newsletterNo 23 No 23 No 23 No 23 No 23 - April 2002- April 2002- April 2002- April 2002- April 2002

for Europefor Europefor Europefor Europefor Europe

International Plant Genetic Resources Institute

Inside this issueInside this issueInside this issueInside this issueInside this issue

ECP/GR 2-3

Meetings & workshops 4-5

EUFORGEN 6-7

EU research 8-9

Funding opportunities 11

Forthcoming meetings 12

EU research programme and PGR

The International Plant GeneticResources Institute (IPGRI) isone of the 16 Centres of theConsultative Group onInternational AgriculturalResearch (CGIAR). IPGRI’sgoal is to advance theconservation and use of geneticdiversity for the well-being ofpresent and future generations.From its headquarters in Romeand its regional offices, IPGRIpromotes and coordinates theaction needed for theconservation of these geneticresources.

IPGRI’s Regional Office forEurope provides theCoordination Secretariats for theEuropean CooperativeProgramme for Crop GeneticResources Networks (ECP/GR)and for the European ForestGenetic Resources Programme(EUFORGEN).

IPGRI publishes three issues ofthe Regional Newsletter forEurope a year. This Newsletteris intended to serve as aninformal forum for the exchangeof news and views, and to createcloser ties within the geneticresources community in Europe.Previous issues are availablefrom the IPGRI website.

A Russian version of thisNewsletter is being producedand disseminated in collaborationwith the N.I. Vavilov ResearchInstitute of Plant Industry (VIR) inSt. Petersburg.

We invite you to send your ideasand contributions for thisNewsletter to IPGRI’s RegionalOffice for Europe. Please sendall contributions for Issue 24 by15 June 2002.

About this NewsletterAbout this NewsletterAbout this NewsletterAbout this NewsletterAbout this Newsletter

Multi-year programmes onresearch and technology areprovided for in the EstablishmentTreaty of the EuropeanCommunity and the nextprogramme will span the period2002-2006, replacing the current,fifth Framework Programme (FP).

The sixth FP will be animportant tool in implementing the“European Research Area”. Thisis a vision of the European Union’s(EU) overall, integrated researcheffort, aimed at increasingEurope’s competitiveness;encouraging investment inresearch and innovation; andpromoting mobility of humanresources in research.

Compared to previous FP’s, itis substantially different withregard to scope and instrumentsused in its implementation.

The first proposal for the sixthFP was adopted by the EuropeanCommission (EC) in February2001, and adoption by theEuropean Parliament and theCouncil is anticipated by the endof June 2002.

The sixth FP is divided intotwo main specific programmes,namely “Integrating andstrengthening research” and“Structuring the Europeanresearch area”. The first is basedon seven key actions, focusingavailable funding on emergingtechnologies and researchpriorities where “European addedvalue” can be obtained by an EUlevel action. The key actions are:

● Genomics andbiotechnology for health;

● Information societytechnologies;

● Nanotechnologies,intelligent materials, newproduction methods;

● Aeronautics and space;● Food safety and health

risks;● Sustainable development

and global change;● Citizens and governance

in European society.

In the current proposal, the prioritythematic area “Global change andecosystems” includes, inter alia,the research objective to preserveecosystems and protectbiodiversity, which would alsocontribute to the sustainable useof land and marine resources.

A major conference to launchthe sixth FP will be held by the EC11-13 November 2002. This isessentially a forum where theobjectives and priorities of the FPare presented and the rules ofparticipation explained, andprovides opportunities forscientific debate and exchange ofbest practice.

Under the focused actions inpriority research areas, emphasiswill be on larger, multi-disciplinaryprojects of longer duration,requiring more decentralizedmanagement procedures. Twomain instruments, “networks ofexcellence” and “integratedprojects”, will be financed andestablished following the publiccalls for proposals, ensuring ameasure of managerial autonomyfor the consortia that implementthem.

The previous FP coveredresearch, technologicaldevelopment and demonstrationactivities, with a multi-themestructure, consisting of sevenspecific programmes includingfour thematic and three horizontalprogrammes. The horizontalprogrammes underpinned and metthe common needs of the thematicprogrammes on: Quality of life andmanagement of living resources;User-friendly information society;Competitive and sustainablegrowth, and Energy, environmentand sustainable development. Anumber of projects funded withinthe fifth FP conducted researchwith direct or indirect relevance forimproving the conservation andincreasing the sustainable use ofPGR in Europe. Updates on fourrecently approved PGR relatedprojects are given on pages 8-9.

The EC contribution will be part ofa financing plan, which mayinvolve recourse to other financingschemes. It may amount to up to50% of the total project budget,broken down into budgets peractivity and paid annually. Thesixth FP will be open to theparticipation of the Central andEast European Candidatecountries (CEEC), Cyprus, Maltaand Turkey, and with furthercountries on the basis of bilateralagreements.

The EC will be responsible forthe implementation of the FP andsubmit regular progress reportsduring 2002-2006. Prior to afurther FP proposal, anindependent assessment willevaluate the implementation of theactivities undertaken, ensuring fullaccountability and transparency.

Comprehensive detailsconcerning the future FP areavailable at www.cordis.lu/rtd2002/.

NEW EU FUNDED RESEARCH

INITIATIVES IN THIS ISSUE:

PGR FORUM:EuropeanCrop Wild RelativeDiversity Assessment &Conservation Forum

EUROCAT:European Catalogue of Life

ENBI:European Network forBiodiversity Information

DYGEN:Dynamics andconservation of geneticdiversity in forestecosystems

22222IPGRI Newsletter for EuropeEuropean Cooperative Programme for CropEuropean Cooperative Programme for CropEuropean Cooperative Programme for CropEuropean Cooperative Programme for CropEuropean Cooperative Programme for Crop

ECP/GR Vegetables Network: Extraordinary meeting on Brassica

The status of the EuropeanBrassica Database (Bras-EDB),issues of safety duplication andregeneration standards, andopportunities for in situconservation of Brassica wildrelatives were the main highlightsof an extraordinary meeting of theECP/GR Working Group onBrassica. Held jointly with theThird Coordination meeting of theEU Project Gen Res 109-112 inVila Real, Portugal 8-9 February2002, the meeting was attendedby 24 participants from 16countries.

A new version of the Bras-EDB, established in 1993 andrecently updated with funding fromthe EU Brassica project, currentlyincludes data sets from 32different institutions of 22 mainlyEuropean countries. With a total of19 113 accessions, this alsoincludes data from countriespreviously not represented, suchas Austria, Romania, Slovakia,Ukraine and F.R. Yugoslavia.Germany holds the largestnumber of accessions (4212),followed by the UK (3108), Spain(1917), the Netherlands (1377),Czech Republic (1211) and theRussian Federation (1040). B.oleracea, a species with severaleconomically important types, isthe largest species with over10 000 accessions.Other sizable species include B.napus (rapeseed) and B. rapa(turnip and turnip rapeseed) with3787 and 3022 accessions

respectively. Anumber of wildBrassicaspecies arerepresented inthe Bras-EDBby only a fewaccessions. Thenew version ofBras-EDB isavailable on thehomepage of theCentre forGeneticResources,the Netherlands(CGN): www.plant.wageningen-ur.nl/cgn orwww.genebank.nl. Sets ofcharacterization data will be addedto Bras-EDB in the near future.

