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

Conservation methods and potential utilization of plant genetic resources in nature conservation
S. BLIXT 1
1. Introduction
With the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), issued June 5, 1992, conservation in situ of genetic
resources, i.e. the genetic diversity of cultivated plants, has again become an open question and a matter
for discussion since the CBD and the previously followed FAO Undertaking on genetic resources differ
in several places. However, the discussion of the matter is clouded by several ambiguities, many of them
concerned with definition of terms, some of them going back to the fact that the CBD, for different
reasons, is in itself a vague document.
In the Nordic countries there is a well established infrastructure for conservation of natural resources
in general, based on multi-institutional arrangements of various categories of nature reserves as well as
a non-governmental volontary sector (NGOs). To avoid duplication of work and therby to minimize
costs, NGB prefers collaboration with those institutions to meet its requirements for in situ conservation
rather than going into reserve establishment on its own.
The Nordic Gene Bank (NGB) has been commissioned to conserve valuable plant genetic resources
(PGR) of agricultural and horticultural plants which are indigenous to the Nordic region, wild forms and
wild relatives included. NGB has up to now worked in accordance with FAOs Undertaking of 1983, but
with the changes introduced by the CBD, particularly the implied widening of the in situ concept, it is
probably time to review and reappraise the underlying scientific principles.
2. Background
According to the NGB definition, plant genetic resources comprise material of actual and potential value
for Nordic plant breeding and plant research programmes. The CBD defines genetic resources thus:
"Genetic resources means genetic material of actual or potential value." This is well in accordance with
NGB use, keeping in mind though that NGB has a restricted mandate and limited resources.
First priority is given to species indigenous to the Nordic countries and presently cultivated, and second
to indigenous species previously grown and therefore possibly of interest also in the future. A third
group comprises indigenous plant species not presently cultivated in the Nordic countries, but cultivated
in other areas of the world. Some overlapping between the second and the third priority exist.
In addition to indigenous Nordic species, there are plant species, which were introduced in the Nordic
countries, some of them several thousands of years ago. These include species such as barley, wheat,
rape etc. Some of those species of the so called exogenous gene pool are economically extremely
important, and therefore share the first priority.
1
Author's address:
Nordic Gene Bank
P.O. Box 41
23053 Alnarp
Sweden