Organizing activities with plant genetic resource collections in Russia: stages, challenges, and solutions

The purpose of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis and present the transformation of activities with plant genetic resource collections in the scientific, technological, organizational, and regulatory contexts from the creation of the first such collection in the world (the VIR collection/Vavilov collection) to the present day, when a unified National Collection of Plant Genetic Resources is being formed in Russia in accordance with current national legislation. The article identifies and analyzes four main stages (1894-1920, 1921-1991, 1992-2021, and 2022–present), the beginning of each period was marked by the emergence of new social challenges for the country and for science, which is reflected in research activities in the fields of creation, formation, conservation, development, study, and use of plant genetic resource collections. Each time, the transformations – organizational, regulatory, methodological – that arose in response to economic and technological incentives, ultimately contributed not only to internal development in the specified area but also contributed to the socio-economic development of this country and found a response in global science and practice.