germplasm conservation in situ, ex situ and on-farm and biodiversity
TRANSCRIPT
Germplasm Conservation- In Situ, Ex situ and On-Farm;
Short, Medium & Long term Conservation Strategies for
Conservation of Orthodox Seed and Vegetatively propagated
Crops;
Registration of plant genetic sources.
Biodiversity - Definition
The variability among living organisms from allsources including terrestrial, marine, and otheraquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexesof which they are a part; this includes diversitywithin species, between species and of ecosystems.
Biodiversity can be observed at three levels
1) Genetic diversity:-Each member of any animal or plants species
differs widely from other individual in its genetic makeup.
2) Species diversity :-Number of species of plants and animals that are
present in a region constitutes its species diversity.
3) Ecosystem diversity :-There are large variety of different ecosystems on
earth. Each having their own complement of distinctiveinterlinked species based on the differences in the habitat.
Bio-Geographic Zones
Hot Spots
Biodiversity is essential to -
1. To ensure the production of 5F’s
(Food, Fruit, Fiber, Fuel, Fodder)
2. To maintain other ecosystem services
3. To allow adaptation to changing
environmental conditions including-
Climate, Temp., Rain, Weather change
4. To sustain rural peoples' livelihoods
status
Germplasm Conservation
The germplasm has to be maintained in such
a state that there is minimum risk for its loss
and that either it can be prepared for planting
with relative ease; this is called germplasm
conservation.
OR
The management of human use of the
biosphere so that it may yield the sustainable
benefit to present generations, while
maintaining its potential to meet the needs
and aspirations of future generations.
Why Conservation ?
Conservation of plant genetic resources is necessary for foodsecurity and agro-biodiversity. Genetic diversity providesoptions to develop through selection and breeding of newand more productive crops, resistant to biological andenvironmental stresses (Rao, 2004).
Biodiversity provides a valuable source of compounds to themedical, food and crop protection industries. For more food, itwill be necessary to make better use of a broader range ofgenetic diversity across the glob. Many plant species are nowin danger of becoming extinct (Panis and Lambardi, 2005).
Genetically uniform modern varieties are being replaced withhighly diverse local cultivars and landraces of traditionalagro-ecosystems. Deforestation, urbanization, pollution,habitat destruction, fragmentation and degradation, spread ofinvasive alien species, climate change, changing life styles,globalization, market economies, over-grazing and changesin land-use pattern are contributing indirectly to the loss ofdiversity (Pitman and Jorgensen, 2002; Rao, 2004).
Objectives (Long term)
1. To improve the effectiveness of sustainable managementand conservation of biodiversity through adequateconservation, use and handling of genetic resources.
2. To increase the availability of diversified species with poorseed storability for use in breeding programmes (seedsupply).
3. To improve medium and long term conservationtechnologies of genetic resources (genetic conservation).
4. To build and strengthen research capabilities indeveloping countries through training and transfer ofknowledge and technology and the establishment of aninformal network of researchers on agriculture seeds fromdeveloping and developed countries (technology transferand sharing of experience).
1. Scientific aspects: To characterize the seed storagebehaviour (recalcitrant, intermediate or short lived orthodox)of specific, valuable species and to recommend regimes fortheir short and medium term storage.
2. Seed supply aspects: To develop effectivetechnologies/methods for seed collecting, transport, storage,testing and seed health aspects.
3. Genetic conservation aspects: To develop guidelines forgenetic conservation of seeds of crops species (or groups ofspecies).
4. Technology transfer: To produce a publication andpractical guidelines for the handling of crops seed species,dealing with all aspects from ripeness, harvest and storage totesting and sowing. To develop and publish guidelines for
Objectives (Immediate)
Types of Germplasm
1. Land Races
2. Obsolete Varieties
3. Varieties in Cultivation
4. Breeding Lines
5. Special Genetic Stocks
6. Wild form and Wild Relatives
Germplasm Conservation
The Germplasm has to be maintained in such a state thatthere is minimum risk for its loss and that either it can beplanted directly in the field or it can be prepared for planted forplanting with relative ease.
