How to order seeds from WorldVeg International Vegetable Genebank

What kind of seed is available?

The World Vegetable Center maintains a large collection of public domain seed in its genebank for the current and future use of all humankind. We distribute samples of improved WorldVeg breeding lines and seed from the WorldVeg Genebank worldwide.

Improved lines

Our online catalogs show the best open-pollinated vegetables suitable for breeding purposes, commercial release or local testing:

Lines for breeding purposes or commercial release with further local testing

  • Fresh market tomato
  • Processing/dual purpose tomato
  • Cherry tomato and high beta carotene tomato
  • Chili pepper
  • Sweet pepper
  • Vegetable soybean
  • Grain soybean
  • Leafy brassicas
  • Chinese cabbage
  • Shallot
  • Bitter gourd
  • Onion
  • Cucumber
  • Winter squash/pumpkin
  • Rootstock
  • Amaranth
  • Malabar spinach
  • Mungbean

Seed from the WorldVeg International Vegetable Genebank

The WorldVeg Genebank contains the world’s largest public collection of vegetable seed, providing the raw materials for gene discovery and breeding programs. Browse the genebank database:

Material Transfer Agreements

Transfer agreements to obtain seed from the WorldVeg Genebank require different forms, depending on the material requested:

  • Standard Material Transfer Agreement for seed from the WorldVeg Genebank
  • Material Transfer Agreement for improved lines

Handling Fees

Handling fees help to cover the multiplication, characterization, processing, storage and distribution of seed. Two levels apply:

  1. National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems and Universities in developing countries
  2. Advanced Research Institutes and Universities in developed countries, and all Private Sector Companies

Import Permits

Seed requesters must provide WorldVeg with import permits if required by the country where seeds are to be sent. WorldVeg will not request the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine of Taiwan (BAPHIQ) to conduct non-routine tests indicated as additional requirements on the import permit. It is up to requesters to arrange with their respective plant quarantine offices for post-entry quarantine.

How to order

  1. Go to https://avrdc.org/how-to-order-seeds/
  2. Browse the online seed catalogs or genebank database.
  3. Review the Material Transfer Agreements and handling fees.
  4. Choose the germplasm of your interest at the shopping cart, and fill out your personal information here.
  5.  After we receive your Seed Request Form, we will inform you about the transfer agreements required, the fees for seed processing and shipping, and how your payment will be processed.
  6. Return the required transfer agreement and provide any other details requested from our seed processing staff. We will then process your payment and ship the seed to you.

Have any questions? Contact: seedrequest@worldveg.org

Please credit your source!

If you are using WorldVeg vegetable seed, please help our valuable collection get the recognition it deserves!   

Companies and organizations using the Center’s improved breeding lines are requested to credit the Center in their catalogs as noted in Annex 2 of the Material Transfer Agreements. Users of genebank material need to follow the Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA).