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You have reached the IRRI Genebank, where your rice science journey begins. Home to more than 132,000 available accessions which includes cultivated species, wild relatives and species from related genera.


Taxonomic Information on Cultivated Plants in GRIN-Global




Economic Importance

Currently, 39,921 economic importance records exist in GRIN-Global for the 19,220 taxa for which economic plant data are provided. GRIN-Global economic data are classified to two levels adapted from the Economic Botany Data Collection Standard (Cook, 1995). In total, 16 classes are recognized, including 13 from this Standard: food, food additives, animal food, bee plants, invertebrate food, materials, fuels, social uses, vertebrate poisons, non-vertebrate poisons, medicines, environmental uses, and gene sources, with the addition of classes for weeds, harmful organism hosts, and CITES-regulated plants. Note that two of these added categories plus vertebrate poisons do not represent beneficial uses but are mostly negative in their economic impact. The 16 classes are further subdivided into 113 subclasses. Data on gene sources, considered of minor importance in Cook's reference, will be linked to crop wild relative data by 2019 and will no longer appear with other economic importance data. Sources of economic data are referenced in GRIN-Global. A thorough discussion of GRIN-Global economic data can be found in World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference.



International Rice Genebank Germplasm Distribution and Exchange Policy


IRRI continues the free international exchange of germplasm, in accordance with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). We provide rice in small quantities to any entity or establishment for research, breeding, or training for food and agriculture purposes; free of charge. At the same time, we gratefully receive seed contributions to add to our collection.

The procedure for acquiring seeds from IRRI are as follows:
1. Read, study and comply with Standard Material Transfer Agreement(SMTA).
2. Inquire, search and choose accessions through GRIN-Global or Genesys websites.
3. Submit requests electronically through the public websites (refer to #2)