Ex-situ Conservation - Germplasm conservation is attemptedoutside or away from its natural habitat.
In-situ Conservation – Conservation of germplasm in itsnatural habitat or in area where it grows naturally.
On-farm Conservation One of new approach to in situconservation of genetic resources, focusing on conservingcultivated plant species in farmers' fields. Its nothing but “Thesustainable management of genetic diversity of locallydeveloped traditional crop varieties, with associated wild andweedy species or forms, by farmers within traditionalagricultural, horticultural or agri-silvicultural cultivation systems"(Maxted et al. 1997).
In – Situ / Ex – Situ
In – Situ Ex – Situ
Merits Not only conserve
the genetic diversity
its also allows
evolution to genetic
with climate
Its not allows evolution to
genetic with climate
its allows new
alleles and new
gene combination
would appear with
time
No any new gene
combination due to fix
environment condition
Demerit
s
Its difficult to
establish and very
difficult to maintain
Required costly and well
occupied lab
Very prone to biotic
and abiotic stresses
Types of Ex-situ conservation1. Seed Gene bank
- All gene banks are essentially seed banks
- Seed storage in containers of Glass, Plastic and Tin for 50 to 100 year
Roberts (1973) has classified seeds into two groups for storage purpose ; viz.
Orthodox- Seeds which can be dried to low moisture content (5%) and stored at low temperature without losing their viability for long periods of time. More than 90% of plants spp. Belong to this group.
Recalcitrant- Seeds which show very drastic loss in viabilitywith a decrease in moisture content below 12 - 30% are knownas recalcitrant seeds- cocoa, coconut, mango, tea, coffee,rubber, jackfruit and oil palm seeds.
Such seeds cannot be conserved in seed banks and,therefore require in-situ conservation (on-farm).
Types conservation
Seeds are very convenient for storage
because they occupy smaller space than
whole plants.
In the seed banks, there are three types of
conservation, viz.,
1. Short term (Working
Collections)
2. Medium Term (Active
Collections)
Long Term (Base Collections)
Short term storage: (working collections )
1. Short term storage:
working collections are
stored for short term (>3-
5 years) at 10-150C at
10% Moisture.
The accessions being
actively used in crop
improvement programmes.
These collections are
maintained by the breeders
using them.
Medium term storage: (Active collections )
Medium Term storage: Theaccessions in an active collectionare stored at temperatures below150C (often near 00C), and theseed moisture is kept at 5%.
The storage is for mediumduration, i.e., 10-15 years.
These collections are used forevaluation, multiplication anddistribution of the accessions.
Active collections are usuallymaintained by multiplying theseeds of their own accessions.
But from time to time, basecollection material should be usedfor regeneration of thesecollections.
3. Long term storage: Theseconsist of all the accessionspresent in the germplasm of acrop, which are stored at about -200C with 5% moisture content;they are disturbed only forregeneration.
Germination tests are doneevery 5-10 years.
When the germination of anaccessions falls below, usually,95% of its germination at thestart of storage, the accession isregenerated.
High quality orthodox seeds canmaintain good viability upto 100years.
Long term storage: (Base collections )
Seed Gene Bank
Disadvantages Seeds of recalcitrant
species cannot be stored
in seed banks.
Failure of power supply
may lead to loss of
viability and thereby loss
of germplasm.
It requires periodical
evaluation of seed
viability.
After some time
multiplication is essential
to get new or fresh seeds
for storage.
Advantages• Large number of
germplasm samples
can be conserved in a
very small space.
• Handling of
germplasm is easy
• Germplasm is
conserved under
pathogen and insect
free environment.
2. Field Gene Bank
(Plant gene bank, ex-situ
conservation)
Those plant species that have
recalcitrant seeds or do not
produce seeds readily are
conserved in field gene banks.
In field gene banks, germplasm
is maintained in the form of
plants as a permanent living
collection.
Field gene banks are often
established to maintain working
collections of living plants for
experimental purposes.
