Managing Global Genetic Resources Agricultural Crop Issues and Policies (1993) / Chapter Skim
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2. Crop Diversity: Institutional Responses
2. Crop Diversity: Institutional Responses
Pages 85-116
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From page 85... ...
GERMPLASM COLLECTION AND CONSERVATION WORLDWIDE Several centers of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) —most notably the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR)
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From page 86... ...
Germplasm banks have been established in 92 countries and 10 IARCs (Alexander von der Osten, personal communication, CGIAR Secretariat, October 28, 1992~. More than 100 countries have some form of genetic resources program or carry out related activities (Williams, 1989a)
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From page 87... ...
Some critics question whether so many germplasm banks are necessary and whether the funds might have been better invested in crop improvement proDuring test crosses of rice plants at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, the flowering spikes of the plants are enclosed in envelopes to prevent further cross-pollination. Credit: Bruce Dale, (31992 National Geographic Society.
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From page 88... ...
In addition, 23 centers have agreed to conserve global, continental, or regional field collections of 9 vegetatively propagated crops (International Board for Plant Genetic Resources, 1989a)
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From page 89... ...
and that the reserve collection might be neglected. Other practical issues were recognized early on as a source of serious future problems (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, 1985~.
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From page 90... ...
IBPGR now serves primarily in a coordinating role, collaborating when warranted on special projects and copublishing CGIAR publications on plant genetic resources activities. Interactions with National Programs IBPGR and other IARCs have had a broad impact in promoting and establishing genetic resources programs at the national level, with impressive progress seen in the growth of germplasm collections in developing countries.
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From page 91... ...
Linkages between national genetic resources programs and breeding activities should be fostered through the support of germplasm enhancement and through the support of data-base development (Cohen and Bertram, 1989~. Such initiatives would help to integrate genetic resources programs into national agricultural development strategies, but only if the support were sufficiently long term.
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From page 92... ...
Elements of the FAO's proposed program include a global monitoring system, establishment of a network of in situ conservation sites, and periodic reports on the status of world plant genetic resources. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL CROP BREEDING PROGRAMS The establishment of IRRI, Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Main y Trigo (CIMMYT, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)
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From page 93... ...
Progress with Legumes, Root Crops, and Vegetables In general, IARCs working on legumes, root crops, and vegetables were established more recently than those that focused on rice, wheat, and maize. Germplasm collections are less complete for these crops than they are for the major cereal crops (particularly for related wild species)
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From page 94... ...
In beans, for example, a network of Latin American researchers coordinated by the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT, International Center for Tropical Agriculture) was responsible for the development of varieties resistant to golden mosaic virus.
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From page 95... ...
No other group of institutions is as well placed for such a job, with respect to the combination of daily access to world germplasm collections, plant breeding expertise, contacts with breeders worldwide, and reasonably stable funding. Because of the difficulty of handling exotic accessions under temperate conditions and the decline in public sector enhancement activities, the developed countries are very nearly as dependent on the IARCs for these services as are the developing countries.
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From page 96... ...
Similar analyses are needed for other commodities. Networks and Interactions with National Programs International centers have stimulated the development of crop improvement programs where none existed previously.
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From page 97... ...
Addihonal work is needed on strategies for increasing genetic diversity in national breeding programs through a combinahon of greater genetic diversity in nurseries, assistance with the evaluation of genetic divershy in national varieties, and assistance in planning breeding strategies, if necessary IARC guidance with plant breeding technology is helping national programs to upgrade their capabilities to the point that they do virtually Al of their own breeding work, when national support ~ adequate The international centers depend on nahonal programs for technology adaptation and transfer The IARCs can provide ideas, research o~ecOves, methods, experimental germplasm, and training, but these must be adapted to local needs. The IARCs may supply Anlshed materials (elite lines ready for naming)
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From page 98... ...
An equal need exists for support to crop improvement programs and public or private seed production systems that will help realize the benefits from germplasm. National programs must have the capacity in their crop improvement programs to take advantage of the germplasm available through the international network.
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From page 99... ...
The collections and plant genetic resources programs have expanded to include more landraces and related wild-tv~e species in an effort to broaden the genetic ~ ~ 1 base of crop improvement. It is paradoxical that the success achieved by the IARCs, as demonstrated by the widespread adoption of their products, appears to be contributing to increased crop vulnerability on a global scale, although major disasters have so far been averted.
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From page 100... ...
