Latin American maize landraces are globally the most important maize genetic resources and should be conserved for current and future generations. For more than 60 years, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and its predecessor institutions have been conserving and using these genetic resources for maize improvement. In order to safeguard the original diversity of maize races found in the region, the Latin American maize landrace conservation network of national and international maize banks in the Americas has regenerated and conserved nearly 10,000 accessions over the last 10 years. The national banks have conserved their own regenerated accessions and deposited the duplicates at CIMMYT and at the USDA’s National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation (NCGRP) at Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. The CIMMYT maize collection has enlarged to 24,463 accessions, including its recent acquisitions. It now holds 21,767 Latin American maize germplasm accessions from South and Central America, including Mexico and the Caribbean region.

Text in English

0009

CIMMYT Staff Publications Collection