Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is EURISCO?

EURISCO is a web-based catalogue that provides access-level information on germplasm maintained in ex situ plant collections in Europe.

EURISCO is based on a European network of National Inventories that makes European accession-level biodiversity data easily and readily available everywhere in the world.

2. What does EURISCO contain?

The EURISCO Catalogue currently contains accession-level data on more than 1 million accessions of crop diversity representing 5393 genera and 34473 species from 40 countries. These accessions of crop diversity represent more than half of the ex situ accessions maintained in Europe and roughly 19% of total worldwide holdings. EURISCO uses international standards for information access and exchange on ex situ plant collections that enables users to search and access information on crops, forages, wild and weedy species, farmers' varieties and breeding lines using a wide set of search criteria.

3. What are EURISCO objectives?

EURISCO serves as an online information source and European database for material maintained ex situ in European countries. The aim is to make information on the estimated 2 million accessions maintained in Europe readily available all around the world through European National Inventories (NIs) of plant genetic resources. At the moment, 35 NIs- with information on more than 1 million accessions- are accessible through the system. To reach the goal of including 2 millions acessions in Europe, the remaining NIs need to join EURISCO and make their updated country data available. EURISCO will be used by educators and students, scientists, breeders, policy makers and the wider community to achieve a better understanding of the plant genetic resources that have been conserved for present and future generations.

4. What is an NI?

The content and management of the National Inventories (NIs) is a national responsibility. The content of the NIs should be flexible and in accordance with the mandate of each country. The level of data management (i.e. the frequency of updating, the maintenance of data quality and completeness) and access to information is the responsibility of individual countries. The NIs are the backbone of EURISCO: in addition to relevant information for the PGR Search Catalogue, they contain other important information about PGR held in each country.

5. How can I create a NI?

The best way of creating a National Inventory (NIs) of PGR differs from country to country. However, in the approach proposed by the EPRGIS project involves five steps:

1. Nomination of National Inventory Focal Point
2. Identification of relevant collections
3. Compilation of data
4. Validation / harmonization / updating of data
5. Provision of data

Many European genebanks have already computerized their data and in many cases the structure of these data is very similar to that of the FAO/IPGRI Multicrop Passport Descriptors (MCPD). This makes the compilation of data, covering a significant part of a country's ex situ collections very easy, and forms the basis for that country\s NI.

6. What is an NFP?

A National Focal Point (NFP) is the person appointed by each country with the responsibility of managing and uploading the country's National Inventory (NI) to EURISCO in accordance with the agreed standards and procedures.

7. How is data provided to it?

The EURISCO web catalogue automatically receives data from the National Inventories (NIs), thought countries National Focal Points (NFPs).

8. What role do the data providers play in the process?

National Focal Points (NFPs) are the links between national data sources and National Inventories (NIs). As data providers, NFPs hold the responsibility within their countries for the creation, development and national-level coordination of PGR inventories. They ensure the flow of data between NIs and EURISCO. Their roles are primarily technical, but NFPs are also expected to give clearance for the online publication of country passport data (more details in the "Terms of use")

9. Who uses EURISCO standards and why?

EURISCO standards are used by many organizations and individuals for the conservation use and support the exchange of plant genetic resources data over the Internet. They include:

• Biodiversity data holders 
• Biodiversity network developers
• Breeders
• Consumers of biodiversity data
• Developers of collections - management systems
• European Central Crop Databases
• Genebanks
• Research institutions
• Universities / students

10. What are the EURISCO standards?

The EURISCO standards are based on the FAO/IPGRI Multi Crop Passports descriptors (MCPD), with six descriptors added specifically for EURISCO. The first of these descriptors identifies the National Inventory (NI) and the final five allow relevant information to be incorporated into EURISCO. This descriptor list is used for uploading data from the NIs to EURISCO.

11. How can I join EURISCO?

To join EURISCO and make your data available through Catalogue, contact your country's NFP (list of NFPs) and send your data to be included in the NI. The NFP will submit the updated NI to EURISCO for inclusion in the EURISCO Catalogue.

12. What is the intranet? And how does the upload mechanism work?

This is a dedicated page for Country National Focal Points (NFPs) to upload their National Inventories (NIs).

The uploading mechanism is designed for the submission of the NIs to EURISCO. This mechanism is based on a step-by-step approach that allows checking of the information provided from NIs. The NFPs give their approval with a click and it become available online.

13. What is the advantage of this upload mechanism?

The system automatically receives data from the National Inventories (NIs), through countries' National Focal Points (NFPs). It allows checking and validation procedures to assist the NFPs in their efforts to improve the accuracy of their information at the national level before it goes online.

14. Who is responsible for EURISCO management and maintenance?

EURISCO is hosted at and maintained by Bioversity International on behalf on the Secretariat of the European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR).

