Herbarium is a museum collection of preserved NBG plant specimens and associated data. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in alcohol or other preservatives. The specimens in herbarium are often used as reference material in describing plant taxa; some specimens may be types.
Importance of herbarium in NGB
Herbaria are essential for studying plant taxonomy, phylogenetic, geographic distributions, monitoring biodiversity, and identifying the flora of an area. Herbaria also preserve a historical record of change in vegetation over time, environmental scientists use such data to track changes in climate and human impact.
Preparing the herbarium specimens
Collection
The first step is to collect a plant’s genetic resources as complete as possible. A small herb always with root, tree or shrubs a branch with well-developed leaves, if possible, also with flowers or fruits, well do. The most convenient specimens to pick up are those which seem quite dry and fresh. The collected specimens should be carefully cleaned from all the insects, spider webs and foreign bodies attached to the specimens. The collection of specimens must be numbered and labelled as well as arranged inside the folder between a few layers of paper. Taking color pictures of each plant in its natural environment is enriched the quality of the herbarium.
Drying
Drying process is keeping the specimens squeezed between layers of paper until they are totally devoid of the original content of water.
Mounting
Once the specimens have been dried, they will be visibly mounted on a paper sheet. The best permanent mounting paper is good white or cream cartridge-type paper, in particular 100% rag or chemical wood pulp. The size for mounting paper can range from 42 × 26 cm to 45 × 30 cm. The most delicate mounted specimens could be covered with a protective sheet of translucent paper. Small paper envelopes can contain particular portions (e.g. seeds) or very small plants; when these envelopes are folded and glued to the sheet it should be possible to open them flat and close them without clips; besides they must securely hold their contents. The woody specimens can be strapped with linen or cotton thread, that will be knotted on the reverse side of the sheet.
Labelling
Each specimen must have a label on its own sheet. Label should include the taxonomic denomination (family, genus, species, … etc.) along with information on the date and place of collection, ecological notes about the locality and the name of the collector and of the individual who did the determination. To write your labels it is advisable to use permanent and water resistance ink otherwise a pencil can be used (medium lead).
Arrangement
Most herbaria utilize a standard system of organizing their specimens into herbarium cases. Specimen sheets are arranged in groups by the species to which they belong and placed into a large folder that is labeled on the bottom edge. The genus folders are then stored. The collection may be arranged alphabetical or classified first into small groups (region, status, …) then arranged alphabetically.
Staff
Prof. Dr. Abd Elmigid Ali Abd Elmigid +20 100 773 5424 sabdelmiged@nu.edu.eg
Prof. Dr. Reda Mohamed Hassan Rizk +20 109 249 9692 Dr.redarizk@gmail.com
Dr. Ehab Mawad Badr Mahdy +20 106 293 2724 ehab.mahdy@arc.sci.eg
Dr. Hamada maged Muhammed Hefny +20 109 974 0689 Hamadamaged10@gmali.com
Molecular genetics plays an important role in many aspects of conservation such as the characterization of plant genetic diversity for purposes of improved acquisition, maintenance and use. In general, studies of phylogeny and species evaluation have been undertaken and have produced a considerable amount of valuable information. More recently, the molecular techniques have been applied to problems of direct relevance in order to understand distribution and extent of variation within and between species and accessions.
Global Plan of Action
The Global Plan of Actionprovides a comprehensive scientific and technical framework for international and national action at the global level.
It was adopted by 150 countries in 1996 through the Leipzig Declaration and was endorsed by the World Food Summit Plan of Action and the CBD (FAO, 1996b). The Global Plan of Actionpresents 20 Priority Activity Areas (PAA).
The Global Plan of Actionidentifies a role for biotechnologies in
PAA 11:“Promoting sustainable agriculture through diversification of crop production and broader diversity in crops”.
One of its objectives is: “to promote the goal of higher levels of genetic diversity consistent with productivity increase and agronomic needs, including in crop production, plant breeding and biotechnological research and development settings”. Regardy capacity: “governments, and their national agricultural research systems, supported by the International Agricultural Research Centres, and other research and extension organizations should: make use of modern biotechnological techniques as feasible, to facilitate broadening of the genetic base of crops”.
Biotechnologies have a role in realizing other priority activities of the Global Plan of Action,in particular, but not exclusively :
PAA 5: “Sustaining existing ex situcollections”;
PAA 8: “Expanding ex situ conservation activities”;
PAA 9: “Expanding characterization, evaluation and number of core collections to facilitate use”;
and PAA 10: “Increasing genetic enhancement and base-broadening efforts”.
Roles of molecular technology in studies of plant genetic resources
Genetic diversity studies
Genetic relatedness and diversity
Studying polymorphism in landraces and cultivars
Identification of cultivars and taxonomy
Phylogenetic studies
Comparative mapping
Germplasm management
Taxonomic characterization of germplasm
Maintenance of collections
Development conservation strategies
Germplasm use
Gene mapping and identification
Marker-assisted selection in plant breeding
Detecting somaclonal variation
Evaluating germplasm for useful genes
Objectives of MGL in NGBGR
Detect polymorphism and phylogenetic relationships between accessions.
Identify fingerprints of Egyptian germplasm.
Monitor genetic stability in conserved materials.
Determine specific molecular markers for agronomically desired characteristics.
