Uprooting crop diversity

Relocating is never any fun, but it’s particularly tricky for collections of crop diversity. You have to get the new facilities all ready, and all those seeds or test tubes or indeed live plants need to be kept safe and sound during the process, and then re-established in their new digs, and possibly new people may need to be trained. Safe to say, you probably want to avoid it unless absolutely necessary, which is why it’s not all that common.

Surprising then to come across two examples within a few days.

The Domaine de Vassal grapevine collection in France ¹ is being moved to save it from the encroaching waters of the Mediterranean. Or maybe it a problem with the lease? Anyway, it’s been in the works for at least 10 years, but it does seem to be finally happening. Despite, ahem, some reservations.

The rub with the new proposed site is that only a portion of its soil is sand-based. The collection is destined for a hillside of limestone-clay soils where the vines would be grafted onto rootstock.

“A heresy!” Deiss protested, saying grafting compromises the authenticity of the vines.

In contrast, USDA’s National Soybean Germplasm Collection on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus ² was supposed to be relocated in fiscal 2026, that was stopped by various stakeholders, but the whole thing is back on the agenda for fiscal 2027. The issue seems to be where the collection can be conserved more cost-effectively, but there may also be a bit of local politics involved as well. Predictably, I suppose.

“Having that vast collection so accessible to U. of I. researchers directly benefits Illinois farmers,” said Abigail Peterson, director of agronomy for the Illinois Soybean Association. “Whether it’s a new disease or soy oleic, I think the germplasm collection is the only avenue to explore and develop new traits. It’s just a huge tool in our toolbox.”

Good luck to the people involved in both cases. Whatever happens, I’m sure we all hope the collections remain safe and available for the long term.