Anurudh Kumar Singh Wild Relatives of Cultivated Plants in India A Reservoir of Alternative Genetic Resources and More Wild Relatives of Cultivated Plants in India Anurudh Kumar Singh Wild Relatives of Cultivated Plants in India A Reservoir of Alternative Genetic Resources and More Anurudh Kumar Singh National Genebank Curator & Head, Division of Germplasm Conservation National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Indian Council of Agricultural Research Delhi, India ISBN 978-981-10-5115-9 ISBN 978-981-10-5116-6 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-5116-6 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017943483 © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore Preface The narrow genetic base of most crops/cultivated species has made them increas- ingly vulnerable to various stresses on one side and has limited the genetic variabil- ity on the other. This has restricted the capabilities to engineer new cultivars to mitigate the challenges of biotic and abiotic stresses and those created by climate change. This scenario of limited genetic diversity demands search for new and novel variability outside the gene pool of crop/cultivated species. In this regard, the imme- diate and distant wild ancestors of these cultivated species can be the first genetic resource in search for new genes and alleles that have helped them survive fighting against all possible odds and vagaries of nature for millenniums. They have been found with a reservoir of genes in several crops to overcome disaster situations in a number of crops like rice, wheat, maize, potato, tomato, etc., establishing their cre- dentials in saving the crop species by genetically improving them with incorpora- tion of genes, providing greater resilience and productivity. However, despite such established credentials, the global data on crop wild relative’s germplasm collec- tion, conservation, and evaluation in search of new genes and alleles has been found with large gaps. Consequently, their use in crop improvement has not received desired attention both at national and international levels. This situation demands creation of a national inventory on wild relatives of crop/cultivated species with basic information and potential to generate interest among researchers and plant breeders to make use of them in crop improvement and their further economic exploitation. India is floristically one of the megacenters of biodiversity and the center, or one of the centers, of origin of a large number (215) of crops. Obviously, for this reason, it has a reservoir of crop wild relative’s (>900) genetic diversity. This has been created in most plant species, because of the vast climatic diversity offered by the Indian Subcontinent. However, in many cases it has not been accessed because of various reasons and still lay untapped. The present book is an effort of producing an inventory of >950 wild species related to crops/cultivated species with basic information on their habitat, distribution, desirable features, and phy- logenetic relationship with the cultivated species and the threat created to their existence, to facilitate their conservation and use. To promote the activation of necessary steps in this direction, it also discusses the strategies that can be utilized for improved information on their phylogenetic relationships with cultivated v vi Preface species, collection, conservation, and breeding strategies that can be adapted for their effective and efficient use. The author would like to acknowledge the help extended by various peers and colleagues in the preparation of the book by perusing the part of the manuscript related to their expertise, providing comments, and sharing information, namely, Drs. SN Nigam, former principal breeder, ICRISAT, Patancheru; YS Nerkar, former VC, MPKV, Rahuri; AK Roy, project coordinator, IGFRI, Jhansi; SR Pandravada, NBPGR RS, Hyderabad; JC Rana, head of the Division of Germplasm Evaluation; Veena Gupta, Division of Germplasm Conservation; and K. Pradheep, Division of Plant Exploration and Germplasm Collection, NBPGR, New Delhi. Thanks are also due to Springer for accepting the project proposal and providing the opportunity and support for this book project. In this regard, the author is par- ticularly grateful to the Life Science Team and Miss Manjusha Nalamolu, produc- tion editor (Books), and her associates for the assistance extended in the preparation and production of the book. It is hoped that researchers in general and those interested in wild plant genetic resources would find the information compiled useful for the identification of the gaps in our knowledge and the researchable issues, to promote their conservation and use, whereas the plant breeders and biotechnologists involved in genetic enhancement and/or crop improvement are expected to benefit from the information compiled, in promoting the use of wild relatives of crop species in crop improvement. Delhi, India Anurudh Kumar Singh Contents 1 Introduction.............................................................................................. 1 References.................................................................................................. 8 Part I Wild Relatives 2 Defining a Wild Relative.......................................................................... 13 References.................................................................................................. 17 3 Importance of Wild Relatives as Genetic Resource and Otherwise........................................................................................... 19 3.1 Introduction................................................................................... 19 3.2 Wild Species as Source of Genetic Enhancement to Broaden Crop Genetic Base...................................................... 21 3.3 Wild Species as Source of Genetic Variability for Crop Improvement................................................................... 23 3.3.1 Disease and Insect Pest Resistance................................. 23 3.3.2 Abiotic Stress Tolerance................................................. 25 3.3.3 Yield Traits...................................................................... 25 3.3.4 Quality Traits.................................................................. 26 3.3.5 Earliness and Adaptation................................................ 26 3.3.6 Modes of Reproduction.................................................. 26 3.3.7 Miscellaneous Traits....................................................... 27 3.3.8 Quantitative Traits........................................................... 27 3.4 Resource for Other Economic Uses.............................................. 28 3.4.1 Source of Alternative Food Crops................................... 28 3.4.2 Sources of Ethano-medicinal and Floriculture Crops.................................................... 29 3.4.3 Sources of Renewable Bioenergy................................... 30 3.4.4 Source of Restricting Soil Erosion, Soil Reclamation, and Soil Fertility Improvement......... 31 vii viii Contents 3.4.5 Securing Ecological BenefitsThrough Carbon Sequestration, Phytoremediation, Promoting Ecology, and Environment.............................................. 32 3.5 Perspective.................................................................................... 33 References.................................................................................................. 33 Part II Wild Relatives Distribution and Diversity in Different Crop Groups 4 Cereals....................................................................................................... 41 4.1 Introduction................................................................................... 41 4.2 Wild Species Found in India......................................................... 44 4.3 Perspective.................................................................................... 51 References.................................................................................................. 52 5 Grain Legumes........................................................................................