On 14 September 2023, at the Institute of Agriculture in Skopje, the new sophisticated equipment for the gene bank located in the premises of the Institute was promoted. This equipment is a donation from the European Union through the IPA project for the modernization of the National gene bank, with a total value of 210 000 euros, intended for purchase of new sophisticated equipment.
The promotion was attended by the European ambassador to North Macedonia, Mr. David Geer, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of Macedonia, Mr. Ljupco Nikolovski, the Rector of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, prof. Nikola Jankulovski, PhD, the newly elected rector of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, prof. Biljana Angelova, PhD, as well as representatives from the Administration for Seeds and Planting Material and the Phytosanitary Administration within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of Macedonia.
With the new equipment, serological and molecular analyzes are introduced for the first time according to standard European procedures used in the world's gene banks, which allow control of the health status of the seed material and determination of the genetic identity at the molecular level.
Also, thanks to the new equipment, the existing storage capacity of the seed material from the native Macedonian varieties and populations of a large number of plant species is increased, both in the active collection and in the collection intended for long-term conservation, in strictly controlled conditions that correspond to European standards. At the same time, with the new equipment for seed manipulation, it is possible to check the quality of the obtained seed that is being prepared for conservation faster and better, such as cleaning it from external impurities, checking the germination and moisture.
The preservation of varieties in gene banks has great importance for the preservation of the plant agrobiodiversity of our country. Agricultural plant varieties often have deep historical and cultural ties to specific rural environments. Therefore, the preservation of those varieties also represents the maintenance of the culture, traditions and identity of those rural communities. In addition, native varieties, or old domesticated varieties, have adapted over the years to various diseases and climatic conditions. These varieties in science represent a serious source of genetic material for the breeding of new varieties, resistant to diseases and pests and adaptable to climate changes. In this way, it is possible to ensure food production in various climatic and field conditions.
Native varieties are also of great importance for the rural economy, through the generation of income for the agricultural producers who promote and produce these varieties. In the gene bank of the Institute of Agriculture - Skopje, reference samples are kept, registered on the national variety list, among which there are autochthonous varieties and populations, such as seeds of the tomatoes "skopski jabuchar" and "volovsko srce", the pepper "kurtovska kapia", populations of embroidered pepper, populations of the bean "tetovski grav", the alfalfa "debarska lucerka" and a large number of wheat varieties. Currently, the gene bank of the Institute of Agriculture - Skopje stores 721 samples of 43 botanical species, of which 417 are cereal, 202 are horticultural, 77 are fodder and 25 are industrial samples. Their passport data are part of the European Database EURISCO.
