Genetic resources conservation and sustainable use
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Genetic resources means genetic material of actual or potential value where genetic material means any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin containing functional units of heredity...[1] Genetic resources thus refer to the part of genetic diversity that has or could have practical use, such as in plant breeding. The term was introduced by Otto Frankel and Erna Bennett for a technical conference on the exploration, utilization and conservation of plant genetic resources, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Biological Program (IBP), held in Rome, Italy, 18–26 September 1967.[2]
Genetic resources is one of the three levels of biodiversity defined by Article 2 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Rio, 1992[3]
Under the CBD, discussions and negotiations regarding genetic resources are organized by the FAO Commission of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. This commission distinguishes the following domains of genetic resources:
- Animal genetic resources
- Aquatic genetic resources
- Forest genetic resources
- Micro-organisms[4] and invertebrates
- Plant genetic resources
Genetic resources are threatened by genetic erosion and conservation activities are undertaken to prevent loss of diversity.
History
[edit]Before the introduction of the term, the Russian scientist Nikolai Vavilov initiated comprehensive studies on plant genetic resources and conservation work in the 1920’s. The American botanist Jack Harlan stressed the tight link between plant genetic resources and man in a seminal publication "Crops and Man".[5]
Methodologies for conservation of genetic resources
[edit]There are two complementary ways to conserve genetics resources:
- in situ, which consists in managing populations on-site, dynamically evolving in their natural environment.[6][7] In situ methodologies include:
- conservation in natural populations (in nature)
- on farm conservation
- ex situ, which consists in conserving individuals or populations out of their natural environments. Ex situ gene bank methodologies include:
- conservation in seed banks[8]
- in vitro conservation
- cryopreservation
International policies
[edit]Policies are key to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of genetic resources, for present and future generations. The main international policy framework that regulates genetic resources exchange and use is the Nagoya Protocol which entered into force in 2014. It defines and protects the owners of genetic resources and it sets the rules for Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)[9]
Peer-reviewed literature
[edit]The following scientific journals are dedicated to the topic of genetic resources conservation and sustainable use:
- Conservation Genetics Resources
- Conservation Genetics
- Genetic resources (open access)
- Journal of Genetic Resources
- Plant Genetic Resources
- Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
See also
[edit]- Germplasm, genetic resources that are preserved for various purposes such as breeding, preservation, and research
- International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, an international agreement to promote sustainable use of the world's plant genetic resources
- Genetic resources contribute to the provisioning ecosystem services.
References
[edit]- ^ Unit, Biosafety (2006-11-02). "Convention Text". www.cbd.int. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
- ^ Bennett, E (1968). Record of the FAO/IBP technical conference on the exploration, utilization and conservation of plant genetic resources, held in Rome, Italy, 18-26 September 1967. Rome: s.n. OCLC 67370666.
- ^ Unit, Biosafety (2006-11-02). "Convention Text". www.cbd.int. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
- ^ Sharma, Sushil K.; Singh, Sanjay K.; Ramesh, A.; Sharma, Pawan K.; Varma, Ajit; Ahmad, Ees; Khande, Rajesh; Singh, Udai B.; Saxena, Anil K. (2018), Sharma, Sushil K.; Varma, Ajit (eds.), "Microbial Genetic Resources: Status, Conservation, and Access and Benefit-Sharing Regulations", Microbial Resource Conservation: Conventional to Modern Approaches, Soil Biology, vol. 54, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 1–33, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-96971-8_1, ISBN 978-3-319-96971-8, retrieved 2020-07-02
- ^ Harlan, Jack R. (Jack Rodney) (1992). Crops & man (2nd ed.). Madison, Wis., USA: American Society of Agronomy. ISBN 0-89118-107-5. OCLC 25049739.
- ^ In vivo conservation of animal genetic resources. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations., Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome. 2013. ISBN 978-92-5-107725-2. OCLC 878605883.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Voluntary guidelines for the conservation and sustainable use of crop wild relatives and wild food plants. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,, Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome. 5 June 2018. ISBN 978-92-5-109919-3. OCLC 1013590768.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ A Guide to effective management of germplasm collections. Engels, Jan., Visser, L., International Plant Genetic Resources Institute. Rome, Italy: IPGRI. 2003. ISBN 92-9043-582-8. OCLC 55495656.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Oberthür, Sebastian; Rosendal, G. Kristin (2013-10-30). Global Governance of Genetic Resources: Access and Benefit Sharing after the Nagoya Protocol. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-13548-5.