During a demonstration of theGeographic Information System(GIS) DIVA software (see page10), data downloaded from theBras-EBD were plotted on a mapusing latitude and longitudereferences, which is available for12% of the accessions.Verification of the accuracy of thisdata for each accession was alsodemonstrated. This analysis oflandrace data identified a hotspotrich in Brassica species inwestern Ukraine and othersignificant areas of Brassicaoleracea subspecies in easternHungary and in northern Portugal.

The need to systematicallysafety duplicate the collectionswas reiterated and the Grouprecommended that bilateralarrangements be made tomaximize the level of safetyduplication. Specific measuresinclude a “black box” sample(minimum of 300 seeds) beingsent to a different genebank,possibly in a different countryduring the regeneration of everyaccession.

Basic guidelines for theregeneration of Brassicaaccessions were agreed upon.These include the use of at least50-60 plants per accession;controlled pollination usingisolation cages/tunnels (insectpollination), or to allow outdooropen pollination with a minimumgeographical distance; and to givepriority to the regeneration of

Wild Brassica sp. in Ponza, Italy (Photo: L. Maggioni)

DIVA map showing collecting sites of different Brassica landraces inPortugal and Spain.

unique, indigenous accessions.Regarding the in situ

conservation of wild relatives ofBrassica, the Working Groupnoted that a few local projects areunderway in Sicily and in NorthernSpain. It was felt that the localauthorities (state, regional,national etc.) should drive suchinitiatives involving geneticreserves, and the role of theGroup should be to highlight theusefulness of the wild germplasmfor breeding purposes. Furtherfunding will be sought incollaboration with breeders toevaluate traits of major interestfrom the whole set of wildBrassica accessions contained inthe European collections.

A report of the meeting isunder preparation by the ECP/GRSecretariat and will include aglobal overview of the state ofregeneration of the collections inEurope.

Capitalizing on the expertisepresent at the annual meeting ofthe Gen Res Carrot project, an adhoc meeting of the ECP/GRWorking Group on UmbelliferCrops was held simultaneously on23 November 2001. Hosted bythe Scottish Agricultural ScienceAgency (SASA) in Edinburgh,Scotland, members of the ECP/GR Umbellifer Crops Group fromthe Czech Republic and Polandjoined the six partners of the GenRes Carrot project.

The Umbellifer Working Groupdeals with nine genera includingAnethum (dill), Apium (celery),Carum (caraway), Chaerophyllum(chervil), Coriandrum (coriander),Daucus (carrot), Foeniculum(fennel), Pastinaca (parsnip) andPetroselinum (parsley).

The ambitious agendainvolved a review of the status ofknowledge for all nine genera.Work on carrot has benefitedsignificantly from the inputs of theGen Res Carrot project and othernational programme activities. Theavailability of a carrot field trial atSASA made it possible to reviewthe “agreed” minimumcharacterization descriptors in thefield, and to clarify a number ofcharacters problematic in scoring.The field trip also enabled anassessment of variation withinand between populations oflandraces. The Group benefitedfrom sharing experiences and theindepth knowledge of individualpartners relating to scoring varietytrials, and the characterization ofvariable landrace materialcollected on expeditions.

Conclusions for the other eightgenera were summed up in thestatement, “we still do not knowenough about the geneticresources of these crops”. Inpreparation for the ECP/GRVegetables Network meeting heldin 1999, a questionnaire wasdistributed to all known curators ofumbellifer crops. Although theresults provided an overview ofthe resources in Europe, it wasdecided that more information isneeded to direct the workprogramme efficiently. A furtherquestionnaire with crop specificquestions will be distributed to fill

Dr M.J. DíezDr M. B. Pico SirventDr F. NuezUniversidad Politécnica deValenciaValencia, Spain

Partners of a new collaborationon Cucurbitaceae geneticresources came together for thefirst time in Adana, Turkey, foran ad hoc meeting organizedwithin the framework of the ECP/GR Vegetables Network.The meeting involved fourpartners of the EU-fundedCucumis melo project (Gen ResCT99 108) from Portugal, Spainand Turkey, together withrepresentatives from Spain, theNetherlands and Turkey notinvolved in the project. Anadditional four experts fromBulgaria, Czech Republic,Hungary, and the RussianFederation also participated.This informal meeting was helddirectly following the secondannual Cucumis melo projectmeeting 17-19 January 2002.Most of the institutions holdingthe largest Cucurbitaceaecollections in Europe wererepresented at the meeting,enabling interaction of the projectpartners with the additionalrepresentatives. The purpose ofthis interaction was to initiate theorganization of Cucurbit geneticresources in Europe. Focusareas identified includemuskmelon, cucumber,watermelon, squash andpumpkin, as well as other minorcucurbits such as Lagenaria,

IPGRI Newsletter for Europe33333http://www.ecpgr.cgiar.orghttp://www.ecpgr.cgiar.orghttp://www.ecpgr.cgiar.orghttp://www.ecpgr.cgiar.orghttp://www.ecpgr.cgiar.org Genetic Resources Networks Genetic Resources Networks Genetic Resources Networks Genetic Resources Networks Genetic Resources Networks

ECP/GR Vegetables Network: Ad hoc meeting on Umbellifer crops

Dr D. AstleyHorticulture ResearchInternationalWellesbourneUnited Kingdom

gaps in knowledge and toenable the Working Group todevelop programmes for theindividual crops/genera.

The Edinburgh venueprovided the additionalbenefit of a meeting with M.Watson at the Royal BotanicGardens Edinburgh.Focusing on the taxonomyof umbellifers, particularly in Asia,one aspect of his work involvesmaking taxonomic informationavailable to a much wideraudience, resulting in thedevelopment of the on-lineUmbellifer Resource Centre(www.rbge.org.uk/data/URC/urc.htm). This sitecontains valuable information forthe specialist and general public

Benincasa, Momordica, etc.The importance of pursuing anumber of collaborativeobjectives was also agreedupon, such as the establishmentof a European Central Cucurbitsdatabase (ECCUDB), which iscurrently under construction atthe Polytechnic University ofValencia, Spain. The ECP/GRCucurbits focal person, F. Nuez,volunteered to receive andcompile passport,characterization and evaluationdata on the genetic resourcesheld in the region. The currentlevel of safety duplication andlong-term storage facilities forthese resources was revised,and a plan of action wasestablished to improve the levelof safety storage for Cucurbits.An additional task for the Groupis to improve and harmonize theseed regeneration andcharacterization protocols forCucurbits in Europe. As a firststep, current information onprotocols used in the differentgenebanks will be shared, andcommon regeneration standardsand a minimum descriptor list foreach crop will be elaborated andagreed by all participants.To formalize this networkinginitiative and to ensure morestable financial support, theGroup will submit a request forthe establishment of a WorkingGroup on Cucurbitaceae to thenext meeting of the SteeringCommittee of ECP/GR in 2003.A full report of the meeting will beavailable later in the year fromthe ECP/GR Secretariat.

on umbellifer taxonomy, molecularresearch, floras and revisions,genetic resources and wideranging publications and news andviews, alongside links to researchcentres and individuals.

