Germplasm

(plant) are living genetic resources such as seeds or tissues that are maintained for the purpose of plant breeding, preservation, and other research uses. These resources may take the form of seed collections stored in seed banks or trees growing in nurseries. Germplasm collection ranges from collections of wild seedling, seeds or from plantations. Germplasm collection is important for the maintenance of biological diversity and food security.

When specimens are collected in the field, the Herbarium and associated information in the library is used to identify these specimens, to determine how one species differs from another, or whether a specimen represents a species new to science.