Requests and users of CGN-plant

CGN manages collections of nearly forty crops, comprising more than 24,000 accessions available for distribution. These collections have been carefully assembled and contain material from all over the world. A crop collection includes both old and modern varieties, as well as wild relatives from the crop’s centre of origin and local landraces.

New material is collected during collecting missions or obtained through collaboration with international genebanks and breeding companies. As a result, the collections continue to grow and evolve over time.

The reasons for requesting accessions from the genebank are as diverse as the collections themselves. They range from disease resistance evaluations in spinach to research into the suitability of heritage grains for bread and beer production. The use of the collections therefore spans the full spectrum, from fundamental scientific research to direct application in breeding programmes.

In 2025, lettuce, (sweet) pepper, aubergine and brassica crops were the most frequently requested crops. Although the ranking changes somewhat from year to year, lettuce consistently ranks at or near the top.

This is not surprising. The lettuce collection is large, well-documented and rich in available data. In addition, breeding companies conduct large-scale disease evaluations each year, resulting in many seed requests. Even when these evaluation requests are excluded, lettuce remains one of the most requested crops.

Looking at the past ten years, brassicas, spinach and tomato also rank among the most requested collections alongside lettuce. This reflects the strong position of the Dutch vegetable breeding sector in these crops.

The other collections are also carefully curated, well-documented and - importantly for users - consistently available for distribution. This reliability makes CGN popular among vegetable seed users: you know what you will receive, and you know that you will receive it.

CGN material finds its way around the world. Requests can be submitted by professional users such as breeding companies, research institutes and educational purposes. The material is intended for professional use and not for private individuals wishing to grow rare varieties in their backyard.

Over the past ten years, 57% of distributed material was sent abroad. Of this international share, 75% remained within Europe. Another 17% was distributed to Asia, with the remainder going to other parts of the world.

In terms of user type, approximately 47% of the material was distributed to public institutions, mainly universities and research institutes. The remaining requests came from private parties, particularly breeding companies. This demonstrates how the genebank supports both fundamental research and practical innovation.

The distribution of seeds contributes to making genetic diversity available worldwide. This diversity forms the basis for research and breeding of crops that are better able to withstand diseases, pests and extreme weather conditions.

Alongside the management of existing collections, CGN is also developing new crop collections, including parsley, celery, beans and watermelon. In this way, the range of available material continues to expand and can support an even broader group of users.

Long-term conservation and active use go hand in hand. By not only safeguarding genetic resources but also making them accessible and encouraging in their use, CGN contributes to a resilient food system - now and in the future.