The meeting also coincidedwith the New Zealand All Blacksplaying Scotland for a RugbyUnion match, which made for avery colourful and interesting visit.

ECP/GR Vegetables Network: Ad hocmeeting on Cucurbitaceae

Participants of the umbellifer meeting

Managing Biodiversity inAgricultural Ecosystems

IPGRI Newsletter for Europe44444

The EU project Gen Res CT96 81on grapevine genetic resources,initiated in March 1997, drew to aclose in February 2002. The finalproject meeting, held 12-13September 2001 in Susegana,Italy, highlighted the tremendousprogress made on Vitis geneticresources in Europe. Participantsincluded 12 representatives fromEU partner countries (Austria,France, Germany, Greece, Italy,Portugal and Spain) and sevenfrom non-EU countries (Bulgaria,Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary,Moldova, Slovenia andSwitzerland).

Grapes are one of the mostimportant fruit crops in Europe. In2000 the area planted withgrapevine in Europe (5 million ha)represented 63% of the world’swine growing area. The Europeanproduction of wine in the sameyear was 274.9 million hl,accounting for 73% of worldproduction, and 33.1 million tons oftable grapes, representing 53% ofthe global market.

Within the first four years of theproject, the European VitisDatabase (www.dainet.de/eccdb/vitis/) was establishedand now comprises passport dataof approximately 27 000accessions, from the projectpartners collections, with primarydescription data for 600, andsecondary description data fornearly 300 accessions.Description focuses mainly on oldneglected autochthonous varieties.Variety identification was aided bythe addition of more than 1000photographs of differentanatomical parts of 250 vineaccessions. The project alsobecame the platform forstandardizing molecular tools suchas Sequence Tagged MicrosatelliteAnalysis (STMS) and thedevelopment of descriptors for theassessment of molecular diversity.

The Database has proved tobe a major source of interest, asdemonstrated by the frequentaccess on-line, with up to 200 hitsper month. This will continue toserve as a precious source ofinformation on existing geneticvariability of Vitis and as a tool topromote rational conservation of

Dr E. DettweilerBAZ Institute for GrapevineBreedingGeilweilerhof, SiebeldingenGermany

grapevine genetic resources inEurope.

Efforts on conserving,describing, identifying andevaluating old endangeredcultivars have been intensified inall participating countries throughthis Gen Res project. However,owing to the large number ofhomonymous and synonymousdesignations and the occurrenceof 5-10% misnamed varieties ingrapevine collections, theidentification of unique andduplicate varieties is an ongoingproblem. This continuing activitynow involves more partners fromEast European countries such asAlbania, Armenia, Cyprus,Georgia, Macedonia (FYR),

Romania, Slovakia and F.R.Yugoslavia, where numerousvarieties of local origin aremaintained. Continuedcollaboration is also required tofurther develop the Database andharmonize descriptors.

In order to ensure continuingnetwork activity on grapevinegenetic resources in Europe, theGroup submitted a request to theECP/GR Steering Committee toestablish a formal Working Groupon Vitis. The application wassuccessful and the new WorkingGroup (see issue 22 page 2) willbe organizing a meetingsponsored by ECP/GR in the nearfuture.

The International Symposium onManaging Biodiversity inAgricultural Ecosystemsconvened 8-10 November 2001 inMontreal, Canada. TheSymposium was co-organized bythe United Nations University(UNU), the Secretariat of theConvention on Biological Diversity(CBD) and IPGRI. TheSymposium brought together 140participants from the academic,government, research and non-profit sectors to shareexperiences, case studies,initiatives and ideas on themanagement of agriculturalbiodiversity in agro-ecosystems.Agricultural biodiversity includesall components of biologicaldiversity with relevance to foodand agriculture, including cropand livestock resources.

Each of the three days wasdevoted to a different theme,specifically: crop and livestockgenetic resources; associatedbiodiversity and agro-ecosystemservices; and landscape, scaleand change. Presentations weregiven on specific aspects of eachtheme and poster displaysprovided visual expansion of eacharea. The objectives of theSymposium were to: advanceunderstanding of the complexprocess and mechanisms for on-

farm management of biodiversityand their relation with farmers’livelihoods; compare andexchange experiences inencouraging profitablemanagement practices andsystems of biodiversity on farm;identify lessons learned for policyand capacity building; andcontribute to the implementation ofthe CBD programme of work onagricultural biodiversity. TheSymposium was held immediatelyprior to the seventh meeting of theCBD’s Subsidiary Body onScientific, Technical andTechnological Advice (SBSTTA),which discussed and assessedthe overall progress made in theprogramme of work(www.biodiv.org).

During the final sessionparticipants agreed that thesuccess stories discussed duringthe Symposium depended on arigorous interdisciplinary approachand recognized the importance ofthe understanding of thesocioeconomic aspects, inaddition to the genetic knowledge.

For further information contactD. Jarvis, Senior Scientist, In SituConservation, at IPGRI(d.jarvis@cgiar.org). Fullproceedings from the Symposium,including abstracts, will bepublished later in the year.

Final meeting of Gen Res project on grapevine genetic resources

IPGRI Newsletter for Europe

Analysis of duplicates and most original samples in collections

55555

An internship funded by theGovernment of Québec, Canada,was undertaken by Marie-HélèneLamarre, June - December 2001at the IPGRI Regional Office forEurope, in collaboration with theN.I. Vavilov Research Institute ofPlant Industry (VIR) and a numberof other European genebanks.The main objective was to obtainan overview of the geneticmaterial held in collections toenable rationalization inconserving and managing PGR.

Results from previousanalyses of germplasm dataundertaken mainly by van Hintumet al. in the early 1990s, indicatethat it is not possible to identifyduplicate (genetically identical)accessions in ex situ germplasmcollections by matching passportdata only, due to the low quality ofthe database information. Theinformation is highly unreliable dueto the lack of a standard datamanagement system in allgenebanks, and due to humanerror, since accession namesmay be interpreted differently or

incorrectly. It is possible to identifydatabase matches as “putativeduplicates” that are indicative of,but not necessarily, geneticduplicates. The identification ofduplicate accessions wouldtherefore require molecularanalysis for confirmation.

The limitation of the databaseinformation available was also amajor challenge faced by theinternship project. The use of avariety of software packages todetect the duplicate data identified30-60% of duplicates, dependingon the ex situ collection evaluated.However, despite a recentimprovement in software toolsavailable, this result is still notaccurate enough to enablestrategic management choices ofgenetic material.

The study also focused on theproblem of low quality wheatpassport data available foranalysis methodologies, involvingVIR, the German Center forDocumentation and Information inAgriculture (ZADI) and the ECP/GR Wheat Working Group.

