scholarly journals Development of a prioritised checklist of crop wild relatives for conservation in Malawi

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-311
Author(s):  
N.K. Mponya ◽  
Z.L.K. Magombo ◽  
L. Pungulani ◽  
J.M. Brehm ◽  
N. Maxted
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Relatedness ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Wild Relatives ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
National Inventory ◽  
Threat Status ◽  
Annotated Checklist ◽  
The Impact

The national increase in human population in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) demands for more food; while increase in the impact of climate change, demands for resilient agricultural production systems, and both call for improved agricultural productivity. Plant breeders will need adaptive traits to improve crop productivity and resilience. Crop wild relatives (CWR) have the potential to offer the much needed diversity for crop improvement, but their diversity is inadequately conserved. Lack of knowledge about their occurrence in Malawi, limits their systematic conservation and utilisation. Developing a CWR national inventory helps to define conservation priorities and actions. The objective of this study was to match checklists of crop genera and national flora, using their taxonomic and genetic relatedness information. This resulted into the first comprehensive annotated checklist of 446 CWR taxa in Malawi, which was prioritised by a set of criteria previously agreed with national stakeholders based on socio-economic importance of the related crop, potential use of the wild relative in crop improvement and threat status. The inventory comprises of 277 CWR taxa, identified as priority for conservation in Malawi; of which 78% were native. These belong to 56 genera and are related to 54 food, fodder, spices and beverage crops; and include taxa related to crops of regional and global importance. Eighty-seven taxa of highest priority for conservation were further identified, 12.6% of which have confirmed uses in crop improvement on pests and disease resistance, drought tolerance and yielding ability. The inventory will facilitate effective conservation and availability of these taxa for their use in crop improvement. Key words: Annotated checklist, national inventory, systematic conservation

Spatial analyses of occurrence data of crop wild relatives (CWR) taxa as tools for selection of sites for conservation of priority CWR in Zambia

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dickson Ng'uni ◽  
Graybill Munkombwe ◽  
Godfrey Mwila ◽  
Hannes Gaisberger ◽  
Joana Magos Brehm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Wild Relatives ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Relative Distribution ◽  
Spatial Analyses ◽  
Threat Status ◽  
Occurrence Data

AbstractCrop wild relatives (CWR) are valuable gene pools for crop improvement and offer unique potential and opportunity for enhancing food security and adaptation to climate change. However, current actions towards conservation of plant genetic resources in Zambia do not adequately cover CWR occurring in the country. The article describes the process leading to the development of a national strategic action plan (NSAP) for the conservation and sustainable use of priority CWR in Zambia. Based on 59 prioritized crops, a partial checklist of 459 CWR taxa was generated from the national flora checklist of 6305 taxa. The generated CWR taxa were prioritized based on the socio-economic value of the related crop, their utilization potential in crop improvement, relative distribution and threat status to produce 30 prioritized CWR taxa. Occurrence data were compiled for all CWR inventory taxa and used in spatial analyses to establish species distribution, species richness, gaps in in situ conservation and genebank collections, and to identify priority sites for in situ conservation and ex situ collecting. Consistent with the national developmental agenda, along with the contribution of national stakeholders, spatial analyses of occurrence data of priority CWR taxa are valuable input for the development of the NSAP for the conservation and sustainable use of the priority CWR.

A crop wild relative inventory for Southern Africa: a first step in linking conservation and use of valuable wild populations for enhancing food security

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Allen ◽  
H. Gaisberger ◽  
J. Magos Brehm ◽  
N. Maxted ◽  
I. Thormann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Wild Relatives ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Human Food

AbstractSuccessful conservation strategies require that taxa are prioritized because resources for planning and implementation are always limited. In this study, we created a partial checklist of crop wild relatives (CWR) that occur in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and identified the taxa of highest priority for regional conservation planning based on their importance for food and economic security. We found that the region contains over 1900 wild relatives of species cultivated for food, beverages, ornamental, forage/fodder, forestry, medicinal, environmental and other uses. Prioritization of these species was based on two criteria: (i) the value of the related crop for human food and economic security in the region and/or globally, and (ii) the potential or known value of the wild relatives of those crops for crop improvement. The region contains 745 CWR species related to 64 human food and beverage crops that are of high socioeconomic importance and 100 of these are of immediate priority for conservation action. The results of this study show that the SADC region contains a wealth of CWR diversity that is not only of value for food and economic security within the region but also globally. Furthermore, this study represents the first step in developing a CWR conservation and sustainable use strategy for the region, where its implementation would contribute to food security and well-being.

