PNG is a centre of genetic diversity for plantain bananas, aibika (an iron-rich leaf crop), sugar cane, taro and yams. The DAL maintains the genetic resources of those staple foods, as well as cassava and sweet potato, in its collections of germplasm - a term that denotes material which can be used to generate new plants. The germplasm consists of some seed, but mostly of vegetative pieces of the varieties or accessions. Its gene pools are conserved by frequent vegetative propagation.
Plant breeders all over the world look to new centres of diversity for possible resistance to disease and other environmental hazards, and they need access to material from the PNG collections for crop improvement.
Without the collection, PNG could be vulnerable to new disease and pest attacks on its people's principal food supplies. It could also forego potential returns that might result from plant breeding genetic work.