ECP/GR meeting on Flax genetic resources in EuropeThe need to strengthenEuropean cooperation on flaxgenetic resources becamerecently evident with a significantdecrease in flax acreage inEurope during the last ten years.Simultaneous to this loss ofresources, it is also not knownwhich European countriesmaintain flax collections or howlarge these holdings are. Toaddress this situation, an ad hocmeeting on flax geneticresources in Europe wasorganized within the frameworkof the ECP/GR Industrial Cropsand Potato Network incollaboration with Working Group1 of the FAO – ESCORENA Flaxand other Bast plants Network.The meeting, attended by 12participants from nine countries,was held at the ResearchInstitute for Crop ProductionPrague-Ruzyne (RICP), CzechRepublic, 7-8 December 2001.The local organizer, M. Pavelekof Agritec Sumperk, Chair of theESCORENA Working Group 1and manager of the InternationalFlax Database (IFDB), wasselected as Chair of the flax adhoc Group, in collaboration withL. van Soest, Centre for GeneticResources, the Netherlands.

One objective of the meetingwas to further facilitate thedevelopment of the IFDB.Managed and coordinated byAgritec since 1994, it includesdata for 1416 accessions, storedin 13 contributing genebanksfrom 11 countries. The currentcontent is estimated as beingonly 5% of the total number ofaccessions (potentially 25 000)conserved in Europe. During themeeting, participants fromBulgaria, the Netherlands,Poland, and the RussianFederation provided theirpassport data, and the Groupagreed to prioritize thedevelopment of the IFDB.Requests for passport data willalso be sent to the UK, theNordic Gene Bank and the BalticStates, as well as Canada andthe United States. The addition ofcharacterization and evaluationdata will also be recommended ina subsequent phase.The Group was informed that aproject entitled “Utilization ofEuropean Flax GermplasmBiodiversity for Improving andIncreasing sustainable Flaxproduction in Europe“(EuroBioFlax), had beensubmitted for funding to the

European Commission within the5th Framework Programme. Theobjectives are to complete theinventory of European flaxgermplasm collections; tostandardize the evaluation,description and characterizationmethodologies; to identifyduplicate accessions maintainedunder synonymous names in thecollections using molecularmethods, and to develop aEuropean flax core collection.Unfortunately, the fundingapplication was not successful.However, limited funding will bemade available by ECP/GR fornon-EU countries to undertakecharacterization work and tofurther promote the developmentof the IFDB.A request will be submitted to theSteering Committee of ECP/GRto formalize the establishment ofa Working Group on Flax, toguarantee the possibility of futuremeetings, with a second potentialmeeting in 2004.A report of the meeting, includinginformation on the status of flaxgenetic resources in Europeancollections, is under preparationby the ECP/GR Secretariat.

Ms M. LamarreSt Bruno de MontarvilleQuebecCanada

Current computer assistedevaluation was demonstrated tobe insufficient due to the poorinformation available, and it istherefore necessary for databasemanagers and curators to screenaccessions manually to enable theidentification of data matches orduplicates. Application of theirexpertise should also enable theidentification of the originalsamples of a collection. Theirinvolvement is vital at the start ofthe evaluation process to ensureaccurate results and to implementrational germplasm management.

To rationalize collections onthe basis of genetic identity orsimilarity,analysis of passport datashould be followed by molecularanalysis on areduced number ofaccessions.The preliminaryoutcomes of this work show theneed for active collaborationbetween all the partners involved.It is hoped that continued efforts inthe analysis of germplasmcollections will lead to sustainablecooperation and rationalization ofcollections in Europe.

IPGRI Newsletter for Europe

Forest genebank in Kostrzyca, Poland

European Forest Genetic Resources ProgrammeEuropean Forest Genetic Resources ProgrammeEuropean Forest Genetic Resources ProgrammeEuropean Forest Genetic Resources ProgrammeEuropean Forest Genetic Resources Programme66666

The dynamic conservation ofpopulations is the principal way ofconserving genetic resources offorest trees species, owing to theirlong life cycles, mating systemsand very low degree ofdomestication. The conservationof seeds and other geneticmaterial in genebanks is,therefore, considered as a "back-up" measure, complementing otherin situ and ex situ efforts. Incontrast to cultivated plantspecies, genebanks representonly a small proportion of efforts toconserve the genetic resources offorest trees.

The main objective of the exsitu conservation in forest treegenebanks is to ensure theavailability of genetic material atdifferent locations and periods oftime for tree improvement,evaluation, research orafforestation purposes. Forest treegenebanks are also an essentialsource of genetic material for therestoration of threatenedspecies and their populations.

The Forest Gene Bank inKostrzyca, Poland is one of therecent, state-of-the-art facilities ofthis type in Europe. Built in theshadow of the KarkonoszeMountains on the Polish-Czechborder, the Gene Bank is locatedin one of the most damaged areasof Polish forest, caused byindustrial air pollution.

The idea to establish the GeneBank in this location originated inthe 1980s from a group of localforesters and scientists, andbecame a reality after theprogramme’s aims wereelaborated by Prof B. Suszka in1992. Construction was financedby the State Forestry Commission;the Global Environment Facility(GEF); the National EnvironmentalProtection and Water ResourcesFund; Eco-Fund; the RegionalEnvironmental Protection; theWater Resources Fund in JeleniaGora, and the Forest ResearchInstitute. The PHARE programmeof the European Union also joinedthe project in 1996, providingadditional resources for a hoteland recreation facilities for visitorsto the Forest Gene Bank.Building began in March 1994 and

the Gene Bank was opened inDecember 1995. Designed by theMiastoprojekt designers inWroclaw and constructed bythe Wroclaw Industrial BuildingCompany, the buildingincorporates traditional localdesign elements. It is of such ahigh standard, that both thedesigners and constructors wereawarded the national prize of“Construction Project” in 1995.

The laboratories of the GeneBank are fitted with equipmentfrom suppliers around Europe forthe entire seed preparationprocess and long-term storage.The Gene Bank is authorized toissue seed quality certificates,according to both national andinternational standards. Facilitiesinclude a nursery for theproduction of containerized plantsand nursery stock, plus anarboretum of 4.32 ha. Newlaboratories are planned formolecular research, includingisozyme and DNA analyses.

The Gene Bank plays asignificant role in capacity buildingand in the six years sinceopening, it has hosted a numberof local and internationalconferences and symposia. Since1997, in collaboration with theKrakow Agricultural University, ithas also hosted annual post-graduate courses on forestgenetics and tree breeding. Themost recent course in 2001included the training of 30specialists from various areas offorestry practice in Poland.

The Gene Bank operatesunder the scientific supervision ofthe Forest Research Institute, theInstitute of Dendrology of thePolish Academy of Sciences andother forest academic centers.

The hosting of the thirdEUFORGEN Conifers Networkmeeting at the Gene Bank inKostrzyca, in September 2002,will provide an excellentopportunity for discussing thecollaborative work on conifers inEurope, including the particularaspects of genetic conservationin forest tree genebanks. Moreinformation on the Gene Bank isavailable at www.lbg.jgora.pl/or contact: lbg@lbg.jgora.pl.

http://www.ipgr i.cgiar.org/networks/euforgen/euf_home.htmhttp://www.ipgr i.cgiar.org/networks/euforgen/euf_home.htmhttp://www.ipgr i.cgiar.org/networks/euforgen/euf_home.htmhttp://www.ipgr i.cgiar.org/networks/euforgen/euf_home.htmhttp://www.ipgr i.cgiar.org/networks/euforgen/euf_home.htmEUFORGENEUFORGENEUFORGENEUFORGENEUFORGENIPGRI Newsletter for Europe77777

National Coordinators from 33countries and focal persons fromten additional European countriesare expected to participate in theEUFORGEN Steering Committeemeeting, 30 June - 1 July, inJönköping, Sweden. Jönköping, atown amid large Nordic coniferforests, is the location of theNational Board of Forestry, theimplementing agency ofEUFORGEN in Sweden.

