Plant germplasm resources is the material foundation and key point for agricultural production, crop breeding and bioengineering. China is one of the centers for the origin of the cultivated plants worldwide, as well as one of the countries with most abundant plant resources and the highest biodiversity. Strengthening research in the conservation and utilization of plant germplasm resources is of significant value and importance. In this study, the present status of conservation, utilization, and existing problems of plant germplasm resources in China and around the world were reviewed; further, through analyzing measures taken by global countries for plant germplasm resources protection, countermeasures for plant germplasm resources conservation in China were also presented from three aspects, namely, collection and conservation, information network construction and national legislation and policies.
