Cryobank of plant genetic resources in Russian Academy of Sciences

Cryopreservation is the most reliable method for long-term storage of plant genetic resources. A review of cell injury by ice crystals and dehydration during a freeze-thaw cycle is given. For successful regeneration of plants and cultures after cryopreservation of their cells, the development of reliable cryopreservation procedure is required including preliminary cultivation, treatment by cryoprotectors, freezing by different methods, thawing and recultivation. Up to now 27 cell lines successfully resumed their growth after storage in liquid nitrogen and preserved their specific features and biosynthetic potential. Besides, shoot tips of 40 cultivars of potato, rose, strawberry and raspberry regenerated plants both in vitro and in vivo after cryopreservation. The longest storage duration was 25 years. Now in liquid nitrogen we continuously store 24 cell strains of rare medicinal plants, shoot tips of seven cultivars of strawberry and raspberry and seeds of 250 endangered plant species collected over all Russian territory. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.