The main objective of the meetingwill be to evaluate progress madein the first half of the current, five-year Phase II (2000-2004).Evaluation will focus on activitiesand achievements of the fiveoperating Networks, namely:Conifers; Mediterranean Oaks;Populus nigra (black poplar and P.alba, white poplar); NobleHardwoods and SocialBroadleaves. As agreed at theprevious Steering Committeemeeting in November 1998, theemphasis of Phase II is on thedevelopment of gene conservationstrategies and technicalguidelines, as well as thecontinued exchange andstandardization of informationamong countries.

A further request at theprevious meeting was that closerlinks be facilitated between theNetworks, to harmonize actionand to address themes ofcommon interest, e.g. globalclimate change and conservationof ecosystems. A small groupcomposed of chairpersons wasestablished to facilitate thisnetwork synergy. One successfulexample of the increased jointaction is the development, andwide use, of the on-linebibliographic database on ForestGenetic Resources (FGR).

The conservation of FGR canbe ensured through carefullydesigned and implementednetworks of gene conservationunits for target species within theirdistribution areas. A “masterplan”for a given species would setpriorities for conservation effortsin the different areas of thedistribution range. Suchagreement would also provide thebasis for recommending,coordinating and monitoring thepractical measures taken in theforests. The main objectives areto secure the long-termconservation and availability ofcritical levels of genetic diversity,and to integrate work done at thenational level. A system ofincentives would be required tosupport such a “masterplan” andall the conservation measures beembedded into routine forestryactivities.

In 2001 the Ukraine joined thesecond phase of an internationalproject aiming at theconservation of the valuable, andlargely threatened, broadleavedforest genetic resources insoutheastern Europe (see issue20 page 3). This collaborativepartnership of the Ukraine’sinstitutions has yielded severalpractical results during the firstyear of activities.The main emphasis has been onundertaking field inventories ofexisting resources. In the otherthree partner countries of theproject (Bulgaria, Moldova andRomania), a large number ofstands were identified, selectedand described as in situconservation units for 11species during the first phase ofthe project (1997-2000). In 2001the Ukraine undertook acomprehensive inventory of theexisting system of geneticreserves for all the broadleavedforest tree species throughoutthe country, with particularemphasis on rare species.A total of 93 genetic reservesand 11 conservation standswere described during theinventory, requiring 24 fieldexpeditions for data collection.

The results reveal that significantdamage has occurred in manystands due to ice breakage inthe past two years. Using datafrom the State Forest Inventorydatabase, an integrateddistribution map of beechspecies (Fagus sp.) insoutheastern Europe wascompiled and produced in theUkraine on behalf of all partners.Laboratory based research isplanned for 2002, involvingmicropropagation techniques toestablish an in vitro collection ofthe most endangered genotypesof oak trees in the Kharkiv regionin eastern Ukraine. This will beundertaken by a youngUkrainian researcher whoreceived training in thesetechniques on Quercus sp. atthe Centre de Recherche PublicGabriel Lippmann, Luxembourg,one of the partner institutions.In addition to the UkrainianResearch Institute of Forestryand Forest Melioration inKharkiv, national partners in theproject include the Institute forMountain Forestry in Ivano-Frankivsk and the University inLviv. Financial support is beingprovided by the Government ofLuxembourg.

Oak (Quercus polycarpa) from southeasternEurope (Photo: S. Bordacs, Hungary)

These management principlesand guidelines are alreadyavailable to a large extent as theresult of EUFORGEN networkingefforts in recent years. Moduleswith technical guidelines arecurrently being finalized for twelveNoble Hardwoods species orgenera, as well as for temperatewhite oaks (Quercus sp.), and willalso be developed for five priorityConifer species.

The group of chairpersons,concerned with an effectiveimplementation of FGRconservation in Europe, hasrecently discussed and formulateda new vision for the future basedon these “masterplans” which willbe discussed further at theforthcoming meeting.

Additional items on the agendaof the Steering Committee meetingwill include communication, thewider influences on research andconservation collaboration,cooperation with other regionalprogrammes, and impact on theprogress in FGR conservation atnational level.

Since its establishment in1994, EUFORGEN has received astrong endorsement fromparticipating countries. Thecontribution of this Programmetowards the goals set by theMinisterial Conferences on theProtection of Forests in Europewill also be discussed in light ofthe forthcoming FourthConference in April 2003.

EUFORGEN Mid-term steering committee meeting planned

Silver fir (Abies alba) seedling(Photo: M. Bozzano, IPGRI)

For furtherinformationplease contactthe UkrainianNationalCoordinator R.Volosyanchuk(volrom@u-fri.kharkov.com).

Conserving broadleaved forestgenetic resources in the Ukraine

IPGRI Newsletter for Europe88888

EU Research: Dynamics and conservation in forest ecosystemsDynamics and conservation ofgenetic diversity in forestecosystems (DYGEN) is the titleof an international conferencebeing held 2-5 December 2002 inStrasbourg, France. With financialsupport from the EU fifthFramework Programme, theConference will host scientists,conservation agency end users,forestry organizations and otherstakeholders. In addition to sharingand discussing the achievementsof relevant EU-funded researchprojects in this area, theConference will highlight theapplicability of the results inpractical conservation. It will focuson filling the gap between basicresearch in population,evolutionary and ecologicalgenetics and the implementation oftheir results through conservationactions. The Conference will alsoidentify gaps and future researchneeds, and will consist of twoprincipal parts: “Processes andmechanisms promoting geneticdiversity in forest ecosystems”;and “Implementation ofconservation strategies”.Research related to the monitoringand understanding of basicmechanisms shaping forest

geneticdiversitywassupportedwithinthefourthand fifthFPsthrough16differentprojectsinvolving157 partners.With their regular annual meetingsand frequent contact amongmembers from different Europeancountries, the closely linkedEUFORGEN Networks haveplayed a catalyzing role, providingopportunities for identifyingresearch needs and planning jointproject proposals. Many of theNetworks also offer a platform fordiscussing and disseminating theresults of ongoing projects.

