Standard Lemma guide

germplasm

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Seeds or tissues maintained for the purpose of animal or plant breeding, preservation or other research uses.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • 1989, Zhang Yihua, Dong Yushen, Development of Research on Crop Germplasm Resources in China, Lloyd Knutson, Allan K. Stoner (editors), Biotic Diversity and Germplasm Preservation, Global Imperatives, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Beltsville Symposia in Agricultural Research 13, page 125, A good beginning has been made in joint surveys of Chinese germplasm resources by Chinese and foreign scientists.
  • 2000, R. K. Singh, et al., 9: Small and Medium Grained Aromatic Rices of India, R. K. Singh, U. S. Singh, G. S. Khush (editors), Aromatic Rices, Oxford & IBH Publishing Company, page 170, Safeguarding our precious indigenous scented rice germplasms is important for the future.
  • 2002, Barbara M. Reed, I.2: Implementing Cryopreservation for Long-Term Germplasm Preservation in Vegetatively Propagated Species, L. E. Towill, Y. P. S. Bajaj (editors), Cryopreservation of Plant Germplasm II, Springer, Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry 50, page 22, Cryopreservation is the preferred option for the long-term storage of clonal germplasm (Engelmann 2000).

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From germ + plasm. But compare germ plasm.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: Keimplasma — seeds or tissue preserved for any of several purposes
  • Indonesian: plasma nutfah — seeds or tissue preserved for any of several purposes
  • Italian: germoplasma — seeds or tissue preserved for any of several purposes
  • Spanish: germoplasma — seeds or tissue preserved for any of several purposes