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Book (stand-alone)Manual of Seed Handling in Genebanks
Handbooks for Genebanks No. 8
2006Also available in:
Genebanks are the storehouses of plant genetic resources, providing the raw material for the improvement of crops. They play a key role in contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture, helping to increase food production and thus to overcome hunger and poverty. Inherent resistance to pests and diseases can be bred into crop plants, reducing the need to use chemicals that can have deleterious effects on farmers and the environment. The seeds contained in genebanks are a vital and irreplaceable resource, a heritage which must be conserved to provide future agricultural options in a world facing climate change and other unforeseen challenges. The sustainable conservation of genetic resources depends on effective actions by genebank staff, who play a critical role in ensuring that germplasm is effectively and efficiently conserved. They need to apply proper procedures for handling seeds to ensure their survival and availability to present and futur e generations. The practical manual on Procedures for Handling Seed in Genebanks (Hanson, 1985), published by the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR), a predecessor of Bioversity International, has helped genebank curators and technicians in seed conservation in the past. Research over recent decades has yielded advances in knowledge regarding seed physiology and seed-storage behaviour. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) in 2004 and related agreements have changed the global framework of germplasm ownership and benefit-sharing. The development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and associated controversies have important implications for the ways genebanks manage their germplasm, notably to prevent the unintentional introgression of exotic genes, including transgenes. All of these new opportunities and challenges called for an update of the 1985 handbook for genebanks. This manual addresses these recent changes, and is intended to ensure that seed handling in genebanks meets today’s requirements. The new manual is complemented by an interactive self-learning module, found on the CD ROM included in this package. The manual and self-learning module are intended to help address the challenges associated with the shortage and frequent turnover of qualified genebank staff, particularly in developing countr ies. -
ProjectSupport for the Development of National Capacities for Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture - TCP/SFS/3601 2020
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No results found.Food and nutrition insecurity remain major barriers to the development of Southern Africa. The primary challenge being faced concerns the sustainable production of greater quantities of high quality and diversified foods. Yet, rural farming communities still rely heavily on local crops despite the wide range of crops being farmed in the region. The use of integrated agro-ecological farming, which draws upon crop and livestock production methods, as well as fishery and forestry practices, among other techniques, has the potential to address food and nutrition security concerns in the region. However, there is a need to raise community awareness and develop farmers’ understanding of sustainable integrated farming practices. Plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) are crucial for sustainable production, forming a biological foundation for food security and supporting the livelihoods of many population groups. Moreover, they are the most important raw material to plant breeders and the most essential input to farmers seeking to improve the quality and quantity of their produce. In the SADC, there is an urgent need to make better use of the genetic diversity conserved in gene banks throughout the region. This can be achieved by pre-breeding for specific traits and strengthening human capacity in hands-on plant breeding. The interface between gene banks and breeders has not been adequately addressed in the region and is therefore the focus of this project. -
MeetingFirst International Multi-Stakeholder Symposium on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. AGENDA
Technical Consultation on in situ conservation and on-farm management of PGRFA 29–30 March 2021
2021Also available in:
No results found.The challenge of sustainably producing more food with fewer inputs may be met only if the broadest possible diversity of plant genetic resources for food and agricultural (PGRFA) can be efficiently conserved and easily accessed for sources of new traits. Currently, various drivers of genetic erosion, including changes in agricultural practices, the introduction of modern crop varieties, changes to land use, destruction or fragmentation of habitats, climate change and other factors, are increasingly threatening the continued existence, and hence availability, of these resources. A significant amount of crop diversity can only be effectively preserved in protected areas and farmers’ fields where evolution and adaptation continue to occur. This variation, derived from interactions between genotypes and the environment, provides a crucial source of environmental resilience as well as an important source of nutrients. Crop wild relatives (CWR) represent a rich and largely unexplored reservoir of novel traits and genes that can be used to develop crop varieties, incorporating pest and disease resistance and adapted to climate change. Wild food plants can be direct and important sources of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, complementing those of staple crops. PGRFA found on-farm, including farmers’ varieties/landraces, often the mainstay of family’s livelihoods, and are adapted to specific ecological conditions and/or farming practices. Failure to ensure adequate conservation and management of this critically important diversity may result in its permanent loss.
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