Improving the identification, handling and storage of “difficult” seeds ...

which the viability seemed to be deteriorating due reasons such as bad sealing of aluminum packets
or storage under ambient conditions for a long period. For testing viability through germination
tests, four samples of 100 seeds each are taken randomly and placed in the incubator following
ISTA rules. However in the case of low quantities, two samples of 50 seeds for each could be used.
Usually we experience no or bad germination of wild species like Seamum sp. and Abelmoschus
esculentus and this might be due to dormancy. The store pests also lead to very fast deterioration of
seeds for certain species, e.g. Vigna unguiculata. If seeds are not extracted properly, this might lead
to slow germination, e.g. in seeds of Lycopersicon esculentus.
Constraints (question 5.10)
The priority for the ex-situ collections is the urgent characterization and evaluation, to facilitate
enhancement. The needs are the replacement and maintenance of the old equipment and capacity
building. Although some progress in the conservation of plant agro-biodiversity has been achieved
by the PGR programme in the ARC, it has been based on activities under the conditions of a lack in
adequate infrastructures and clear policy and legislative frameworks. Gaps and constraints
hindering this programme from fully achieving its goals could, therefore, be identified in the
following:
▪ Lack of clear policy for conservation of local genetic resources of both animals and plants. The
existing programme on crop genetic resources in the Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC)
is not sufficiently supported with clear policies and adequate capacities.
▪ The only proper genebank existing in the country is that of the Plant Genetic Resources (PGR)
Unit in ARC. Although some progress has been achieved since 2003 in the infrastructure and
human capacity of this unit, it still lacks sufficient personnel, suitable buildings and equipment,
in the centre and regions, to properly manage the plant crop diversity of such a big diverse
country as Sudan.
▪ Lack of a national framework with legislative and institutional instruments on agrobiodiversity
issues is a criterion featuring the work on crop and animal genetic resources in Sudan. The
country has been a party to the CBD since 1995 and ITPGRFA since 2002. However, no
national legislation has yet been developed on matters related to access to the genetic resources,
benefit sharing and farmers' rights.
Possible solutions to the constraints
▪ Development of strategies in any country to organize the management of the agro biodiversity
▪ Support from organizations to counties with rich agrobiodiversity, to support the national
program
▪ Awareness programs to convince the country managers of the value of plant genetic resources