State Collection of Plant Pathogenic Microorganisms and Cultivars Identifying (Differentiating) Pathogenic Microorganisms

The GCFM CCP was created with the aim of sharing the unique biomaterial of the collection for the development of fundamental, exploratory and applied research at the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution VNIIF, as well as joint work with other organizations. The Center for Collective Use performs research work both for the benefit of the Institute's departments and for third-party organizations. The All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Phytopathology (VNIIF) is one of the leading scientific centers in Russia that carry out phytosanitary monitoring in the country, as well as develop theoretical foundations, conduct and coordinate research on the creation of effective systems, methods and technologies for protecting crops of open and protected soil from fungal, viral and bacterial plant diseases, as well as weeds and pests. VNIIF is the only institution in Russia that has been carrying out systematic population-genetic studies of the most dangerous pathogens of grain crops and potatoes for decades. The result of more than half a century of work by the Institute's staff on the collection, isolation, identification and study of phytopathogenic microorganisms was the creation of the Collection of Phytopathogenic Microorganisms (GCFM), which received state status in 1996. Currently, the collection includes >4,000 items of storage (fungi, bacteria, viruses, viroids, phytoplasmas), as well as >80 isogenic lines and varieties of wheat and rice for studying the genetic structure of populations of the most harmful fungal phytopathogens of these crops, and 22 genotypes of differentiator varieties and potato standards for determining racial composition, virulence, and aggressiveness. the causative agent of late blight. Among the unique features of the GCFM, it is worth mentioning the only collection of potato viroids in the Russian Federation, which includes almost all strains of this pathogen that have been circulating in Russia since 1977. Samples are stored as cDNA; if necessary, any of them can be restored by inoculation of indicator plants. VNIIF staff are the only ones in Russia who are systematically engaged in taxonomic studies of pathogens of phytoplasmic plant diseases. They regularly replenish the collection with samples of this pathogen. The collection also includes strains of fungi that produce dangerous mycotoxins, which are in demand in projects dedicated to finding effective ways to prevent their accumulation in food and feed products or their decontamination. In addition to preserving deposited samples, the activities of the SCFM staff include solving other tasks, including: - replenishment of the collection with new species and strains of phytopathogenic microorganisms (up to 100-150 new samples annually) and their characterization; - regular verification of the viability and pathogenic properties of stored samples; - maintenance of varieties and lines of plant indicators (differentiators) of pathogenic strains; - improvement of methods of isolation, identification, reproduction, conservation and storage of biomaterials; - development and transfer of biomaterials to employees of VNIIF and other scientific research organizations. The GCFM is a unique fund of phytopathogenic microorganisms that preserves time slices of the epidemiological situation in Russia. The strains stored in it are constantly used for phytopathological, immunological, breeding, toxicological and biotechnological research and are widely used in the development and testing of new fungicides and biologics for plant protection, the formation of harsh artificial infectious backgrounds for the assessment of resistant varieties and hybrids of crops and advanced breeding of grain crops for immunity. The use of the characterized strains and pathotypes of phytopathogens makes it possible to solve many fundamental issues in the study of molecular genetic and biochemical interactions in the ”cultivated plant - pathogenic microorganism” system, including the identification of effective resistance genes and the determination of their molecular markers. In addition, screening of collection samples can identify producers of biologically active compounds suitable for the creation of new environmentally friendly plant protection products.