50 Years Conserving the Future: CATIE’s Germplasm Bank Safeguards the Genetic Diversity That Feeds Millions of People

• Since 1976, CATIE’s Orthodox Seed Germplasm Bank has conserved more than 6,200 accessions of crops essential for food and agriculture, contributing to plant breeding, food security, and climate change adaptation across Mesoamerica and beyond.

Fifty years ago, CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) embarked on a mission that is more relevant today than ever before: conserving the genetic diversity of crops that sustain the food supply of millions of people. What began in July 1976 with the establishment of the Orthodox Seed Germplasm Bank has become one of Mesoamerica’s leading institutions for the conservation, research, and distribution of plant genetic resources—essential for addressing challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security.

Five decades later, “the bank safeguards 6,201 accessions representing 114 species, 60 genera, and 14 botanical families from 57 countries , of which 94% originate from Mesoamerica,” explained Daniel Fernández, CATIE Specialist in Orthodox Seed Conservation. Each of these seed samples represents an opportunity to develop more resilient, productive, and nutritious crops capable of responding to the challenges facing global agriculture.

Beyond conserving seeds, the Germplasm Bank generates scientific knowledge that now supports national and international plant breeding programs. “Approximately 40% of the collections have been characterized, allowing us to identify materials with valuable agronomic and nutritional traits, as well as adaptation to climate change. Among the most significant achievements are the discovery of four unique genetic groups within the Mesoamerican squash collection and the identification of plant materials with high potential to withstand adverse environmental conditions,” said William Solano, CATIE Specialist in Plant Genetic Resources.

According to Solano, the collections have also served as the foundation for developing new varieties of tomato, cherry tomato, squash, and common bean used in breeding programs in several countries. In addition, research conducted with tomato and cucumber germplasm has demonstrated their capacity to adapt to the conditions of the Central American Dry Corridor, providing alternatives for building more climate-resilient agricultural systems.

A Genetic Heritage Serving the World

The impact of the Germplasm Bank extends far beyond Costa Rica. Over the past 50 years, it is estimated to have distributed more than 50,000 seed samples to over 20 countries, providing researchers, universities, breeding programs, and producers with access to valuable plant materials for agricultural research and innovation. In addition, nearly 1,000 accessions of maize, squash, tomato, and common bean have been repatriated to Central American countries, strengthening the conservation and use of their own genetic heritage.

All conserved collections are included under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, ensuring their availability for research and crop improvement. As an additional safeguard, approximately 40% of the conserved genetic diversity has been backed up at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, the world's largest seed repository dedicated to global food security.

Among the bank’s most important collections is its squash (Cucurbita) collection, considered the second largest in the world by number of accessions and the largest available for research. It also houses one of the most significant chili pepper collections in Latin America. Both collections serve as important reference materials for other germplasm banks throughout the region.

Conserving the Future of Agriculture

Climate change, ecosystem degradation, and the growing demand for food have made the conservation of genetic diversity more strategic than ever. For this reason, Fernández explained that CATIE’s Germplasm Bank continues expanding its efforts to genomically and physiologically characterize its collections, identify plant materials with greater climate resilience and make this knowledge available to breeding programs, farming families, researchers, and future generations.

Fifty years after its establishment, CATIE’s Orthodox Seed Germplasm Bank demonstrates that conserving seeds is about much more than preserving the past. It means protecting the diversity that will make a more resilient, innovative, and sustainable agriculture possible for decades to come.

Key Facts

• 50 years conserving plant genetic resources.
• 6,201 accessions conserved.
• 114 crop species important for food and agriculture.
• Germplasm originating from 57 countries.
• 94 % of the materials originate from Mesoamerica.
• More than 50,000 seed distributions carried out in over 20 countries.
• 40 % of the collections have been characterized.
• 40 % of the accessions are backed up at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.