A global resource for exploring and exploiting genetic variation in sorghum crop wild relatives

Plant breeding was provided access to wider genetic variation through genetic modification (GM) of crops in the 1980s. This involved transfer of DNA between species, and introduction of new traits into domestic crops. Concerns were raised for the outcomes in food health and in the environment with GM crops, with the spectre of ‘Frankenstien’ foods and fear of the unknown. This led to widespread adoption of GM regulations based on the ‘Precautionary principle’ of safeguarding the risks to health and to the environment, even when scientific evidence was lacking to support these concerns. The Green lobby required GM foods to be safe for consumption, with no ill-effects over the long term and for many generations into the future. GM foods have proven safe for over two decades, and with benefits to crop productivity, pest and disease resistances, improved nutrition and tolerances of extreme climatic stresses. GM includes the new biotechnology of Genome Editing (GE), with targeted and precise changes to gene sites, and inter-specific transfer of genes from poorly accessible Crop Wild Relatives (CRW), for adaptation of crops to climate change. Food and fibre crops need to be exempt from GM regulations.

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Genetic diversity and structure of Musa balbisiana populations in Vietnam and its implications for the conservation of banana crop wild relatives

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0253255 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. e0253255

Author(s):

Arne Mertens ◽

Yves Bawin ◽

Samuel Vanden Abeele ◽

Simon Kallow ◽

Dang Toan Vu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Genetic Variation ◽

Crop Wild Relatives ◽

Wild Relatives ◽

Distribution Area ◽

Mountain Range ◽

Musa Balbisiana ◽

Northern Vietnam ◽

Central Vietnam ◽

Genetic Diversity And Structure

Crop wild relatives (CWR) are an indispensable source of alleles to improve desired traits in related crops. While knowledge on the genetic diversity of CWR can facilitate breeding and conservation strategies, it has poorly been assessed. Cultivated bananas are a major part of the diet and income of hundreds of millions of people and can be considered as one of the most important fruits worldwide. Here, we assessed the genetic diversity and structure of Musa balbisiana, an important CWR of plantains, dessert and cooking bananas. Musa balbisiana has its origin in subtropical and tropical broadleaf forests of northern Indo-Burma. This includes a large part of northern Vietnam where until now, no populations have been sampled. We screened the genetic variation and structure present within and between 17 Vietnamese populations and six from China using 18 polymorphic SSR markers. Relatively high variation was found in populations from China and central Vietnam. Populations from northern Vietnam showed varying levels of genetic variation, with low variation in populations near the Red River. Low genetic variation was found in populations of southern Vietnam. Analyses of population structure revealed that populations of northern Vietnam formed a distinct genetic cluster from populations sampled in China. Together with populations of central Vietnam, populations from northern Vietnam could be subdivided into five clusters, likely caused by mountain ranges and connected river systems. We propose that populations sampled in central Vietnam and on the western side of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range in northern Vietnam belong to the native distribution area and should be prioritised for conservation. Southern range edge populations in central Vietnam had especially high genetic diversity, with a high number of unique alleles and might be connected with core populations in northern Laos and southwest China. Southern Vietnamese populations are considered imported and not native.

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Crop wild relatives as genetic resources for pollination and herbivore resistance

10.1603/ice.2016.115387 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Paul A Egan

Keyword(s):

Genetic Resources ◽

Crop Wild Relatives ◽

Wild Relatives ◽

Herbivore Resistance

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Crop wild relatives and their conservation strategies in China

Biodiversity Science ◽

10.3724/sp.j.1003.2013.08138 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 21 (6) ◽

pp. 750-757

Author(s):

Yu Yanbo ◽

Wang Qunliang ◽

Kell Shelagh ◽

Maxted Nigel ◽

V. Ford-Lloyd Brian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Crop Wild Relatives ◽

Wild Relatives ◽

Conservation Strategies

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Status of the Ex Situ and In Situ Conservation of Brazilian Crop Wild Relatives of Rice, Potato, Sweet Potato, and Finger Millet: Filling the Gaps of Germplasm Collections

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11040638 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 638

Author(s):

Marcelo B. Medeiros ◽

José F. M. Valls ◽

Aluana G. Abreu ◽

Gustavo Heiden ◽

Suelma Ribeiro-Silva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Finger Millet ◽

Ex Situ Conservation ◽

Gap Analysis ◽

In Situ Conservation ◽

Germplasm Collection ◽

Crop Wild Relatives ◽

Wild Relatives ◽

Ex Situ ◽

The Status

This study presents the status of ex situ and in situ conservation for the crop wild relatives of rice, potato, sweet potato, and finger millet in Brazil, and the subsequent germplasm collection expeditions. This research is part of a global initiative entitled “Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change: Collecting, Protecting, and Preparing Crop Wild Relatives” supported by the Global Crop Diversity Trust. Species of the primary, secondary, and tertiary gene pools with occurrences reported in Brazil were included: Oryza alta Swallen, O. grandiglumis (Döll) Prod., O. latifolia Desv., O. glumaepatula Steud., Eleusine tristachya (Lam.) Lam., E. indica (L.) Gaertn., Solanum commersonii Dunal, S. chacoense Bitter, Ipomoea grandifolia (Dammer) O’Donell, I. ramosissima (Poir.) Choisy, I. tiliacea (Willd.) Choisy, I. triloba L., and I. cynanchifolia Meisn. The status of the ex situ and in situ conservation of each taxon was assessed using the gap analysis methodology, and the results were used to plan 16 germplasm collection expeditions. Seeds of the collected material were evaluated for viability, and the protocols for seed germination and cryopreservation were tested. The final conservation score, resulting from the gap analysis and including the average of the ex situ and in situ scores, resulted in a classification of medium priority of conservation for all the species, with the exception of I. grandifolia (high priority). The total accessions collected (174) almost doubled the total accessions of these crop wild relatives incorporated in Embrapa’s ex situ conservation system prior to 2015. In addition, accessions for practically absent species were collected for the ex situ conservation system, such as Ipomoea species, Eleusine indica, and Solanum chacoense. The methods used for dormancy breaking and low temperature conservation for the Oryza, Eleusine, and Ipomoea species were promising for the incorporation of accessions in the respective gene banks. The results show the importance of efforts to collect and conserve ex situ crop wild relatives in Brazil based on previous gap analysis. The complementarity with the in situ strategy also appears to be very promising in the country.

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