IC:Stands for Indigenous Collection. IC is used as prefix to a unique Genebank Identification Number given to an Indigenous Collection. An IC number is the primary identity of any germplasm accession collected from India and being conserved either in seed genebank, in vitro, cryo or field genebank. For example, IC558055 is an accession of ornamental plant Roscoea alpina collected on 28 Jan 2008 from Sanjauli of Himachal Pradesh.

Data: Data here implies passport data of the germplasm accession. Passport Data include inter alia collector names, crop, crop group, species, date of collection, collector number, other identity, place of collection, biological status, collection source, important traits, mode of conservation.

Process of IC number allocation:Collector sends information and seed/propagule to ICAR-NBPGR. Experts from Division of Exploration and Germplasm Collection verify the information for correctness particularly taxonomy and location including geo codes.

1. In case of seeds, genebank curators test for seed viability and seed quantity. Seeds are tested for freedom from pests and diseases by experts in the Division of Quarantine. Samples that pass viability test, that have minimum number of seeds, that pass seed health testing enter the long-term conservation processing and are recommended for allotting IC numbers.
2. In case of in vitro and cryo samples, curators process the material for establishing the cultures or cryo-protocol. Only after successful establishment of the sample for long term conservation in a culture or in a cryo-vial, curators recommend the allotment of IC number.
3. In case of samples from field genebank, IC numbers are allotted to only those samples that have been successfully established in the field genebank as per standard procedure. A certificate to this effect from the institution managing the field genebank must accompany the passport data.

IC Allotment Information System: This is an online system developed, maintained and hosted by ICAR-NBPGR for the purpose of digitization of IC number requisition and allotment. The objective of this system is to make the process of IC number requisition and allotment easy, quick, transparent and paperless. Status of IC requisition can be tracked by the users.

The system also provides users the following information:

1. Glance at infographics on indigenous collections
2. Get passport data of indigenous collections based on crop, year, crop group, state, source of collection
3. Get IC number based on name of collector
4. Get details of an accession if you know IC number
5. Get IC number if you know collector number or other identity or pedigree or name of variety, etc.
6. Above all, submit information to get IC number for your collections

User: Any researcher, student, academic, farmer, citizen or policy maker from government or industry seeking information about indigenous collections may use the IC Allotment Information System. Explorers, collectors and PGR researchers who wish to submit the germplasm samples to the Indian genebank may use this system for obtaining IC numbers after providing requisite information and seed material/propagule.

About the organization:
ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi (https://nbpgr.org.in/nbpgr2023/) is the nodal organization to manage plant genetic resources in India. NBPGR houses the national genebank. Among other activities, only NBPGR allots and maintains genebank identity numbers for all indigenous collections in India.

About the project:
ICAR National Fellow project on PGR Informatics (pgrinformatics.nbpgr.ernet.in) is a first of its kind project supported by the Education Division of ICAR. Dr Sunil Archak is the ICAR National Fellow (a professorial chair) implementing the project to build PGR informatics applications.