Russian Seed Bank May Be Spared

After a Russian court approved the transfer to a housing development foundation of land outside St. Petersburg where more than 6,000 varieties of fruits and berries are grown, scientists fearing the loss of a major seed bank were reportedly heartened to learn that President Dmitry Medvedev has taken an interest in the matter and ordered a review of the decision. An earlier report about the court ruling appears in Issue 360 of this Update. The foundation has also reportedly postponed a planned auction of part of the land and will have an independent expert audit conducted to assess the uniqueness of the plants growing there and how much acreage is involved. Interested parties are apparently seeking a compromise; the auction may be delayed for five to seven years to allow the plant collection to be relocated. See Science, August 20, 2010; Sciencemag.org and Global Crop Diversity Trust, September 10, 2010.