摘要：Germplasm is a term used to describe seeds, plants, or plant parts useful in crop breeding, research, andconservation efforts. The terms "germplasm" and "genetic resources" are used interchangeably throughout the paper.Accessions are uniquely identified samples of seeds, plant or plant parts maintained as part of a germplasm collection. Apartfrom finished varieties, genetic resources are generally not exchanged in the marketplace, so there is no price assigned tothem through traditional market processes. The fundamental reason for the absence of regular markets for germplasm isthat it has non-rivalry characteristic similar to invention: using germplasm to create a new crop variety does not alter itsperformance in the original plant. The continuous extinction of plant species, advancement of biotechnology, and expansionof intellectual property rights over plant materials change the supply and demand for germplasm, as well as the ability tocapture returns from using germplasm. These factors may contribute to the development of markets for germplasm.
