Representativeness of wild bluegrass accessions from Russia and neighboring countries in the VIR collection

N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) maintains a living bluegrass seed collection, which includes cultivars bred in Russia and abroad and wild specimens gathered by collecting missions of the institute in Russia, the Soviet Union and foreign countries. There are also specimens of various bluegrass species and cultivars obtained from botanical gardens of Russia and other countries.

The core of the collection is composed of accessions of Kentucky bluegrass, an economically significant species, a valuable pasture and lawn plant. Wild Poa pratensis from Russia and neighboring countries is represented in the VIR catalogue by 825 seed accessions. The natural gene pool of Kentucky bluegrass is distinguished by significant polymorphism, genetically determined by a mixed system of sexual and asexual reproduction, polyploidy and aneuploidy of this species. The genetic diversity of Kentucky bluegrass, coupled with its geographical diversity, is the reason for ensuring wide representation of wild specimens of this species the in collection for the purposes of ex situ conservation. The VIR Kentucky bluegrass collection has been analyzed by gap analysis for representativeness of this species collected within the Russian Federation; the main stages of collecting activities were outlined, and regions for further expeditionary surveys identified. The diversity of wild bluegrass species collected in Russia and neighboring countries was assessed at 21 species.

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