More information on theConference organized by INRAStation de RecherchesForestieres, Pierroton-Cestas,France, is available fromwww.pierroton.inra.fr/genetics/Dygen/

Cork Oak (Quercus suber) (Photo: M. Bozzano,IPGRI)

The largely unexplored potentialof many forest tree species,including wood products andmedicinal uses, is the reasonwhy forest diversity is of suchimportance. Genetic variationwithin a species is significantsince the survival of the speciesdepends on this variation togrow and resist stresses suchas harsh weather and disease.This was the point emphasizedby the 12th Session of the Panelof Experts on Forest GeneResources, held 21-23November at FAO in Rome.The Panel, established in 1968,meets every two years,reporting on the state of ForestGenetic Resources (FGR),making recommendations fortheir conservation and use, andon the future focus of FAO’sFGR programme. The Panel’s15 members are independentexperts in a wide variety ofareas and are from an equallywide range of cultural, linguisticand regional backgrounds.The importance of continued

FAO support in elaboratingregional and sub-regional FGRaction plans, as discussed andagreed upon by countries in aseries of regional workshops,was considered of particularimportance. The final aim of theseefforts is to develop a country-driven, participatory, global actionplan for the conservation andsustainable use of FGR. Panelmembers reviewed the outcomesof some of the workshopsorganized during recent years indry-zone Sub-Saharan Africa, theSouth Pacific and southern andeastern Africa. Additionalworkshops are planned for 2002and 2003 in Central Africa andCentral America.As part of its regular agenda, thePanel updated the lists of prioritytree species requiring attention,by region and by operationalactivity. These “Panel lists”complement national and locallists of priority species, andpriority lists of endangered foresttree species. The Panelrecommended that networking

support be provided for a limitednumber of species of importance(including neem and somemahogany species) to a range ofcountries. It was emphasizedthat there is a need to payspecial attention to speciesthreatened by geneticimpoverishment caused byunmanaged use, and by naturalphenomena such as fire anddrought.An update on the activitiescarried out within EUFORGENNetworks was also given duringthe meeting, and the priority listof European species establishedand agreed upon by the NobleHardwoods and MediterraneanOaks Networks were also takeninto consideration duringdiscussions of species requiringattention.The Panel’s full report will bepublished later in the year inEnglish, French and Spanish.More information is availablefrom www.fao.org/ forestry/FOR/FORM/FOGENRES/homepage/

Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources

The aim of the European Networkfor Biodiversity Information (ENBI)is to manage an open network ofrelevant biodiversity informationcentres in Europea. The Networkwill include all European nationalnodes of the Global BiodiversityInformation Facility (GBIF) andrelevant EU-funded programmesand projects. ENBI will identifypriorities requiring a commonapproach at the European scale.By offering European researchersaccess to European technical andhuman resources, includingexpertise and know-how onbiodiversity, the Network willprovide views and access tobiodiversity data and informationat the European biogeographicalscale. It will also provide adiscussion forum for developingstrategies on issues ofbiodiversity information thatrequire a European approach.

This three-year project isexpected to initiate activities insummer 2002. The outcomes willbe disseminated through thevarious networks and workinggroups of ECP/GR andEUFORGEN. ECP/GR will alsoprovide an effective link with theEURISCO catalogue.

The project coordinator is W.Los, University of Amsterdam, theNetherlands and more informationis available at the temporary website: www.faunaeur.org/enbi/info.html.

.

EU Research:European Networkfor BiodiversityInformation - ENBI

IPGRI Newsletter for Europe99999

The project proposal entitled“European Crop Wild RelativeDiversity Assessment &Conservation Forum(PGRForum)”, submitted inOctober 2001, has been approvedfor funding. The proposal wassubmitted to the Fifth FrameworkProgramme for Energy,Environment and SustainableDevelopment, Key action 2 ‘Globalchange, climate and biodiversity’,2.2.3 ‘Assessing and conservingbiodiversity’. The scientific andtechnical objectives of the projectare: to provide a European forumand network for the assessmentof species conservation andgenetic diversity of European wildcrop relatives, and to developappropriate conservationmethodologies.

A broad expertise of partnersfrom 15 European countries aswell as the Nordic Gene Bank, theInternational Union for the

EU Research: PGR Forum

AIMS OF THE PGRFORUM :● To bring together European plant conservationists to debate

the assessment and conservation of European wild croprelatives at both the species and population levels;

● To produce an ssessment of baseline biodiversity data, threatand conservation status forEuropean wild crop relatives, and todebate and formulate methodologies for their conservation; and

● To communicate theseresults to relevant conservationstakeholders, policy makers and user groups in a manner thataids efficient and effective European wild croprelative diversityconservation and also facilitates the use of this Europeanresource.

Conservation of Nature (IUCN)and IPGRI, participate in theproject. The project proposal wasformulated and submitted as aninitiative of the ECP/GR In situConservation Task Force. TheTask Force will also provide a linkbetween this new project and thecrop-specific Working Groups of

ECP/GR, and will play a major rolein the dissemination of results.

The project is coordinated byN. Maxted, University ofBirmingham, UK(nigel.maxted@dial.pipex.com),and the first meeting is planned forSeptember 2002 in Greece.

The EuroCat Thematic Networkaims at bringing together all thetaxonomic databases maintainedindependently around Europe intoa comprehensive and a singlescientific infrastructure. Theexisting databases include threemajor EU-funded taxonomicdatabase projects covering manygroups of organisms indigenous toEurope. The Network will initiate acomprehensive catalogue oforganisms to underpin activitieson biodiversity in the region andworldwide. A “distributedorganization” will be developed, to:

(i) assemble acomprehensivecatalogue of organisms(EuroCat - Catalogue of Life)

(ii) establish a sustainablebusiness plan for developingthe catalogue as an ongoinginformation infrastructure.

The EuroCat Gateway will be anelectronic gateway using theindexing property of the Catalogueto locate precise technicalbiodiversity information on speciesfrom other data systems in Europe

EU Research: Catalogue of Life - EuroCatand worldwide. Examples includegermplasm sources, access tomuseum specimens and toecological data, as well asillustrations and maps.

The ECP/GR networks willassist the project partners inidentifying the needs of users andevaluating the final products.

The EuroCat Network, a

In collaboration with FAO, arevised version of the 1997Multi-Crop Passport Descriptors(MCPD) list has recently beendeveloped by IPGRI. Thisimportant reference tool hasbeen developed to provideinternational standards tofacilitate germplasm passportinformation exchange amongstgenebanks with different cropcollections.These descriptors aim to becompatible with IPGRI cropdescriptor lists and with thedescriptors used for the FAOWorld Information and EarlyWarning System (WIEWS) onPlant Genetic Resources (PGR).This updated version of the 1997MCPD List, completed in

three-year project coordinated byF. Bisby, University of Reading,UK, (f.a.bisby@reading.ac.uk),includes key players and expertsin Europe, from the largesttaxonomic institutes to individualexperts. It is led by a consortiumof six principal partners, which willmeet for the first time inSeptember 2002.

December 2001, provides abrief explanation on the content,coding scheme and suggestedfieldnames for each descriptor toassist in the computerizedexchange of this data. Thisallows for basic passport data tobe exchanged worldwide in aconsistent manner.Copies of the MCPD list can beobtained from the IPGRI websiteat www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pubfile.asp?id_PUB=1241in PDF format or for printedcopies contact ipgri-publications@cgiar.For further information on theMCPD list or any IPGRIDescriptors, please contact A.Alercia at a.alercia@cgiar.org.

