Mexico

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) joined the Millennium Seed Bank Project in February 2002. The partnership is led by The Faculty of Higher Studies (FES Iztacala) with assistance from the Institute of Ecology, Morelia, and is based on long-standing co-operation between UNAM and RBG Kew since 1992. The project ‘Ex situ conservation of plant germplasm from the arid and semi-arid regions of Mexico’ seeks to halt the loss of plant genetic diversity in some of the most precious drylands of Mexico. These include the valley of Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, the Sierra Taxco-Huautla, and parts of Queretero and Hidalgo states. 

Collecting seed in the Tehuacán Valley, Puebla.

All steps in the seed conservation process are carried out in Mexico with advice and support from RBG Kew as part of agreed capacity building. This has included the development of a dry chamber for efficient drying of seed collections. Herbarium specimen data is analysed to provide quality information for the project collectors, following procedures developed by RBG Kew's species targeting team. Seed collections are made from priority regions with the support of the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO). Seeds are processed and tested by technicians and volunteers. Seeds are dried and stored in the FES-Iztacala dryland seed bank accredited by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), and duplicated at RBG Kew under the terms of an Access and Benefit Sharing Agreement (ABSA). An active research group led by Dr Patricia Davila, head of postgraduate Studies at FES-Iztacala studies the biology of seeds as part of multi-disciplinary research in the Mexican dryland ecosystem.