Culture collections as a source of historic strains for genomic studies in plant pathology

Abstract The first microbial culture collection was established in 1890, and subsequently, over the course of twentieth century, number collections grew substantially. One such CABI-IMI Genetic Resources Collection, informally initiated at origins Commonwealth Mycological Institute 1920 as a UK National Collection 1947. Its holdings reflect activities CABI agriculture environment. Like many collections, it originally taxonomic reference resource. Over years, deposits have included strains isolated from disease outbreaks major crops all parts world. Recent developments genome sequencing technology bioinformatic analysis opened up potential to characterise historic shed more insights on their biology evolution. In this paper we describe how resources held within helped track emergence divergence Fusarium xylarioides , coffee wilt pathogen, with specific focus evolution pathogenicity. Such studies illustrate value world’s collections—their importance underpinning science developing our understanding plant diseases well impact can be mitigated response climate change, order increase yields feed burgeoning population.