1.RETMED base: The entire passport data of the lead center and collaborating centers collections were computerized and the database structure was finalized for data input. Visual basic 6.0 and MS access 2003 was used for developing this database which is named as “RET Medicinal plant Database” (RETMED base). MS Access is a powerful RDBMS. The passport data, evaluation data (morphological chemical and molecular) were entered in MS. Access. Visual Basic 6.0 is simple as well as user friendly and was used as the front end i.e., as a user interface and MS Access was used as the back end, i.e., as a data storage part.
2.Polbase: at IIHR, information pertaining to 650 pollen samples of more than 45 species belonging to 15 families is stored using this database. The software support provided for this database was FoxPro version –2. For easy management of data one main database and three sub-databases were created. Genus, species and cultivar information is available in a separate database. Information pertaining to longevity, viability and fertility of pollen after cryopreservation, media used for pollen germination, year wise listing of collected samples, year-wise list of samples cryopreserved in different years are available within the database, which is menu driven and user friendly.