Documentation of Cryopreserved Dormant Buds and Shoot Tips in the US National Plant Germplasm System

Genebanks around the world have implemented cryopreservation programs to conserve clonally propagated crop collections as dormant buds and shoot tips. In 1988, the US National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) cryopreservation program placed its initial dormant bud samples into long-term storage at the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation (NLGRP) in Fort Collins, CO, USA. Shoot tip cryopreservation at NLGRP became routine in the early 2000s, with an early emphasis on potato cryopreservation. Accurate data documentation methods ensure critical information is available for decades after materials are placed into cryostorage. Therefore, we provide key data fields, methods for sample documentation, and newly standardized data review processes based on NLGRP procedures. In addition, taxonomic information is provided for the 5457 unique NPGS accessions with cryopreserved NLGRP inventories, as well as some longevity data.