Integration of Conservation Strategies of Plant Genetic ... - Genres

K. Ham m er
original composition and genetic diversity of Hungarian landraces could be successfully maintained.
In eastern Germany where there was hardly any sector of private agriculture left after the establishment
of collective farms, the Gatersleben genebank developed an effective cooperation with open air museums
which maintained and reproduced local fruit trees (Heller 1993) and cross pollinated crops as e.g. rye
(Hammer 1990). It is interesting that in the western part of Germany despite of the private ownership
of land, genetic erosion proceeded equally fast because of other economic pressures, so that similar
solutions with open air museums have been developed (see e.g. Sukopp 1983, Plarre, 1985).
A relatively new development can be observed with biosphere reserves (Anon. 1993b) where in the
marginal zones there is often need for a certain type of agricultural production and this production
should be based on traditional landraces.
The few examples indicated can be seen as first steps into the right direction. An integrated system is
necessary to serve the present and future human subsistence and particularly nutrition. There is no real
alternative for an integrated NGO - GO approach in conserving plant genetic resources (Hammer
1993c).
References
Altieri, M. A., 1989: Rethinking crop genetic resource conservation: a view from the south.
Conservation Biology 3, 77-79.
Anon., 1993a: Farmers regenerate landraces in Hungary. Geneflow 1993, 16.
Anon., 1993b: International Cooperation of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programs of Europe and
North Africa. Access. A Directory of Contacts, Environmental Data Bases, and Scientific
Infrastructure on 175 Biosphere Reserves in 32 Countries.
Baik Mun-Chan, Hoang-Ho Dzun and K. Hammer, 1986: A check-list of the Korean cultivated plants.
Kulturpflanze 34, 69-144.
Baur, E., 1914: Die Bedeutung der primitiven Kulturrassen und der wilden Verwandten unserer
Kulturpflanzen für die Pflanzenzüchtung. Jahrb. dt. Landw. Gesellsch. 29, 104-110.
Blixt, S. and T. Williams (eds), 1982: Documentation of genetic resources: a model. IBPGR Secretariat,
Rome.
von Bothmer, R., O. Seberg and N. Jacobsen, 1992: Genetic resources in the Triticeae. Hereditas 116,
141-150.
Brush, S. B., 1989: Rethinking crop genetic resource conservation. Conservation Biology 3, 19-29.
D'Antuono, L. F., 1989: Il farro: Areali di coltivazione, caratteristiche agronomiche e prospettive
colturali. L'Informatore Agrario 45 (24), 49-57.
D'Antuono, L. F. and A. Pavoni, 1993: Phenology and grain growth of Triticum dicoccum and T.
monococcum from Italy. In: A. B. Damania (ed.), Biodiversity and Wheat Improvement, 273-286.
Esquivel, M. and K. Hammer, 1992: The Cuban homegarden 'conuco': a perspective environment for
evolution and in situ conservation of plant genetic resources. Genetic Resources and Crop
Evolution 39, 9-22.
Hammer, K., 1981: Problems of Papaver somniferum-classification and some remarks on recently
collected European poppy land-races. Kulturpflanze 29, 287-296.
Hammer, K., 1990: Erhaltung alter Landsorten in Dorfmuseen und ähnlichen Einrichtungen.
Sonderinformation "Die genetische Mannigfaltigkeit der heimischen Farn- und Blütenpflanzen",
Institut für Umweltschutz - Umweltinform (13. Jahrg.) 4, 72-76.
Hammer, K., 1991a: Checklists and germplasm collecting. FAO/IBPGR Plant Genetic Resources Newsl.
85, 15-17.