Annual Report

Genetic
diversity=
PROGRAMME ACTMTIES
.. The Genetic Diversity Group isconcerned with the extent and distribution
of genetic variation inplants. Such knowledge can be used to guide con-
servation activities and a more effective use of genetic resources. The
major concern iswith crop plants and their wild relatives, and with useful
forestry species. These concerns reflect both the biological characteristics
of the species and the human dimension; the way inwhich species are
used by farmers and communities inagriculture, agroforestry and forestry.
During tile Year there were a numnber of
important developments in the work of the
Genetic Diversity Group. A new staftf Men-
ber arrived to develop the ,ocioeconomic
and CuItural aspect ,
f oinervation.
Thanks to support from the Swiss Devel-
opment Cooperation, another scientist
joined the Group for one y'ear to develop a
major new project on the in slu conerva-
tion of crop plants. Linking work on tile
genetic aspects of diver,,itY conservation
and ti i lnan dinension will be an ioi-
portant component both ot tile ocioeco-
ionlic prograinnme ani of work on farm-
based con ervation of crop landraces as de-
scribed below. [IEGRI acknowledged the in-
creasing worldwide interest in conservation
in situ b Setting up an it SitvTask Force (see
the box on tile following page for the terms
of reference for this group).
Improving the
accessibility and use
of genetic resources
A project concerned with improving the
uSe of variation in crop genepoo,Ii inve ­
tigating the ways in which variation in
Lefl]characters can be made available to
potential users.
Abbreviations - see pp. 105-106
Investigations in variation of environmentally
sensitive characters
EvaIlation descriptors involve thowe genes
which are aiong the most importa nt to
plant breeders, agronomists and fairmers,
Ilowever, these de'criptor, are also the
most problematic: their expressLion de-
pends on genotypc, environment and (in
tile context of the entire germplasm collec-
tion) on the interactions between genotype
and environment. In other words, the ob­
0.
Ole roeofspecific
fcosi eemnn
factors in determining
the extent and
distribution of genetic
diversity in crop
genepools
maintenance Strategies for of
geneticdiversityand
genetic integrity in ex
situ collections of
plant genetic resources
"iImproving the
accesit e
accessibility and use
ofplantgenetic
resources
0 The development
of improved collecting
strategies
, The distribution,
extent and dynamics
ofgeneticdiversityin
tandraces and its
cnservaion
conservation
.) Strategies and
priority actions for
conservation and use
of forest genetic
resources
I, The socioeconomic
and cultural aspects of
conservingplant
genetic resources