They are used as source of
germplasm for species such as
coconut, rubber, mango,
The conservation of germplasm in field genebank
involves the collecting of materials and planting in the
orchard or field in another location. Field genebank has
traditionally been used for perennial plants, including:
Species producing recalcitrant seeds;
Species producing little or no seeds;
Species that are preferably stored as clonal material;
Species that have a long life cycle to generate breeding
and/or planting material.
Field genebanks are commonly used for such species
as cocoa, rubber, coconut, coffee, sugarcane, banana,
tuber crops, tropical and temperate fruits, vegetatively
propagated crops (e.g. wild onion and garlic) and forage
grasses (e.g. sterile hybrids or shy seed producers).
Many important varieties of field, horticultural and forestry
species are either difficult or impossible to conserve as
seeds (i.e. no seeds are formed or if formed, the seeds are
recalcitrant) or reproduce vegetatively. Hence they are
conserved in field genebanks(FGB).
FGBs provide easy and ready access to conserved material
for research as well as for use. For a number of plant
species, the alternative methods have not been fully
developed so that they can be effectively used (Ramanatha
Rao and Riley 1995; Ramanatha Rao et al. 1998).
It is one of the options of a complementary strategy for the
conservation of germplasm of many plant species. At the
same time, efforts to develop and refine other methods,
such as in vitro conservation and on – farm conservation,
must continue (Ramanatha Rao et al. 1998).
There is a possibility that a few well-managed gardens can
emphasise on conservation of certain groups of species as
Field Gene Bank
Disadvantages Field gene banks cannot
cover the entire genetic
diversity of a species. It can
cover only a fraction of the
full range of diversity of a
species.
The germplasm in field gene
banks is exposed to
pathogens and insects and
some-times is damaged by
natural disasters such as
bush fires, cyclones, floods,
etc.
Maintenance of germplasm
in the field gene banks is
Advantages It provides
opportunities for
continuous
evaluation for
various economic
characters.
It can be directly
utilized in the
breeding
programme.
Field Gene Banks in INDIA
Location/ Centre Plant Species Holdings
Issapur, NewDelhi Low chilling and minor fruits 305
Shimla HP Temperate fruits species, species of Rosaceae 800
CAZRI, JodhpurArid zone multipurpose trees, Jojoba, Jatropha,
Acacias350
Thrissur KRBanana, Jackfruit, Pepper, Root and
Rhizomatous crops (8 Perennial ssp.)539
Shilong, MEGABanana, Guava, Ornamentals, Citrus, Passion
Fruit71
Himalayan Zone Fruits and Herbal ssp. 74
Lakhnow, UPTamarind, Jamun, Bael, Jackfruit and other
Medicinal plant ssp.400
Bhowali Medicinal plant ssp. 261
CRYOPRESERVATION
Cryopreservation involves storageof plant material at low temp. ( -196 °C), in liquid nitrogen ornitrogen vapor ( -154 to -196 °C).
At this temperature the celldivision and metabolic processesstop.
Thus plant material can be storedfor longer period withoutalteration.
Cryopreservation of those speciesthat can easily be regeneratedinto whole plants is a promisingoption for the safe, long-termstorage of germplasm.
Cryopreservation requires limitedspace, involves very littlemaintenance and is considered tobe a cost-effective option.
MERISTEM GENE BANKS
For conservation of meristemcultures, meristem or shoot tipbanks are established. Germplasm of asexually
propagated species can beconserved in the form ofmeristem.
Widely used for conservation andpropagation of horticulturalspecies.
In vitro method can be used intwo ways.
1. storage of tissues under slowgrowth conditions.
2. long-term conservation of
POLLEN STORAGE/POLLEN GENE
BANKS
Pollen storage was mainly developedas a tool for controlled pollination ofasynchronous flowering plantsespecially fruit free species.
Advantage The relatively small quantity of the specimen
required for a single accession.
Exchange of germplasm through pollenpossesses fewer quarantine problemscompared with seed or other propagules.
Disadvantage Pollen storage alone cannot conserve the
cytoplasmic genetic diversity of a species.
