The National Rice Gene Bank - Noah's Ark for India

CUTTACK, INDIA - APRIL 23: A rare perennial rice plant from South East Asia, named Oryza alta growing in a special pot at the rice seed vault of India. These wild varieties of rice are treasure trove of genes. The National Rice Gene Bank of India is a unique seed vault for ensuring future food security for India and the world. Unique and dying varieties of rice are stored in this reserve bank of the country. At the National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) in Cuttack, Odisha, the country stores more than 30,000 different rice varieties. India is the centre of origin for Rice, it is India's most important crop, and is the staple food for two thirds of the 1.3 billion population of India. These paddy seeds are stored at four degrees Celsius with a relative humidity of 33% and without regeneration seeds stored in sealed plastic packets can withstand storage for at least ten years. A detailed case history of each seed sample is stored in a computerised database. Globally the world produces 490 million tons of milled rice and it is gene banks like that will ensure global food security. (Photo by Pallava Bagla/Corbis via Getty Images)