IPGRI/FAO Multi-crop PassportDescriptors

IPGRI Newsletter for Europe1010101010

DIVA-GIS: a new tool to manage PGRPlant genetic resourcesmanagement is a complexprocess that ranges fromidentifying a gene pool, toconserving and using its geneticresources. Many activities in thisprocess generate and require theanalysis of geographic data. Thisis done most effectively withgeographic information system(GIS) software. GIS can be usedto analyse genetic diversity dataand combine it with informationsuch as population density,climate, topography and soil.These analyses can contribute toactivities such as monitoring

genetic diversity, selectingpotential sites for collecting,designing reserves or developingconservation strategies.

In collaboration with nationaland international organizations,IPGRI is developing innovativemethodologies and tools tosupport the use of GIS. Thisinitiative includes the design,development, and distribution oflow cost and easy to use toolssuch as DIVA-GIS, a recentlyreleased software for spatialanalysis of genetic resourcesdata. DIVA-GIS is a tooldeveloped at the InternationalPotato Center (CIP) incollaboration with IPGRI andadditional financial support fromthe System-wide GeneticResources Program (SGRP) andothers.

DIVA-GIS allows users to find andverify the coordinates of anaccession or draw associatedclimate data, identify diversityhotspots or predict where to findaccessions with desiredcharacteristics (see article onBrassica, page 2). Preliminaryversions of DIVA-GIS were usedduring IPGRI training events inAfrica, Asia, Latin America and theMiddle East, with support fromorganizations and IPGRI offices inthose regions. Users of thesoftware find it easy to apply andmany of their suggestions onpossible improvements have beenincorporated in the software.

DIVA-GIS is available free ofcharge from gis.cip.cgiar.org/gis/tools/diva.htm andcopies of the user manual and atutorial can be downloaded fromthe same site. Geo-referenceddata on countries in the region,including climate, land use,population density andadministrative boundaries isavailable fromgis.cip.cgiar.org/gis/data/MapServer.htm.

For further information onDIVA-GIS, contact L. Guarino atIPGRI: l.guarino@cgiar.org or R.Hijmans at CIP:r.hijmans@cgiar.org. Moreinformation on these GIS activitiesis also available on-line atwww.ipgri.cgiar.org/regions/Americas.

IPGRI Newsletter for Europe1111111111

Information on funding opportunitiesIPGRI’s Regional Office for Europe is collecting information on funding agencies with the goal of increasing accessibility to European basedfunding opportunities for plant genetic resources conservation activities worldwide.Disclaimer – IPGRI is not responsible for technical inaccuracies. Please contact the specific centres directly with any queries.

European Forest Institute (EFI)Mission to promote, conduct and cooperate in research of forests, forestry and forest products at pan-European level, and make researchresults known, notably in the areas of policy formulation and implementation, in order to promote the conservation and sustainable managementof forests in Europe. Finances scholarships and training. Typical level of funding is of less than US$5000. Research programmes: Forestecology and management; Forest products markets and socioeconomics; Policy analysis; and Forest resources and information.Closing Date: 31 June 2002. Further Information: www.efi.fi/research/project_proposal_format.html

European Science Foundation - Standing Committee for Life and Environmental Sciences.Grants available within the framework of several scientific programmes and networks. Closing Date: Varies according to activity type &programme. Further information: www.esf.org/life/

NATO Science ProgrammeEnvironmental and Earth Science and Technology (EST) finances projects, workshops and travel to support collaboration between scientists inPartner countries or Mediterranean Dialogue countries and scientist in NATO countries. Closing Date: 1 April & 1 September 2002.Further information: www.nato.int/science/

Natural Environment Research CouncilSupports research projects, training and fellowship awards in a number of fields and in a number of manners, including: Small grants (up to£30K) – Deadlines: 1 June & 1 Oct; New Investigators (up to £50K) – Deadline: 1 Feb; Standard Grants (more than £30k, typically £125k) –Deadlines: 1 July & 1 Dec; Consortium grants (up to £2 million) – Deadlines: 1 July & 1 Dec; Fellowships – Deadline: 30 Sept.Closing Date: Depends of grant type. Further information:www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/

Wain Travel FellowshipProvides support to researchers for international collaboration in agriculture, including sustainable systems and fundamental research in areaswithin the remit of BBSRC. Funds not provided for conference attendance. Applicant must be UK based and either approaching the end of PhDstudies, or at the start of an academic research career. Approximately six awards are available each year and applications invited annually.Shortlisted applicants are invited to an interview. Closing Date: 30 September (annually). Further Information:www.bbsrc.ac.uk/international/bbsrc/wain.html

The Linnean Society –The Percy Sladen FundSupports fieldwork in earth and life sciences. No grants available for further study. Grants for maximum of £600.Closing date: 30 September 2002. Further information: www.linnean.org

Carpathian FoundationOperating in the bordering areas of Central-Eastern Europe (Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine). Mission to promote “goodneighbourliness”, social stability, and economic progress in the bordering areas by supporting community development, cross-border and inter-ethnic cooperation. Further information: www.carpathianfoundation.org

The Foundation for Russian American Economic Cooperation (FRAEC): US –RFE Partnership ActivitySponsored by USAID to support existing partnerships and encourage partnerships between groups working together in the Russian Far East(RFE) and the US. Collaboration at various levels focused on: community connections; innovative technology transfer; strengthening NGOs;developing grassroots citizen awareness and participation; provision of particular skills to Russian leaders and professional to bring aboutsustainable changes; and strengthening networks and capacity building of partner organisations. Further information: www.fraec.org

Charity Know How (CKH) Grants Programme 2002Provides small grants (up to £15 000) for skill-sharing partnerships between NGOs from different countries of Central and Eastern Europe andthe NIS. CKH welcome applications on: Cross-border partnerships within the four priority sub-regions (Balkans and Carpathians; Caucasus;Central Asia; Western CIS); and partnerships where skills and ‘know-how’ are transferred from larger, more experienced NGOs to smaller,grass-roots, community-based organisations. Closing date: 27 August 2002. Further information: www.allavida.org

TACIS – Institution Building Partnership ProgrammeMain objectives are to support the development of civil society and local institutions i.e.: a) to support institutions which constitute a counterpartto the central state authority; b) to promote local level initiatives in the regions. Sectors or themes that can be supported: economic developmentand environmental issues. Grants between Euro symbol100 000 - 200 000. Eligible countries: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Mongolia,Moldova, Russia, Ukraine. Closing date: 8 April 2002. Further information: europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/

Earthwatch InstitutePromotes sustainable conservation of natural resources and cultural heritage by creating partnerships between scientists, educators and thegeneral public. Priority themes: botany; conservation methods (ex situ and in situ); forestry; human aspects; nutrition; scientific publications;public awareness; socio-economic and ethnobotany; training; and field-based research.Further information: www.earthwatch.org/aboutew/cfr.html

The Royal SocietyAwards granted for research in natural and agricultural sciences. Further information: www.royalsoc.ac.uk/international/index.html

Trust for Mutual UnderstandingPromotes communication, cooperation, and greater respect between the people of the US, the Soviet Union, and other countries in Eastern andCentral Europe. Areas of priority: biodiversity; environment conservation; international cooperation; public awareness on environmental issues;and capacity building of local and national organisations. Closing date: 1 May & 1 October 2002. Further information: www.tmuny.org

Institute of International Education, Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship ProgramPriority issues: biodiversity; environment conservation; international cooperation; public awareness on environmental issues; capacity building oflocal and national organizations; food security; agriculture; socio-economic; and nutrition. Closing date: July - December 2002.Further information: www.iie.org/pgms/hhh/

Solanaceae V. Advances inTaxonomy and Utilization. 2001.R.G. van den Berg, G.W.M.Barendse, G.M. van derWeerden & C. Mariani (eds).Nijmegen University Press. 442pages.

