2.4 Methods for Conservation of PGRFA
41
Biosphere reserves, characterized as "". areas of terrestrial and coastal/marine
ecosystems, where, through appropriate zoning patterns and management
mechanisms, the conservation of ecosystems and their biodiversity is combined
with the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of local communities,
including relevant research, monitoring, education and training activities"
(Robertson, 1992) protected areas, natural reserves are all conservation methods,
conceptualized for the in situ conservation of wild plant (and animal) diversity. In
some cases, however, a positive impact on the conservation of wild plant genetic
resources for local food security is visible, as reported in some Country Reports
(see Fig. 2.7. ).
Efforts are presently being undertaken to protect areas for the in situ
conservation of some wild crop relatives. An important example is the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) initiated and funded project to conserve wild crop
relatives of cereals, horticultural and ornamental flower crops, medicinal plants
and forest trees in Turkey (GEF, 1997). Another important example is the Sierra
de Manantlan Biosphere Reserve, which was enlarged by the Mexican
government specifically to protect maize and other wild crop relatives. It covers
139,000 hectares, and contains the site where a new species of perennial maize
(Zea diploperennis) was first reported in 1979.
A majority of countries are presently calling for on-farm conservation
activities. They promote these activities, although, there is not very much
experience concerning the management and success of this conservation approach
as was shown (F AO, 1996a). The majority of the projects cited in the country
reports show that of them are integrated conservation and development
approaches and are not limited to pure in situ conservation. These programs are
usually linked to support for traditional agricultural systems, to crop improvement
through participatory approaches to plant breeding, or to community genebanks
which are a form of ex situ conservation.
2.4.3
Combination of ex Situ and in Situ Methods
Even though technological development has created various possibilities for ex
situ conservation, agrobiodiversity cannot be conserved entirely by laboratory
methods (Gupta, 1991). Hence, it seems obvious that none of the methods is able
to realize all expected objectives of plant genetic resources conservation; ex situ
and in situ conservation activities are not combined very much at present. There is
a significant differentiation in the kind of PGRF A stored in ex situ and in situ
conservation at present: if technologically possible, the old cultivars and landraces
are conserved ex situ, whereas crops without orthodox seed and the wild relatives
of crops are mainly conserved in situ.
19 In collaboration with the national genebank, farmers select populations grown in their fields
by phenotype. The populations are maintained as distinct from each other, although the
41
Biosphere reserves, characterized as "". areas of terrestrial and coastal/marine
ecosystems, where, through appropriate zoning patterns and management
mechanisms, the conservation of ecosystems and their biodiversity is combined
with the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of local communities,
including relevant research, monitoring, education and training activities"
(Robertson, 1992) protected areas, natural reserves are all conservation methods,
conceptualized for the in situ conservation of wild plant (and animal) diversity. In
some cases, however, a positive impact on the conservation of wild plant genetic
resources for local food security is visible, as reported in some Country Reports
(see Fig. 2.7. ).
Efforts are presently being undertaken to protect areas for the in situ
conservation of some wild crop relatives. An important example is the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) initiated and funded project to conserve wild crop
relatives of cereals, horticultural and ornamental flower crops, medicinal plants
and forest trees in Turkey (GEF, 1997). Another important example is the Sierra
de Manantlan Biosphere Reserve, which was enlarged by the Mexican
government specifically to protect maize and other wild crop relatives. It covers
139,000 hectares, and contains the site where a new species of perennial maize
(Zea diploperennis) was first reported in 1979.
A majority of countries are presently calling for on-farm conservation
activities. They promote these activities, although, there is not very much
experience concerning the management and success of this conservation approach
as was shown (F AO, 1996a). The majority of the projects cited in the country
reports show that of them are integrated conservation and development
approaches and are not limited to pure in situ conservation. These programs are
usually linked to support for traditional agricultural systems, to crop improvement
through participatory approaches to plant breeding, or to community genebanks
which are a form of ex situ conservation.
2.4.3
Combination of ex Situ and in Situ Methods
Even though technological development has created various possibilities for ex
situ conservation, agrobiodiversity cannot be conserved entirely by laboratory
methods (Gupta, 1991). Hence, it seems obvious that none of the methods is able
to realize all expected objectives of plant genetic resources conservation; ex situ
and in situ conservation activities are not combined very much at present. There is
a significant differentiation in the kind of PGRF A stored in ex situ and in situ
conservation at present: if technologically possible, the old cultivars and landraces
are conserved ex situ, whereas crops without orthodox seed and the wild relatives
of crops are mainly conserved in situ.
19 In collaboration with the national genebank, farmers select populations grown in their fields
by phenotype. The populations are maintained as distinct from each other, although the