Plant Diversity Challenge - Plantlife

Objective 2: Conserving Plant DiversityTarget 9:Conserving crop diversityOngoing actions contributing tomeeting the target• Implementing the International Treaty onPlant Genetic Resources for Food andAgriculture• Implementing the recommendations of theDefra policy review• Continuing support to key gene banks, seedbanks and national collections• Participating in the European Co-operativeProgramme for Crop Genetic Resources• Studying the relationship betweenecogeographic distribution and geneticdiversity in the UK's Plant GeneticResourcesHigh priority additional work• Producing a checklist of species to becovered by this target, in particular thisshould include crop species grown in thiscountry and crop wild relatives native tothe UK• Improving ex situ holdings of the geneticdiversity of crop wild relatives native to theUK and of UK crop landrace materialMedium priority additional work• Identifying suitable landraces of socioeconomicallyimportant species forinclusion in on-farm conservation projects• Promoting further integration ofconservation efforts between in situ and exsitu genetic conservation workers andbetween genetic conservation andecologically focussed conservation workersLower priority or long-term additionalwork• Planning appropriate ex situ conservation ofminor food crop socio-economicallyvaluable plant species native to the UK• Cross-referencing of ex situ holdings withlocal and historical knowledge70 per cent of the genetic diversity of crops and othermajor socio-economically valuable plant species conserved,and associated local and indigenous knowledge maintained.ScopeThe conservation of useful plant diversity is a key component of the Global Plan ofAction on the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for foodand agriculture.Theory and practice demonstrate that, with an appropriate strategy,70% of the genetic diversity of a crop can be contained in a relatively small sample(generally, less than 1,000 accessions). Genetic diversity is also conserved throughon-farm management. By working with local communities, associated indigenous andlocal knowledge can also be maintained.The target covers crop species, including major forage and tree species, as well assome other socio-economically valuable species. It is not intended that all socioeconomicallyimportant plant species should be targeted, but that they should beselected on a case-by-case basis. For instance, medicinal plants may be consideredimportant.Current situationThe UK has signed the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food andAgriculture and hopes to ratify soon.This provides an agreed internationalframework for conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources.The Defra Review of Policy on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture looks atdeveloping an overarching policy in England and Wales on the conservation andsustainable use of genetic resources relevant to food and agriculture, including animaland microbial resources as well as plants.As a step towards implementing Defra’sstrategic policy a Defra-funded project to develop a UK inventory of geneticresources for food and agriculture including landrace and crop wild relatives isunderway and results will be available in 2004.This will help establish priorities forfuture conservation work.A recently funded scoping study to establish aninformation system for Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture will include anassessment of crop wild relative species’ in situ distribution and extant landraces andprimitive forms grown across the UK.The devolved administrations in Scotland andNorthern Ireland are responsible for policy in their territory.The Scottish ExecutiveSocial Research Programme funded a recent study to evaluate the effects on Scottishbiodiversity of change in the use of traditional breeds and varieties, which included areview of ongoing genetic conservation projects.Defra launched a web-based ‘UK Focal Point’ on access to genetic resources andbenefit sharing in early 2002 (http://www.defra.gov.uk/Science/GeneticResources).The site lists summary details of germplasm holdings maintained at institutionsacross the UK.30