Roots of Blossoming Science: ARS Collections

Smaller, research-based collections are generally managed by the individual scientist or team working on the research project associated with the collection. However, larger collections such as the genebanks of the National Plant Germplasm System have full-time curatorial staff working to acquire, preserve, analyze, document, distribute, and dispose of accessions. The majority of these collections have firmly established management practices through official policy and procedural guidelines governing access to and use of the collections.