IPGRI Publications:

Descriptors for Allium (Alliumspp.). 2001. IPGRI, ECP/GR andAsian Vegetable Research &Development Center (AVRDC).42 pages.

ECP/GR Working Group meetingon Barley: 6th meeting. 3December 2000, Salsomaggiore,Italy. H. Knüpffer, R. vonBothmer, M. Ambrose, R. Ellis,A.M. Stanca, D. Enneking, L.Maggioni and E. Lipman,compilers. IPGRI, Italy. 70pages.

Managing Plant GeneticDiversity. 2002. J.M.M.Engels,V.Ramanatha Rao, A.H.D.Brown & M.T. Jackson. 2002.CABI. 487 pages.

Multicrop Passport Descriptors.2001. A, Alercia, S. Diulgheroff &T. Metz. FAO & IPGRI, Italy. 4pages.

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REGIONAL OFFICEFOR EUROPEc/o IPGRI HeadquartersVia dei Tre Denari 472/a00057 MaccareseRome, ItalyFax: +39-0661979661http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/regions/europe/home.htm

Forthcoming MeetingsForthcoming MeetingsForthcoming MeetingsForthcoming MeetingsForthcoming Meetings

Jozef TurokRegional Director &EUFORGEN CoordinatorTel: 39-066118250Email:j.turok@cgiar.org

Michele BozzanoTemporary Scientific AssistantTel: 39-066118221Email: m.bozzano@cgiar.org

Muriel ColasProgramme AssistantTel: 39-066118229Email:m.colas@cgiar.org

Lidwina KoopProgramme AssistantTel: 39-066118251Email:l.koop@cgiar.org

Brigitte LalibertéProgramme SpecialistCrop Genetic ResourcesTel: 39-066118244Email:b.laliberte@cgiar.org

Elinor Lipman*Scientific AssistantTel: 33-467611302Email:e.lipman@cgiar.org

Lorenzo MaggioniECP/GR CoordinatorTel: 39-066118231Email:l.maggioni@cgiar.org

Olga Spellman*Programme AssistantTel: 39-066118411Email:o.spellman@cgiar.org

(*part time)

Editing & Layout byHelen MalherbeFreelance Editor & ConsultantEmail:Lherbe@global.co.za

8-26 April 2002Sixth Conference of theParties to the Convention onBiological Diversity andmeeting of the CartagenaProtocolThe Hague, the Netherlandssecretariat@biodiv.orgwww.biodiv.org

12-16 May 2002Seventh InternationalWorkshop on SeedsSalamanca, Spainwww.geocities.com/workshop_on_seeds

21-22 May 2002120 years of agriculturalsciences in SadovoSadovo, Bulgariarada_k@abv.bg orkoeva.ipgr@au-plovdiv.bg

26-30 May 2002Biotechnology approaches forexploitation and preservationof plant resourcesYalta, Crimea, Ukrainenbs1812@ukr.netwww.nbg.crimea.ua

2-7 June 2002International Conference onLegume Genomics andGenetics: Translation to CropImprovementSaint-Paul, Minnesota, USAwww.agro.agri.umn.edu/iclgg

10-13 June 2002World Food Summit – fiveyears laterRome, Italyfoodsummit@fao.orgwww.fao.org/worldfoodsummit

22-27 June 200243rd Annual Meeting of theSociety for Economic BotanySymposium on the Origins,Evolution, and Conservation ofCrop Plants: a MolecularApproachNew York, USAAdlentz@nybg.orgwww.econbot.org

8-10 July 2002International Conference forBotanic Gardens on Sciencefor Plant ConservationDublin, Irelandwww.rbg.ca/cbcn/science/

11-14 July 20026

th International Conference on

Agricultural Biotechnology:New Avenues for Production,Consumption and TechnologyTransfer, ICABRRavello, Italyicabr@economia.uniroma2.it

www.economia.uniroma2.it/conferenze/icabr

22-26 July 2002FAO/ITTO/INAB GuatemalaInternational Conference onCriteria and indicators forSustainable Forest ManagementGuatemaly City, Guatemalafroylan.castaneda@fao.org orchristel.palmberg@fao.org oritto@or.jp

11-17 August 2002Symposium S21 “PlantGenetic Resources: TheFabric of Horticulture’sFuture”, XXVIth InternationalHorticultural CongressToronto, Canadawww.ihc2002.org/ihc2002/multi_day-symposia_S21.htm

21-23 August 2002Plant Genetic Resources inAgricultural and EnvironmentalSustainability (NIAB)St John’s CollegeCambridge, UKmary.mcphee@niab.comwww.niab.com

Allium Crop Science: RecentAdvances. 2002. H.D.Rabinowitch & L. Currah.CABI. 528 pages.

CBD Technical Series No 3.Assessment, Conservation andSustainable Use of ForestBiodiversity. 2001. Secretariat ofthe Convention on BiologicalDiversity. 130 pages.

Crop Science : Progress andProspects. 2001. J. Nösberger,H.H. Geiger & P.C. Struik (eds).CABI pubishing. 398 pages.

Designing Field Studies forBiodiversity Conservation. 2001.P. Feinsinger. Island Press,USA. 212 pages.

Encouraging diversity : theconservation and development ofplant genetic resources. 2000.Almekinders, Conny & Walter deBoef (eds). IntermediateTechnology Publications Ltd, UK.362 pages.

People, plants and protectedareas: a guide to in situmanagement. 2001. J. Tuxill &G.P. Nabhan. EarthscanPublications Ltd, UK. 248 pages.

Seed provision and agriculturaldevelopment : the institutions ofrural change. 2001. R. Tripp.Overseas Development Institute,UK. 174 pages.

Publications of InterestPublications of InterestPublications of InterestPublications of InterestPublications of Interest

This newsletter isThis newsletter isThis newsletter isThis newsletter isThis newsletter isproduced by theproduced by theproduced by theproduced by theproduced by thestaff of thestaff of thestaff of thestaff of thestaff of theRegional OfficeRegional OfficeRegional OfficeRegional OfficeRegional Officefor Europefor Europefor Europefor Europefor Europe

25-29 August 2002IUFRO Symposium onPopulation and EvolutionGenetics of Forest treesStara Lesna, Slovakiawww.tuzvo.sk/~paule/conference

26 August - 4 Sept 2002World Summit on SustainableDevelopmentJohannesburg, South Africawww.un.org/rio+10

1–6 September 200213

th Congress of the

Federation of EuropeanSocieties of Plant PhysiologyCrete, Greecefespp@biology.uoc.grwww.biology.uoc.gr/meetings/fespp

1-7 September 2002Management of MountainForest Ecosystems underNew Environmental ConditionsPrague, Czech Republicbalcar@vulhmop.cz orvancura@mze.cz