Replenishment and rationalization of seed collections of pumpkin, vegetable marrow and summer squash for ex situ conservation and use for breeding in Armenia

The conservation and sustainable use of crop genetic resources are crucial for food security and economic development, and diverse genetic resources are a critical input in the agricultural production process. To conserve the gene pool of vegetable crops of Armenia, the Scientific Centre of Vegetable and Industrial Crops of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia carried out activities to upgrade storage facilities and optimize the existing seed collections. Newly created long-term and medium-term seed collections of pumpkin, vegetable marrow and summer squash reliably conserve genetic resources of these crops and create a base for undertaking genetic enhancement and base-broadening efforts. A database and application of barcodes and QR-code labels facilitate the search of required accessions, making the stored genetic materials more accessible for users and promoting their wider use in breeding.