There is need to assess the potentialdrawbacks of excluding maternal genes andfeasibility of ovule storage and in-vitrofertilization techniques.
In addition effective sample techniques tocover a population or gene pool are needed.
Tissue culture conservation
DNA STORAGE / DNA GENE BANKS
Storage of DNA is in principle,simple to carry out and widelyapplicable in the lab.
Genetic engineering has brokendown the crossability barriers.
Transgenic plants incorporatinggenes from virus, bacteria, fungiand even mice are reality now.
Such efforts have lead to storage oftotal genomic information ofgermplasm in the form of DNAlibraries.
However, strategies andprocedures have to be developedon how to use the material storedin the form of DNA.
Therefore, the role and value of thismethod for PGR conservation is not
Home Gardens Home gardens conservation is similar to on-
farm conservation but the scale is much
smaller.
Home gardens tend to contain a wide
spectrum of species, such as vegetables,
fruits, medicinal plants and species.
Home gardens, as a single unit has very little
value in terms of conservation, but a
community of them in a given area may
contribute significantly to the conservation
and direct use of genetic diversity.
Most of such diversity could be somewhat
unique/rare, as the people tend to grow
unique materials in their gardens and also
under utilized or undomesticated species.
However, the system is vulnerable to change
in management practices.
Home gardens are also known as testing
grounds for farmers for some of the wild
and semi-wild species.
Botanical Gardens
Botanical gardens aims atmaintaining essential ecologicalprocesses and life support systemspreserve genetic diversity and ensuresustainable utilization of species andecosystem.
The role of most Botanical gardens inconserving intra species diversity islimited because most of theseconserve only a few accessions perspecies or taxon.
However, these play a greater role inpublic awareness and education.
Botanical gardens are mainly used todisplay a great number of differentand exotic species.
There is a possibility that a few wellmanaged gardens lay emphasis onconservation of certain group of
Herbal Gardens
Herbal gardensresemble botanicalgardens except thatthese maintainmedicinal and aromaticplants.
Herbal gardens aregetting moreimportance these daysbecause medicinal andaromatic plant group ismost threatened due totheir over-exploitationin natural conditions.
On-farm
conservation On-farm conservation which the CBD defines as “A
form of in situ conservation in the place where thedomesticated or cultivated species have developedtheir distinctive properties.”
There is an urgent need to also pay attention to themany economically important wild species that areneither on-farm nor in protected areas. Thepopulations of many of these wild species are underheavy pressure due to over-exploitation, habitatdegradation and invasive species and agriculturalbiodiversity on farms and in forests.
Their effective in situ conservation will be difficult toaccomplish and therefore presents a huge challenge toconservationists.
To maintenance of domesticates such as landraces or
local crop varieties in farmers’ fields, often referred to
as ‘on-farm’ conservation (Maxted et al. 2002), ‘in
agro’ or ‘inter situ’ (Blixt 1994).
Trees may also be transplanted from native habitats
and managed within an in situ on-farm system using
traditional sylvicultural techniques. The material is
effectively managed within traditional farming systems
by local farmers.
Conservation of crop plants and primitive
cultivars/landraces only in on-farm.
strengthening the scientific basis of on-farm
conservation and management of local landraces,
horticultural crops and wild fruit species.
NBPGR
New
Delhi
Svalbard Seed Bank, Norway
To preserve gene diversity of major food crops,
international Institutions have established a series of green
gene banks, which store samples of genetic material of
various strains of each plant species.
Svalbard Seed Bank is meant as a sort of safety net, a
reserve of last resort and the vault functions like a genetic
safety deposit box. It stores duplicate specimens from gene
banks worldwide and while the Svalbard seed bank owns
the building, the individual depositor owns the contents of
his or her box and the access to individual specimens is
• The Svalbard Global Seed Vault on
February 26, 2008 with the
construction of the vault financed
entirely by Norwegian Government.
The operational cost is currently
shared by Norway and the Global
Crop Diversity Trust.
The seed bank is
located in an old
copper mine on remote
northern island of
Spitsbergen, Norway.
