Meanings
plural germplasms
- countableuncountableSeeds or tissues maintained for the purpose of animal or plant breeding, preservation or other research uses.
2000, R. K. Singh, et al., 9: Small and Medium Grained Aromatic Rices of India, R. K. Singh, U. S. Singh, G. S. Khush (editors), Aromatic Rices, Oxford & IBH Publishing Company, page 170, Safeguarding our precious indigenous scented rice germplasms is important for the future.
3 more examples
Since the number of problems that affect the bean crop is large, researchers in national and international programs have formed a network on genetic improvement in which germplasm evaluation and research results are exchanged.
1987, Aart van Schoonhove, Standard System for the Evaluation of Bean Germplasm, CIAT, page 51989, Zhang Yihua, Dong Yushen, Development of Research on Crop Germplasm Resources in China, Lloyd Knutson, Allan K. Stoner (editors), Biotic Diversity and Germplasm Preservation, Global Imperatives, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Beltsville Symposia in Agricultural Research 13, page 125, A good beginning has been made in joint surveys of Chinese germplasm resources by Chinese and foreign scientists.
2002, Barbara M. Reed, I.2: Implementing Cryopreservation for Long-Term Germplasm Preservation in Vegetatively Propagated Species, L. E. Towill, Y. P. S. Bajaj (editors), Cryopreservation of Plant Germplasm II, Springer, Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry 50, page 22, Cryopreservation is the preferred option for the long-term storage of clonal germplasm (Engelmann 2000).
Origin
From germ + plasm. But compare germ plasm.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
German Keimplasma
- Keimplasmaseeds or tissue preserved for any of several purposes
Indonesian plasma nutfah
- plasma nutfahseeds or tissue preserved for any of several purposes
Italian germoplasma
- germoplasmaseeds or tissue preserved for any of several purposes
Spanish germoplasma
- germoplasmaseeds or tissue preserved for any of several purposes
Cite this entry
germplasm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/germplasm
“germplasm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/germplasm. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “germplasm,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/germplasm.
Source: germplasm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.