Germplasm Conservation

Breadfruit, a vital staple crop in the Pacific with hundreds of cultivars, is experiencing a decline in diversity due to environmental impacts and loss of cultural knowledge, despite being a part of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Actively managed collections in various locations, including the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s extensive field genebank, are focusing on research and in vitro propagation to preserve and distribute breadfruit germplasm, aiming to enhance food security and sustainable agriculture.