Molecular Passports for Ex Situ Seed Donors: Enhanced Genetic Monitoring for Plant Conservation

To maintain evolutionary potential, genetic diversity, the raw material upon which natural selection acts, must be conserved. As such, ex situ seed collections remain invaluable repositories of genetic diversity. However, questions remain regarding the degree to which collections preserve genetic diversity. A molecular passport, a genetic record sampled from an individual, geo-referenced maternal seed donor, can complement traditional passport data maintained within an ex situ seed collection. The molecular passport provides an opportunity to standardise genetic monitoring of seed donors for species of concern and can identify gaps in preservation efforts, ensuring optimised allocation of resources associated with expanding conservation efforts. Molecular passports associated with seed donor populations enable tracking of demographic, neutral and non-neutral evolutionary processes that have influenced standing genetic variation, can quantify genetic metrics for conservation decision-making, and identify redundancies or confirm taxonomic identities critical to conservation efforts. Ultimately, the molecular passport can improve our ability to monitor and effectively preserve genetic variation for species at risk, turning a static resource into an actionable conservation decision-making tool.