15. Who funds EURISCO?

In 2000, the European Union approved funding for the European Plant Genetic Resources Information Infra-Structure (EPGRIS), for the development of national inventories of plant genetic resources (PGR) and for the creation of a searchable catalogue of ex situ collections in Europe - EURISCO.
The EURISCO Catalogue was publicly launched in September 2003 and during its first phase, the information accessable through has increased to include more than 1.1 million accessions. Funding has been made available from ECPGR, Bioversity International and in-kind contributions from NFPs. Additional funds must be sought to further develop this important source of PGR information in order to improve documentation and training on ex situ conservation and management of PGR data. Funding is also needed for the dissemination of web services and to update genebank information systems.

16. What role do the funding providers play in the process?

EURISCO has been made possible by funding from the above-mentioned sources. Throughout the year regular reports and other information on the ongoing development and implementation of EURISCO are delivered to the ECPGR Steering Committee and the Documentation and Information Network, the EURISCO Advisory Group and the NFPs. A great deal of attention is paid to EURISCO's progress, milestones, and to building a strong network. Funding providers would also like EURISCO to develop longer-term plans for the sustainable growth of the Catalogue in line with the need for sustainable biodiversity conservation.

17. What are the most significant obstacles you may face?

The most significant obstacle is the need for NIs to be sustainably and constantly updated as well as for dissemination and implementation of software technology in order to accommodate the demands of data providers, stakeholder and users. Enthusiasm as been increasing throughout the years and we need to build on that interest, providing a valuable, user-friendly Catalogue suitable for all audiences, that is regularly updated and consistently current. We know expectations are high, and it is our duty to fulfill those expectations.

18. From where have audiences been accessing this information to date?

EURISCO is a 21st century effort to provide a resource for accession-level information on more than 1 million accessions made available by NIs. Currently, data can be found across the globe in many scattered databases and other resources. Other information resources exist both online and off, but even smart searchers are often overwhelmed by lists of sites found through search engines or by the lack of easy access to other sources of knowledge.

Instead of seeking out plant genetic resources information on a particular site, EURISCO provides one-stop shop for plant genetic resources material maintained ex situ by European institutions.

There has been a marked increase in the number of visitors to the Catalogue. This increase reflects the impact of the Catalogue as a one-stop shop for accession-level information on the material maintained in European ex situ collections, and of National Inventories (NIs) it makes available.

Interest in the Catalogue is also geographically expanding: it is now being accessed from 145 countries worldwide.

19. Is this just for the scientific community?

No! EURISCO has been developed to serve as a resource for everyone: scientists, breeders, genebank managers, teachers, students, policy makers and any interested person. With a wide range of functions, EURISCO is a valuable resource for anyone who has an interest in plant genetic resources.

20. What impact will this have on science? On society?

The EURISCO Catalogue will serve as a global resource for information on ex situ plant genetic resources maintained in European germplasm collections. Such an important information resource for Europe has never been available to the scientific community or society before. It provides one-stop shop for scientists, breeders, policy makers, educators, and the general public.

21. How will scientists and breeders use it?

Scientists and breeders will use it as a research source on plant genetic resources and as a central information source on ex situ material maintained in European germplasm collections. For decades, scientists, breeders and the genebank community have called for the establishment of a database such as EURISCO. Having a common resource where scientists and breeders across the globe can access and share information on PGR contributes to sustainable development and conservation as well as worldwide food security. EURISCO can also be used for information sharing and collaboration between partners, stakeholders and communities.

22. How will students use it?

EURISCO will allow students to browse through PGR maintained ex situ for distributions, conservation status, etc. The site will provide students with one common web location where they can learn about plants that are being conserved in Europe. This one-stop shop for information about the location, origin, sample status, geographical distribution and conservation status of PGR will provide a better understanding of how conservation is being dealt with in coverage and scope, improving the students' knowledge base.

23. How will the public at large use it?

EURISCO is a database and learning tool about ex situ material maintained in European institutions. This Catalogue can provide information about plants that might be found in your country, or even home town. EURISCO provides the public with easy access to information about biodiversity conservation and sustainable use for food security in the same way that a guidebook can help travelers to find their destination.

24. What is the one thing you want the general public to know about EURISCO?

The European scope of ex situ conservation and its richness are at the top of the list.  A website like the EURISCO encourages and provides access to the information necessary to better understand the distribution, conservation, and status of PGR by defining the crops that are cultivated, breeding lines, traditional cultivars and wild species, and by defining the level of human involvement in the conservation and distribution of these species worldwide.

25. How will you ensure information on this website stays current?
EURISCO web site has been re-design and the content updated. Also the search components have been worked on to have a more user friendly front end. All this have been taking on based on user's feedback. We will work as quickly and efficiently as possible to provide audiences with access to the revived look and search functionalities and the general information it will provide. The site will be maintained updated based on developments, news and dissemination and other activities; on the other hand the database content is dependent on the NI constant updating, through the NFPs.

For the EURISCO to succeed, it must receive regular and continued updating and contributions from the NFPs, scientist, and users to ensure it stays current.

26. What other organizations does EURISCO link with?
With the ECPGR, WIEWS/FAO for the institutional ISO codes, GBIF as data provides, and country/NI data provider and NFPs.

If your question does not appear in the above list please contact us.