of the indigenous crops namely cereals, millets, medicinal and aromatic plants and narcotics, among others.
National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
- Set up in January 1977, the ‘National Bureau of Plant Introduction’ was renamed as ‘National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources’ (NBPGR). It is one of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institutes.
- The Bureau has played a pivotal role in the improvement of various crop plants and diversification and development of agriculture in India through germplasm introduction from various institutes, organizations located in foreign countries and germplasm collection from within the country and abroad and conservation thereof.
By – ABHISHEK KUMAR