New Information System Creates Better Security for the Nordic Seed Collection

2020.07.03

NordGen is the Nordic countries’ genebank and knowledge center for genetic resources. In Alnarp, we conserve 33 000 seed samples detrimental for adapting our agriculture to present and future challenges. Now, we’re updating the platform hosting the information about all of these seeds. From the 3rd of July, Nordic Baltic Genebanks Information System (NBIS) replaces the previous system SESTO. NBIS will be hosted by NordGen but also used by the national genebanks in all the Nordic and Baltic countries.

The system containing the information about all the germplasms is the heart of every genebank. It contains data about the seed samples and plants, their collection sites, characteristics and amount of seeds among other things.

“Without the information in the database, we wouldn’t be able to keep the plant collection alive or conduct research with it. To have a user-friendly, reliable and up-to-date information system is thereby vital to make use of the Nordic seed collection to secure our agriculture for the future”, Lise Lykke Steffensen, Executive Director at NordGen said. The previous information system, SESTO, was developed in 2002 and has since then been used by genebanks in the Nordic and Baltic countries as well as genebanks in different countries in the south of Africa. But the code it was written in has become obsolete and it is difficult to find personnel confident in working with it.

Continuation of close cooperation

That’s why it was decided, after a thorough examination, that all the information would be transferred to the international platform GRIN-Global, well-known in the genebank community. SESTO’s successor has been given the name Nordic Baltic Genebanks Information System (NBIS).

“NBIS is a continuation on the close collaboration the Nordic and Baltic countries have had for a long time in the area of plant genetic resources. This new information system will lead to an improvement of the services we can offer, both internally and externally, when it comes to information about the genetic resources we need for developing agricultural solutions for the future”, said Külli Annamaa, Head of the Estonian Genebank. NBIS will be used internally for genebank work, but also as an open information system available for researchers, plant breeders and other stakeholders who want to browse and order material stored in the genebanks. NBIS can be visited at

. Here, you can also find user manuals. For more information, please contact:

Executive Manager, NordGen

+46 738-171 215

Head of the Genebank Estonian Crop Institute

+372 776837