The NPGS was initiated before many countries recognized the importance of conserving crop genetic resources. It is the world's largest distributor of plant germplasm (National Research Council, 1991a)
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From page 101... ...
The extent of diversity in new varieties is also obscured by the use of multiple brand names for similar or even identical products. For example, certain maize and sorghum hybrids based on crosses of publicly available inbred lines are sold under many different designations, and wheat and soybean varieties are given multiple names in the private seed trade.
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From page 102... ...
However, patent protection will not help developing countries where breeding programs are inadequate or poorly developed. This possibility underscores the critical need for a plant breeding capacity in developing countries so that they can realize the value of their genetic resources and ensure access to advanced breeding materials by their farmers.
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From page 103... ...
The closure of public sector plant breeding programs for some crops would have serious negative consequences for the private sector, including foreclosure of companies without breeding programs, increased concentration into fewer and larger companies, reduced exchange of breeding materials, and ultimately, a decline in genetic diversity (Butler and Marion, 1985)
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From page 104... ...
Department of Agriculture of information drawn from the Cooperative Research Information System. The Growth of Private Sector Breeding Programs The expansion of markets and the introduction of PVPA have had a stimulatory effect on private sector plant breeding programs for self-pollinated crops, particularly soybeans (Butler and Marion, 1985; McMullen, 1987~.
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From page 105... ...
Numbers of personnel increased 34 percent for 18 crops or crop groups since 1982, particularly for maize, soybeans, and sugar beets, but declined for cotton and sunflowers (Table 2-5~. The total number of private sector plant breeding personnel is probably equal to the number in public institutions and substantially exceeds the number in the public sector for crops such as maize, soybeans, forage legumes, grain sorghum, and sugar beets (Kalton et al., 1989~.
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From page 107... ...
The effect of proprietary protection on genetic diversity in privately developed varieties is probably minimal. Although private sector breeders felt that PVPA increased the genetic diversity of openpollinated varieties, public sector breeders detected no effect (Butler and Marion, 1985~.
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From page 108... ...
Thus, hybrid development does not necessarily constrict the availability of germplasm. Hybrid breeding methods have been the major incentive for the development of the private seed industry in the United States and
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From page 109... ...
Large private companies tended to dominate hybrid markets, whereas public sector and small companies controlled open-pollinated markets in the United States as well as in Europe. Most private sector research was done by a small number of companies.
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From page 110... ...
Overall, however, these recent trends have probably reduced competition and may have also reduced crop plant genetic diversity through the consolidation of plant breeding activities (Butler and Marion, 1985~. Balancing Public and Private Sector Roles Through the years, a pragmatic balance has developed between public and private sector plant breeding efforts, which has proved quite effective in producing crop varieties for the industrial countries.
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From page 111... ...
It is appropriate that public sector breeders sustain breeding programs for species not bred by private industry. However, to fulfill their function of teaching and training future plant breeders, the universities must continue to do at least some plant breeding with major crops.
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From page 112... ...
The public sector has begun to consider the extent to which it might exploit legal protection either to generate revenues or to keep developments in the public domain through nonexclusive or royalty-free licensing (Barton et al., 1989~. Clearly, adequate funding is the major requirement for sustaining public sector strengths to maintain an optimum balance between the public and private sectors in plant breeding and genetic resources programs.
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From page 113... ...
The private sector could not compete with subsidized low prices, preferential access to improved varieties from national breeding programs and IARCs, and public control, seed certification, distribution, and farm credit systems. Predictably, the local private seed industry was severely weakened, international seed company operations were seriously hampered (if they were permitted to operate in the country at all)
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From page 114... ...
All of the options presented here are predicated on the existence of a strong national or regional plant germplasm and breeding system to supply the raw and finished materials for improved seed. At the Keystone International Dialogue on Plant Genetic Resources, it was recognized that the high costs of national plant germplasm systems put them beyond the means of many countries (Keystone Center, 1990~.
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From page 115... ...
Countries must make developing capacities for genetic resources management and use, including human and physical resources, a matter of national agricultural security. This development is essential in view of the grave potential for increasing global genetic uniformity of major food crops and the associated potential risks of vulnerability.
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From page 116... ...
The lack of a global data base providing information and access to the vast collections that continue to accumulate is a critical constraint to the development and management of such a system. Inadequate management and funding of genetic resources conservation risks potentially serious problems of vulnerability in the future.
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