The ECPGR International Database for Beta Federal Centre for Breeding Research of Cultivated Plants, BAZ BAZ Genebank, Erwin Baur Strasse 27, D-06484 Quedlinburg, Germany Tel.: ++ (49-3946) 47701; Fax: ++ (49-3946) 47255 Database managers: Mr Lothar Frese and Mr Christoph Germeier

The IDBB has been established on the initiative of the ECPGR at the Centre for Genetic Resources, The Netherlands (Wageningen) by L. Frese and Th. J. L. van Hintum in 1987. The project was promoted by the German-Dutch Board for Crop Genetic Resources with the objective to inventory the international Beta germplasm holding, to facilitate rationalisation of germplasm management activities and to improve access to information and germplasm. In late 1991 the responsibility for the database management was assigned to the genebank of the Institute of Crop Science and Plant Breeding of the Federal Agricultural Research Centre (FAL) located in Braunschweig (Germany). Since 1996 the genebank is affiliated with the Federal Centre for Breeding Research on Cultivated Plants (BAZ).
The IDBB has been completely redesigned and upgraded recently. The central crop database provides users with comprehensive and readily accessible passport data on 28 European and non European collections as well as with characterisation and evaluation data useful for crop research and breeding programmes.