# Non-Authentic Genotypes—An Unrevealed Problem in Plant Research and Breeding

## TL;DR

This paper highlights a problem in plant research where gene bank seeds are mislabeled or contaminated, leading to incorrect genetic data in barley varieties.

## Contribution

The study identifies and quantifies non-authentic genotypes in barley gene bank accessions, revealing significant mislabeling and heterogeneity.

## Key findings

- At least 13.8% of accessions were mislabeled and 35.3% were heterogeneous.
- 19.7% of lines carried non-authentic genotypes with different resistance genes.
- Non-authentic genotypes pose a major challenge for breeding and research projects.

## Abstract

Genes important for research and breeding plant varieties are crucial for the survival and development of human civilization. Seeds of cereal germplasm are maintained in gene banks (GBs) and grain viability of GB accessions must be regularly restored by seed multiplication. During related operations human errors may lead to contaminated or mislabeled accessions and resultant genotype non-authenticity. Such mistakes accumulate over time. In this report, 1412 lines derived from 289 accessions of 93 barley varieties, each obtained from several GBs, were analyzed. Five single seed progenies (SSPs) were usually harvested from an accession and their major genes conferring powdery mildew resistance were postulated. Twenty-two known resistance genes and 60 of their combinations were identified. Non-authentic genotypes contained different genes compared with genes present in other genotypes of the same variety. Based on these results we found at least 40 (13.8%) mislabeled and 102 (35.3%) heterogeneous accessions in which 276 lines (19.7%) carried non-authentic genotypes. Misrepresented varieties in GBs are a great problem for research projects, especially those focused on finding new (e.g., molecular) varietal characteristics, and in breeding programs as the required gene combination cannot be obtained.