University of Cagliari - Centre for the Conservation of Biodiversity (CCB)
Sardinian Germplasm Bank (BG-SAR)
Country: Italy | Region: Sardinia
BG-SAR is part of the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DISVA) at the University of Cagliari. In collaboration with the Centre for the Conservation of Biodiversity (CCB), the bank focuses on in situ and ex situ biodiversity conservation studies, as well as biosystematic and taxonomic research on Mediterranean vascular flora. Founded in 1997, BG-SAR plays a central role in conserving Sardinian plant diversity. Currently, the seed bank preserves over 3600 seed lots, representing approximately 1350 different taxa.
The bank actively participates in international seed conservation consortia, including the Network of Mediterranean Plant Conservation Centres (GENMEDA), the European Native Seed Conservation Network (ENSCONET), and the Italian Network of Germplasm Banks for the Ex Situ Conservation of Native Flora (RIBES). BG-SAR has contributed to various international conservation projects such as GENMEDOC (Interreg IIIB Medocc; 2004-2006), SEMCLIMED (Interreg IIIB Medocc; 2006-2013), LIFE+ PROVIDUNE (LIFE+; 2009-2013), "Ensuring the Survival of Endangered Plants in the Mediterranean" (funded by MAVA Foundation pour la nature; 2011-2014), "ECOPLANTMED" (ENPI CBC MED Programme; 2014-2015), and "Conservation Actions for Threatened Mediterranean Island Flora: Ex Situ and In Situ Joint Actions" (CARE MEDIFLORA, funded by MAVA Foundation pour la nature; 2016-2018). Currently, the bank collaborates on projects aimed at saving threatened plants from extinction through seed banks, such as "LIFE SEEDFORCE – Using SEED banks to restore and reinFORCE the endangered native plants of Italy" (funded by the EU LIFE financial instrument; 2021-2026).
Contact
Gianluigi Bacchetta – Scientific Responsible of BG-SAR and CCB, bacchet@unica.it
Marco Porceddu – BG-SAR Seed Bank Curator, bg-sar@unica.it; porceddu.marco@unica.it
V.le Sant'Ignazio da Laconi, 9/11 - 09123 Cagliari - Italie
Tel.: +39 070 6753806 / 3508
Website: https://ccb-sardegna.it/