Strengthening national genebanks through genomics and regional collaboration: lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean

• Autores: Carbajal Yepes, M., Petroli, C., Correa, M., Breseghello, F., Tapia, G., Salazar, E., Chassaigne, A., Ferreyra, M., Reyes Herrera, P.H., Guzmán, M., Mendoza, A., Vidal, R., Condón, F., de Almeida, N., Fernandez Huaytalla, Elizabeth, Rodriguez, L., Solano, W., Morales, A.J., Velasquez Flores, B.L., Soto, J., Robles, R., Ledesma, A., Aragón, M., Castillo, D., Roa, C., López Noriega, I., Wenzl, P., Sansaloni, C.
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2025
• Institución: Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria
• Repositorio: INIA-Institucional
• Lenguaje: inglés
• OAI Identifier: oai:repositorio.inia.gob.pe:20.500.12955/3013
• Enlace del recurso: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12955/3013; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100899
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: Crop diversity; Digital sequence information (DSI); Plant genetic resources; Community of practice; Food security; Genebank operations; Diversidad de cultivos; Información de secuencia digital (DSI); Recursos genéticos vegetales; Comunidad de práctica; Seguridad alimentaria; Operaciones de bancos de germoplasma.; https://purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#4.04.01; Genómica; Genomics; Banco de germoplasma; Germplasm Banks; Conservación ex situ; Ex situ conservation; Caracterización; Characterization; América latina y el Caribe; Latin America and the Caribbean

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is a center of origin and domestication for globally important crops such as cassava, common bean, maize, and potato, all of which are key to food and nutrition security worldwide. Despite this strategic role, many national genebanks in the region face technical, financial, and policy barriers that limit the use of genomic tools for characterization and conservation. These genebanks safeguard the genetic diversity needed to enhance crop yields, climate-change resilience, nutritional quality, and pest and disease resistance. In 2022, CGIAR Centers and partners established the "Community of Practice (CoP) of national genebanks in LAC" to strengthen regional capacity for generating and interpreting digital sequence information (DSI), facilitate collaboration, and promote sustainable management of plant genetic resources. Through coordinated capacity-building activities, joint crop-based analyses, and shared learning, the CoP has connected 17 institutions across 13 countries. Members have begun generating and interpreting DSI for common bean, maize, and potato, while addressing gaps in data sharing, interoperability, and policy frameworks. Looking ahead, the CoP seeks to conduct diversity analysis, establish regional core collections, integrate existing global data portals, and advocate for policy alignment to sustain genomic characterization and access to diversity. This CoP initiative provides a model applicable in other regions to strengthen genebank operations through collaborative innovation and coordinated action, contributing to resilient and equitable global food systems.