BP Singh

Promising Introductions and Prioritize Needs of Exotic Germplasm 111introductions and also conservation of existing types need to becodified, for proper utilization of genetic resources towards greaterenhancement of vegetable crops' yield and nutritive value. TheInternational Board of Plant Genetic Resources (now IPGRI­International Plant Genetic Research Institute) has indicated thefollowing criteria for priority such as :(1) Economic importance(2) Loss of genetic diversity(3) Nutritional value(4) Present level of researchIn India, genetic erosion is a serious problem in some of thevegetable crops. The classical example is of okra variety Pusasawani released in 1959-60, that swept off native varieties of okra,out of cultivation. This should not be allowed to occur in otherhorticultural crops like garden pea, cauliflower, watermelon etc.This highlights the need for (1) expeditions to other countriesespecially to Africa, Latin America and South East Asia(2) explorations within the country, to collect indigenous germplasm,their documentation evaluation and finally conservation.During 1986 to 1994, 14390 samples of exotic germplasm ofdifferent temperate, tropical and sub-tropical vegetable crops havebeen introduced by NBPGR from over 40 countries. Specificexpeditions have been organised with IPGRI in vegetable cropslike eggplant, okra, and curcurbits, cucumber, melons andpumpkin. In future intensive efforts should be directed to collectonion, chillies and cauliflower (specially tropical types).Promising introductions of the pastIn vegetable crops there are some outstanding exampleswhere introductions have been straight away taken by farmers andthere are also cases where some introductions have been utilizedsuccessfully in breeding new varieties. A few note worthyexamples are cited below :TomatoGarden peaSioux and La'Bonita (from USA), Balkan(from Russia), Roma (from Italy)Bonneville (from USA), Arkel (from France),Early Badger (froni USA)