44
2 Genetic Resources: Status, Development, Losses, and Conservation
The links between ex situ conservation and on-fann management has, in the past,
been generally limited to the transfer of germplasm samples from the fanners to
the ex situ collections. This one-way traffic of information and goods clearly
shows the present sub-optimal utilization of the conservation methods. There is
far more potential of interaction to the mutual benefit of the whole conservation
system, as was pointed out in this chapter. Presently, the importance of an
efficient combination of ex situ and in situ conservation is being increasingly
recognized (Hawkes, 1991).
The present situation of PGRF A diversity on fanners' fields can be
summarized as follows 20 : although PGRF A diversity in situ is decreasing as
regards the area cultivated with diverse varieties, the global diversity of PGRF A
in general has not yet decreased significantly. There are, however, some regional
and crop-specific exceptions, e.g., China's traditional rice varieties have been
totally replaced by modem varieties (Kush, 1996).
20 This conclusion is based on the experience of the preparational process for the International
Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources and FAD's background report of the state
of the world's plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (FAD, 1996a).
2 Genetic Resources: Status, Development, Losses, and Conservation
The links between ex situ conservation and on-fann management has, in the past,
been generally limited to the transfer of germplasm samples from the fanners to
the ex situ collections. This one-way traffic of information and goods clearly
shows the present sub-optimal utilization of the conservation methods. There is
far more potential of interaction to the mutual benefit of the whole conservation
system, as was pointed out in this chapter. Presently, the importance of an
efficient combination of ex situ and in situ conservation is being increasingly
recognized (Hawkes, 1991).
The present situation of PGRF A diversity on fanners' fields can be
summarized as follows 20 : although PGRF A diversity in situ is decreasing as
regards the area cultivated with diverse varieties, the global diversity of PGRF A
in general has not yet decreased significantly. There are, however, some regional
and crop-specific exceptions, e.g., China's traditional rice varieties have been
totally replaced by modem varieties (Kush, 1996).
20 This conclusion is based on the experience of the preparational process for the International
Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources and FAD's background report of the state
of the world's plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (FAD, 1996a).