PHILIPPINES The following needs for the different aspects of PGR conservation and management were identified: Human resources development There is a need for trained staff at the post graduate and technical levels in the different aspects of PGR conservation and management to take care of the many ex situ collections in the different genebanks. Conservation There is a need to develop viable and practical seed conservation strategy to insure the continued maintenance of seed germplasm, in terms of equipment, facilities and technical support. The strategy could include sharing of resources, designation of seed conservation sites, and use of low-cost but effective storage facilities. There is a need to assess the extent and proportion of genetic diversity existing in the collections among the institutions. This should be initiated in the crop species with appreciable number of accessions and with enough information (i.e. morphological characterization to begin with) for valid diversity assessment. The results of the assessment could be used to determine gaps, possible duplicates, and collecting needs. There is a need to determine obvious duplications (on the basis of variety name, pedigree and other similar passport information) to insure efficient use of resources for conservation and management of the germplasm collections. The priorities for sustaining and expanding ex situ plant genetic resources collections should include continuing the national support for ex situ conservation. The activities for the conservation and management of germplasm collections should not be project-based. There is also a need to enhance capacity of staff in institutions maintaining ex situ collections. Some germplasm collections like rice, sweetpotato, Manila hemp and banana are duplicated in at least two institutions in the <strong>Philippines</strong> for safety reasons. There is no mechanism for safety duplication in other crops. For seed crops, there are only four genebanks with seed cold storage rooms, and these are sometimes devoted to specific crops only. For vegetatively propagated species, problems of maintenance, funds, and staff prevent the adoption of duplication for safety of collections. The priorities for research include the development of alternative conservation strategies that are cost effective, establishment of core collections in selected crops, seed storage behavior of under utilized crops and the development of protocols for cryopreservation of tropical fruit species. Regeneration To prevent genetic erosion in the collection during regeneration the management practices employed include conduct of periodic viability tests, making sure that representative samples of accessions are regenerated and prevention of pest damage to stored germplasm materials. In the country, the top priority action to prevent genetic erosion is viability testing of stored germplasm materials and regeneration to improve seed quality and increase seed quantity of the materials. The continuing operation of the cold storage rooms is also a high priority to ensure the prolonged seed storage life. The regeneration of threatened ex situ collections is identified as one of the top priorities of the Southeast Asian region, based on the agreements reached during the regional consultations held prior to the 1996 Leipzig meeting. Characterization There exists a genuine interest to determine the characteristics of the collection, as shown by the relatively high proportion of the collection that has been characterized and evaluated. Primary interest appears to be focused on pest and pathogen reaction, physiological and abiotic stress reaction, and product quality. There would most likely be interest and benefit to be derived from describing the rest of the collections not yet characterized and evaluated. The need for developing capability in biochemical and molecular characterization and evaluation among the different institutions should be assessed. Such an assessment should take into account the best number and location (within geographic groupings) of institutions that will be tasked with this activity. 46 Documentation In genebanks in the country, the most common media used for documentation are record books, data sheets and computers in that order. Eighty – eight percent (88%) of the institutions use record books and 69% have computers that can be used for documentation. There is a need to institutionalize the adoption of electronic documentation systems. This will require designation of documentation units, investment on/designation of basic equipment specifically personal computers for use in PGR
COUNTRY REPORT ON THE STATE OF PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE documentation, and specialized training of staff in documentation systems for PGR information. There is a need to assess the desirability and cost of connectivity of documentation systems among institutions, perhaps through the Internet, for sharing and exchange of PGR information. 47
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