Resource Book for the Preparation of National Plans for Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives and Landraces
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Resource Book for the Preparation of National Plans for Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives and Landraces Nigel Maxted, Joana Magos Brehm and Shelagh Kell University of Birmingham United Kingdom Front cover page (clockwise from top left): Glycine soja (Chen Bin), Coffea mauritiana (Ehsan Dulloo), ‘Injir shaftaly’, local variety of Prunus persica, Ordubad district, Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijan (Mirza Musayev), Zea mays diversity, Chiapas, Mexico (Carolina Camacho) Citation: Maxted N, Magos Brehm J and Kell S (2013) Resource book for preparation of national conservation plans for crop wild relatives and landraces. CONTENTS CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................. i CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Importance of agrobiodiversity for food security ............................................. 1 1.2 Threats and demands for agrobiodiversity .......................................................... 5 1.3 Agrobiodiversity conservation at national and international levels ........ 10 1.4 Use of agrobiodiversity for crop improvement ................................................ 14 1.5 Strategies for agrobiodiversity conservation ................................................... 16 1.6 Global agrobiodiversity conservation ................................................................. 27 1.7 National agrobiodiversity conservation ............................................................ 30 1.8 Local agrobiodiversity conservation .................................................................... 34 1.9 Policy drivers of agrobiodiversity conservation and use ............................ 36 1.10 Aim and users of the resource book ...................................................................... 38 1.11 How to use the Resource book ................................................................................. 38 SECTION A. CROP WILD RELATIVES ........................................................................ 56 A.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 56 A.2. National CWR Conservation planning – an overview ...................................... 61 A.3. National CWR checklist and inventory creation .............................................. 68 A.4. Setting CWR conservation priorities ................................................................. 90 A.5. Genetic data analysis of priority species .......................................................... 112 A.6. Ecogeographic analysis of priority species ..................................................... 134 A.7. Novel threat assessment of priority CWR ....................................................... 156 A.8. Gap analysis of priority CWR ........................................................................... 175 A.9. Establishment of in situ conservation goals .................................................... 193 A.10. Implementation of in situ conservation priorities .......................................... 207 A.11. Establishment and implementation of ex situ conservation .......................... 217 A.12. Monitoring CWR Diversity .............................................................................. 227 A.13. Promoting the use of conserved CWR diversity ............................................. 241 A.14. Information system and data management ..................................................... 249 i SECTION B. LANDRACES ............................................................................................ 263 B.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 263 B.2. National LR Conservation planning - an overview ......................................... 272 B.3. National checklist of landraces ........................................................................ 276 B.4. National inventory of landraces and analysis ................................................. 290 B.5. Threats and threat assessment of landrace diversity ...................................... 313 B.6. Setting LR conservation priorities ................................................................... 324 B.7. Genetic data analysis of priority landraces ..................................................... 335 B.8. Gap analysis of priority landraces ................................................................... 347 B.9. Establishment of LR in situ conservation ........................................................ 362 B.10. Implementation of on-farm conservation ........................................................ 372 B.11. Establishment and implementation of ex situ LR conservation ..................... 400 B.12. Monitoring of landraces on-farm ..................................................................... 409 B.13. Promoting the use of conserved LR diversity .................................................. 417 B.14. Information system and data management ..................................................... 423 SECTION C. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................. 431 C.1. Summary of conclusions ................................................................................... 431 C.2. Recommendations ............................................................................................. 433 ANNEXES .......................................................................................................................... cdxxxvii Annex 1. ITPGRFA Annex 1 Priority crops ................................................................. cdxxxvii Annex 2. Major and minor food crop genera ...................................................................... cdxl Annex 3. Consolidated list major and minor crop genera ................................................ cdxli Annex 4. Extended List of Ecogeographic Data Descriptors .......................................... cdxlv LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... cdli LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................... cdlii LIST OF BOXES ...................................................................................................................... 453 ii SUMMARY Crop wild relatives and landraces are key components of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) and of overall agricultural biodiversity (or agrobiodiversity). Both of these plant groups are genetically diverse, locally adapted and represent a potential source of traits for adapting crops to changing environmental conditions and human needs, particularly in the face of the increasing negative impacts of climate change. If efficiently preserved and sustainably used, they can contribute significantly to an increase in food security, alleviation of human poverty and improvement of ecosystem stability. However, the diversity of both crop wild relatives and landraces is severely threatened by environmental mismanagement and socio-political pressures and is quickly being eroded or lost. The need to effectively conserve and manage PGRFA is enshrined in a number of international agreements, including in the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. FAO’s Member Countries have long been calling for greater attention to the genetic conservation of crop and crop related diversity that is essential for food security, as well as improved collaboration and coordination of actions at national, regional and global levels. Recognizing the need to support a systematic and coordinated approach at global level to conserve diverse crops and crop wild relatives in situ (i.e., in their native environments), the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture is currently exploring options for establishing a global network for their in situ conservation and on-farm management. Despite the increased political, scientific and public interest in conserving PGRFA, many countries still lack effective actions to systematically and effectively protect crop wild relative and landrace diversity in situ with adequate complementary back-up in ex situ facilities. The Second Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture identified a number of gaps at national level, including the need to develop specific strategies for in situ conservation and on-farm management. This resource book aims to help guide national governments in developing a systematic approach to conservation and use of crop wild relatives and landraces. The focus is on in situ and on-farm conservation techniques, but methods for identifying ex situ conservation needs are also provided since a complementary approach is fundamental to ensure that genetic material is adequately conserved and available for utilization. The book is primarily intended for staff associated with National Plant Genetic Resources Programmes, but may also be valuable for universities and research organizations, NGOs and other institutions involved in conservation planning. The resource book is divided into two parts: Part 1 focuses on the political and economic context of conservation and use