Field name

EWDB identification number - a unique identifier for accession within EWDB. It  is assigned when an accession is entered into the EWDB. Once assigned this number should never be reassigned to another accession in the EWDB. Even if an accession is lost, its assigned number should never be reused.

Genus name for taxon. Initial uppercase letter required.

Specific epithet portion of the scientific name in lowercase letters plus authority. Following abbreviation is allowed: “sp.” (list of species)

Provide the authority for the species name.

Subtaxa can be used to store any additional taxonomic identifier plus authority. Following abbreviations are allowed: “subsp.” (for subspecies); “var.” (for variety); “convar.” (for convariety); “f.” (for form). (List of taxons)

Provide the subtaxa authority at the most detailed taxonomic level.

Either a registered or other formal designation given to the accession. First letter uppercase.

Name of the country in which the sample was originally collected or derived. Use the  3 letter ISO 3166-1 extended country codes.  (Country code)

Code of the institute (genebank /contributor), where the accession is maintained. The codes consist of the 3-letter ISO 3166 country code of the country where the institute is located plus a number. The current set of Institute Codes is available from FAO website (http://apps3.fao.org/wiews/). Preliminary codes, special EWDB codes (i.e. codes not yet incorporated in the FAO Institute database) are marked as "not valid". Download zip file address.zip (527kB)

This number serves as a unique identifier for accessions within a genebank collection, and is assigned when an accession is entered into the collection. 

Once assigned this number should never be reassigned to another accession in the collection. Even if an accession is lost, its assigned number should never be reused. Letters are used before the number to identify the genebank or national system (e.g. IDG indicates an accession that comes from the genebank at Bari, Italy; CGN indicates an accession from the genebank at Wageningen, The Netherlands; PI indicates an accession within the USA system).  (see ref.table)

Date on which the accession entered the collection where YYYY is the year, MM is the month and DD is the day. Missing data (MM or DD) should be indicated with hyphens. Leading zeros are required.

Seasonality in the country of genebank/contributor.

Code for the donor institute. The codes consist of the 3-letter ISO 3166 country code of the country where the institute is located plus a number. The current set of Institute Codes is available from FAO website (http://apps3.fao.org/wiews/). Preliminary codes, special EWDB codes, (i.e. codes not yet incorporated in the FAO Institute database) are marked as "not valid". Download zip file address.zip (527kB)

Number assigned to an accession by the donor. Letters should be used before the number to identify the genebank or national system (e.g. IDG indicates an accession that comes from the genebank at Bari, Italy; CGN indicates an accession from the genebank at Wageningen, The Netherlands; PI indicates an accession within the USA system).

Institute code of the institute that has bred the material. If the holding institute has bred the material, the breeding institute code (BREDCODE) should be the same as the holding institute code (INSTCODE).The codes consist of the 3-letter ISO 3166 country code of the country where the institute is located plus a number. The current set of Institute Codes is available from FAO website (http://apps3.fao.org/wiews/). Preliminary codes, special EWDB codes (i.e. codes not yet incorporated in the FAO Institute database) are marked as "not valid".  Download zip file address.zip (527kB)

Year of first registration in the country of origin.

Information about either pedigree or other description of ancestral information (i.e. parent variety in case of mutant or selection). All known pedigrees related to the accession. (explanation)

Any other identification (numbers) known to exist in other collections for this accession. Use the following system: INSTCODE:ACCENUMB;INSTCODE:ACCENUMB;… INSTCODE and ACCENUMB follow the standard described above and are separated by a colon. Pairs of INSTCODE and ACCENUMB are separated by a semicolon without space. When the institute is not known, the number should be preceded by a colon.

Other names and synonyms used for accession. Multiple names separated by semicolon.

Original number assigned by the collector(s) of the sample, normally composed of the name or initials of the collector(s) followed by a number. This item is essential for identifying duplicates held in different collections. It should be unique within one expedition and always accompany subsamples wherever they are sent.

Collecting date of the original sample where YYYY is the year, MM is the month and DD is the day.Missing data (MM or DD) should be indicated with hyphens. Leading zeros are required.

Code of  the institute collecting the sample. The codes consist of the 3-letter ISO 3166 country code of the country where the institute is located plus a number. The current set of Institute Codes is available from FAO website (http://apps3.fao.org/wiews/). Preliminary codes, special EWDB codes (i.e. codes not yet incorporated in the FAO Institute database) are marked as "not valid". Download zip file address.zip (527kB)

Abbreviation of the expedition name, expedition members        ( ref. table in development)

The coding scheme proposed can be used at 2 different levels of detail: Either by using the general codes (in boldface) such as 10, 20, 30, 40 or by using the more detailed coding such as 11, 12, 13 etc.  More detailed coding is recommended for the EWDB.

Location information below the country level that describes where the accession was collected starting with the most detailed information. Might include the distance in kilometers and direction from the nearest town, village or map grid reference point, (e.g. CURITIBA 7S, PARANA means 7 km south of Curitiba in the state of Parana)

Short description of collection site, ecology , more detailed information about collecting sources 1 wild habitat and 2 farm within descriptor no. I/24.

Degree (2 digits) minutes (2 digits), and seconds (2 digits) followed by N (North) or S (South)  (e.g. 103020S). Every missing digit (minutes or seconds) should be indicated with a hyphen. Leading zeros are required (e.g. 10----S; 011530N; 4531--S).

Degree (3 digits), minutes (2 digits), and seconds (2 digits) followed by E (East) or W (West)  (e.g. 0762510W). Every missing digit (minutes or seconds) should be indicated with a hyphen. Leading zeros are required. (e.g. 076----W).

Elevation of collecting site expressed in meters above sea level. Negative values are allowed.

Existence of herbarium or ear collection in the contributor's collection.

Code of the institute where a safety duplicate of the accession is maintained. The codes consist of the 3-letter ISO 3166 country code of the country where the institute is located plus a number. The current set of Institute Codes is available from FAO website (http://apps3.fao.org/wiews/).   Preliminary codes,  special EWDB codes ,(i.e. codes not yet incorporated in the FAO Institute database) are marked as "not valid".  Download zip file address.zip (527kB)

The remarks field is used to add notes or to elaborate on descriptors with value 99 or 999 (=Other). Prefix remarks with the field name they refer to and a colon (e.g. COLLSRC:roadside). Separate remarks referring to different fields are separated by semicolons. (used non standard prefixes*)

Short chracterization of the accession for quick general information.

Internal information.

Date of entry of the information into the EWDB where YYYY is the year, MM is the month and DD is the day.

Internal information.

Internal information.