Italy IBBR Gene Bank

This chapter focuses on the conservation strategy employed by the Mediterranean Germplasm Gene Bank (MGG) hosted by CNR-IBBR in Bari. Field conserva- tion, ex situ conservation, and on-farm conservation are the main activities carried out. Various methods used at the MGG for the characterization and evaluation of accessions, from traditional to innovative approaches, are described. The seed collection contains approximately 59,000 accessions (mostly landraces) from 34 families, 208 genera, and 872 species. The MGG has undertaken several collaborative projects and initiatives to share information on the preserved mate- rial with a network of European and international gene banks and plant genetic resources (PGR) collections. The theme of “cost-effective conservation” is also addressed, along with gene bank documentation, general management, the iden- tification of useful genes, and the sustainable utilization of PGR with some insights into the future improvement and development of the MGG.