The facility currently has a capacity to conserve 4.5
million seed samples. With approximately 1.5 million
distinct seed samples of agricultural crops thought to
exist, the Svalbard Seed Bank can store roughly
three of each sample. Under the current temperature
conditions in the vault (temperatures similar to those
in a kitchen freezer) the seed samples can remain
viable to begin new crops for anywhere from 2000 to
20,000 years.
On farm conservation On farm conservation involves the
maintenance of traditional crop cultivars(land races) by farmers within traditionalagricultural system.
It is based on the recognition that farmershave improved and grown genetic diversity.This process will still continue among manyfarmers in spite of social economic andtechnical changes. Farmers should beencouraged to continue their land races byagricultural development policies thatenhance incentives to continue to maintainland races.
Given the role of farmers on farmconservation, meeting development goalssuch as increased farm income is critical.
In a recent conclusion study by NBPGR withIRRI, Philippines and GKV, Raipur in Basterarea of MP suggested that on farmconservation of rice genetic resources is acompliment to ex-situ conservation in tribalarea of Baster Plateau which can bemotivated for maintaining crop diversityprovided it is a viable option and forstrengthening the farmer's assess to
conservation
Conservation Vegetativaly Propagated
Crops
Conservation of
vegetativaly
propagated
crops
Ex-situ as well
In-situ and on-
farm condition
Conservation Vegetativaly propagated
crops
Registration of Plant
Germplasm
1. Plant Germplasm Registration Committee
2. Nodal Agency
3. Application Form
4. Eligibility Criteria for Registration
5. Germplasm Ineligible for Registration
6. Screening of Application(s) and their
Consideration by the PGRC
7. Validity of Registration
8. Publication of Registered Germplasm
9. Conservation, Maintenance and Sustainable
Utilization of Registered Germplasm
10. De-registration
Procedure For Submission Of
Proposal / Germplasm Material
1. Submission of Application and
Germplasm
2. Guidelines for Submitting the Orthodox
Seed Germplasm
3. Guidelines for Submission of
Recalcitrant / Intermediate Seed
Germplasm
4. Guidelines for Submission of
Propagules
National Active Germplasm Sites
In India, Germplasm Maintains and
Exchange
For Agriculture and Horticulture Crops –
NBPGR, New Delhi (1976)
For Mediational and Aromatics Plants
(Botanical Plants) – BSI, Kolkata, WB
(1890)
For Forest Trees – FRI, Dehradun, UKD
References Maxted, N., J.G. Hawkes, B.V. Ford-Lloyd and J.T. Williams.
1997. A practical model for in situ genetic conservation
complementary conservation strategies. Pp. 339-367 in Plant
Genetic Conservation: The In Situ Approach (N. Maxted, B.V.
Ford-Lloyd and J.G. Hawkes, eds.). Chapman and Hall, London.
Harlan, J.R. 1975. Crops and Man. First Edition. American
Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America,
Madison, Wisconsin.
HD Upadhyaya, CLL Gowda and DVSSR Sastry, 2008. Plant
genetic resources management: collection, characterization,
conservation and utilization, An Open Access Journal published
by ICRISAT, INDIA.
http://lloydkahnongoing.blogspot.in/2011/12/svalbardseedbank.h
tml
GUIDELINES for REGISTRATION OF PLANT GERMPLASM
(revised, 2014)
NBPGR (ICAR) Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110 012
Brown, A.H.D. 1999. The genetic structure of crop
landraces and the challenge to conserve them in situ
on farms. In: Brush, S.B. (ed.), Genes in the Field:
Conserving plant diversity on farms. Lewis Publishers,
Boca Raton, FL, USA. pp. 29–48.
Maxted, N., Guarino, L., Myer, L. and Chiwona, E.A.
2002. Towards a methodology for on-farm
conservation of plant genetic resources. Genetic
Resources and Crop Evolution 49(1):31–46.
Mohd Said Saad and V. Ramanatha Rao (2001).
Establishment and management of field genebank . A
Training Manual, IPGRI-APO, Serdang
References