Biodiversity News - Key to an Innovative Future for Canada (7 of 7)
Canadian Agricultural Biodiversity
Biodiversity - the variety of life on Earth! Scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada play a role in protecting and preserving the diversity of our crops.
Genebanks
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada identifies, collects, preserves and encourages the use of crops grown in Canada through the Genebanks of Plant Gene Resources of Canada.
- The role of the Genebanks is to provide scientists with a wide diversity of genetic materials to help them develop new crops for Canadian farmers with increased yield, better taste, or resistance to crop pests.
National Collections
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada maintains the largest bioresource reference collections in Canada.
- The Collections of insects, fungi, viruses and vascular plants play an essential role in the development of new crops, bioproducts and biotechnologies capable of sustaining the long-term quality, yields and profitability of Canadian agriculture.
- The Collections support national efforts to protect Canada's borders from invasive pests.
Seeds
Seed Genebank, Saskatoon, SK
Description - Seeds
This 5-part image represents the AAFC Canadian Seed Genebank located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The content of each part shows seeds important to Canadian agriculture. The number of samples in the Genebank of these representative seeds is given. The top image is a field view of growing oats; there are 28,000 samples of oats in the Genebank. The next lower image shows two heads of barley; there are 38,000 samples of barley in the Genebank. The middle image shows two heads of wheat, with wheat seeds surrounding them; there are 14,000 samples of wheat in the Genebank. The next lower image indicates crop diversity in flax. Eight round containers present light and dark varieties; there are 3500 samples of flax in the Genebank. The bottom image shows a collection of Brassica seeds (canola); there are 35000 samples of Brassicas in the Genebank.
- 1. Oat:
- 28,000 samples
- 2. Barley:
- 38,000 samples
- 3. Wheat:
- 14,000 samples
- 4. Flax:
- 3,500 samples
- 5. Brassicas:
- 3,500 samples (mustard, canola)
Total collection: over 1,000 plant
species and 113,000 samples
Fruits and Potatoes
Canadian Clonal Genebank
Harrow, ON and Potato Genebank,
Fredericton, NB
Description - Fruits and Potatoes
This 5-part image represents the AAFC Canadian Clonal Genebank in Harrow, Ontario and the Canadian Potato Genebank in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The content of each part shows fruits or potatoes important to Canadian agriculture. The number of samples in the Clonal Genebank is given. The top image is an apple, representing the 850 samples of apples in the Clonal Genebank. The next lower image shows two strawberries, representing the 1500 samples of strawberries in the Clonal Genebank. The middle image shows a peach, representing the 63 samples of peaches in the Clonal Genebank. The next lower image shows a pear, representing the 130 samples of pears in the Clonal Genebank. The bottom image shows a potato, representing the 140 samples of potatoes in the Potato Genebank.
- 1. Apple:
- 850 samples
- 2. Strawberry:
- 1,500 samples
- 3. Peach:
- 63 samples
- 4. Pear:
- 130 samples
- 5. Potato:
- 140 samples
Total collection:3,500 samples
Animal Germplasm
Canadian Animal Genetic Resources Program, Saskatoon, SK
Description - Animal Germplasm
This 5-part image represents animal species which have germplasm preserved in the AAFC Canadian Animal Genetic Resources Program located at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The content of each part shows species which contribute to Canadian agriculture. The number of samples in the Program is given. The top image is of cattle, representing the 16 breeds and 249,000 semen samples (doses) The next lower image is of adult chickens, representing the poultry - 3 breeds of chickens, 1 of turkeys and 480 semen samples (doses). The middle image shows a goat, representing the 36 semen samples (doses) of this species. The next lower image shows bison, representing the 600 semen samples (doses) of this species. The bottom image shows elk, representing the 630 semen samples (doses) of this species.
- 1. Cattle:
- 16 breeds, 249,000 semen doses
- 2. Poultry:
- 3 breeds of chicken, 1 of turkey, 480 semen doses
- 3. Goat:
- 36 semen doses
- 4. Bison:
- 600 semen doses
- 5. Elk, deer:
- 630 semen doses
National Collections
Ottawa, ON and Summerland, BC
Description - National Collections
The first five parts of this image represent the National Bioresource Collections located in Ottawa, Ontario. The number of specimens in each Collection is given. The first part is a tray of representative insects in the AAFC Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes; there are 16 million specimens in this Collection. The second section shows three mushrooms representative of specimens of the National Mycological Herbarium; there are 350000 specimens in the Collection. The third part is a representative fungal culture from the AAFC Canadian Collection of Fungal Cultures; there are 16000 living strains in this Collection. The fourth part is a plant specimen representative of content of the AAFC National Vascular Plant Herbarium; there are 1.5 million specimens in this Collection. The fifth part shows containers of mycorrhiza representative of samples in the AAFC Glomeromycotta in vitro Collection; there are 94 living strains of mycorrhiza in this Collection. The sixth and last part of this image represents the Canadian Plant Virus Collection found in Summerland, British Columbia and shows leaves and cherries affected by viruses, and vials which symbolize the 550 isolates representing 230 different viruses.
- 1. Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes:
- 16 million specimens
- 2. National Mycological Herbarium:
- 350,000 specimens
- 3. Canadian Collection of Fungal Cultures:
- 16,000 living strains
- 4. Vascular Plant Herbarium:
- 1.5 million specimens
- 5. Glomeromycota in vitro Collection:
- 94 living strains of mycorrhiza
- 6. Canadian Plant Virus Collection:
- 550 isolates representing 230 different viruses
If you want to learn more about agriculture and biodiversity, visit Agricultural Biodiversity.