Authorized long-term depositation of agricultural microorganisms in the departmental collection of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences

The joint Russian Collection of Agricultural Microorganisms (RCAM) was founded in 2010 at the All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg. For long-term maintenance and authorized depositing of microbial strains in RCAM the newest automated STC Tube Store at -80 °С (Liconic Instruments, Liechtenstein) is used. Liconic Instruments’ Tube Store becomes an extremely useful, simple and intuitive system for a long-term storage of microorganisms at optimum conditions without the loss of their valuable properties. This ultra low temperature store is based on the chest freezer principle. Samples are loaded into the chamber via special interface unit (-20 °С), which ensures a stable temperature and dry conditions into the storage compartment. Computer passwords used by depositors during the sample load operation ensure an authorized access to commercial strains of microorganisms. Unique «real time» online database of microorganisms has been organized on basis of the STC Tube Store Sample management software, which contains all information about the strains deposited: description, location in the store and movements of each sample. Such kind of store gives possibilities to intensify the search of new microbial cultures, keeping in mind the huge soil microbe’s biodiversity and a necessity to mobilize genetic resources of microorganisms for an agricultural production.