Harnessing Crop Wild Relatives for Crop Improvement

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mukesh Choudhary ◽  
Vishal Singh ◽  
Vignesh Muthusamy ◽  
Shabir Hussain Wani
Keyword(s):  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Wild Relatives

National inventory and prioritization of crop wild relatives in Spain

2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 1237-1253 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Luisa Rubio Teso ◽  
Elena Torres Lamas ◽  
Mauricio Parra-Quijano ◽  
Lucía de la Rosa ◽  
Juan Fajardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Wild Relatives ◽  
National Inventory

Diversity and conservation priorities of crop wild relatives in Mexico

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aremi R. Contreras-Toledo ◽  
Moisés Cortés-Cruz ◽  
Denise E. Costich ◽  
Ma. de Lourdes Rico-Arce ◽  
Joana Magos Brehm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Wild Relatives ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Cultivated Plants ◽  
Conservation Priorities

AbstractCrop wild relatives (CWR) are valuable resources for crop breeding due to their close genetic relationship to the cultivated plants and their wide genetic variation, allowing the introgression of desirable traits into the crops, such as resistance to plant pests and diseases or adaptability to climate change. Mexico is a centre of agrobiodiversity, including CWR, but climate change, and other factors, are contributing to the loss of important Mexican CWR genetic diversity. The in situ and ex situ conservation status of Mexican priority CWR were assessed through a gap analysis as part of a national CWR conservation strategy for Mexico, to ensure the long-term preservation and improve the availability of these genetic resources. A set of 310 priority CWR taxa, previously identified as part of the national CWR inventory for Mexico, were analysed. Species distribution modelling and ecogeographic diversity analyses were used to detect gaps in in situ and ex situ conservation at taxon and ecogeographic levels. Priority target sites were identified throughout the country for complementary in situ and ex situ conservation of these taxa. The results obtained allow us to make recommendations for immediate conservation actions, thus helping to mitigate the threats to Mexican agrobiodiversity and enhance both national and global food security.

scholarly journals Comparative Analysis Delineates the Transcriptional Resistance Mechanisms for Pod Borer Resistance in the Pigeonpea Wild Relative Cajanus scarabaeoides (L.) Thouars

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 309
Author(s):  
Isaac Njaci ◽  
Abigail Ngugi-Dawit ◽  
Richard O. Oduor ◽  
Leah Kago ◽  
Brett Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Wild Relatives ◽  
Agricultural Pests ◽  
Wild Genotype ◽  
Pod Borer ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Wild Pigeonpea

Insect pests pose a serious threat to global food production. Pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)) is one of the most destructive pests of leguminous crops. The use of host resistance has been an effective, environmentally friendly and sustainable approach for controlling several agricultural pests. The exploitation of natural variations in crop wild relatives could yield pest-resistant crop varieties. In this study, we used a high-throughput transcriptome profiling approach to investigate the defense mechanisms of susceptible cultivated and tolerant wild pigeonpea genotypes against H. armigera infestation. The wild genotype displayed elevated pest-induced gene expression, including the enhanced induction of phytohormone and calcium/calmodulin signaling, transcription factors, plant volatiles and secondary metabolite genes compared to the cultivated control. The biosynthetic and regulatory processes associated with flavonoids, terpenes and glucosinolate secondary metabolites showed higher accumulations in the wild genotype, suggesting the existence of distinct tolerance mechanisms. This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying insect resistance in the wild pigeonpea genotype. This information highlights the indispensable role of crop wild relatives as a source of crucial genetic resources that could be important in devising strategies for crop improvement with enhanced pest resistance.

scholarly journals Describing the current status of Plasmodium falciparum population structure and drug resistance within mainland Tanzania using molecular inversion probes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara A. Moser ◽  
Rashid A. Madebe ◽  
Ozkan Aydemir ◽  
Mercy G. Chiduo ◽  
Celine I. Mandara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Population Structure ◽  
Genetic Relatedness ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Resistance Mutations ◽  
Drug Resistance Mutations ◽  
Molecular Inversion Probes ◽  
Parasite Populations ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTHigh-throughput Plasmodium genomic data is increasingly useful in assessing prevalence of clinically important mutations and malaria transmission patterns. Understanding parasite diversity is important for identification of specific human or parasite populations that can be targeted by control programs, and to monitor the spread of mutations associated with drug resistance. An up-to-date understanding of regional parasite population dynamics is also critical to monitor the impact of control efforts. However, this data is largely absent from high-burden nations in Africa, and to date, no such analysis has been conducted for malaria parasites in Tanzania country-wide. To this end, over 1,000 P. falciparum clinical isolates were collected in 2017 from 13 sites in seven administrative regions across Tanzania, and parasites were genotyped at 1,800 variable positions genome-wide using molecular inversion probes. Population structure was detectable among Tanzanian P. falciparum parasites, roughly separating parasites from the northern and southern districts and identifying genetically admixed populations in the north. Isolates from geographically close districts were more likely to be genetically related compared to parasites sampled from more distant districts. Known drug resistance mutations were seen at increased frequency in northern districts, and additional variants with undetermined significance for antimalarial resistance also varied by geography. Malaria Indicator Survey (2017) data corresponded with genetic findings, including average region-level complexity-of-infection and malaria prevalence estimates. The parasite populations identified here provide important information on extant spatial patterns of genetic diversity of Tanzanian parasites, to which future surveys of genetic relatedness can be compared.SIGNIFICANCEDocumenting dynamics of malaria parasite genomics in high-transmission settings at scale in sub-Saharan Africa is critical for policy and decision making to support ongoing malaria elimination initiatives. Using molecular inversion probes, we genotyped over 1,000 Tanzanian Plasmodium falciparum samples collected country-wide in 2017 at hundreds of variable polymorphic positions across the genome. Frequencies of known drug resistance mutations were higher in northern districts of the country compared to the south. Results also showed a distinct isolation-by-distance pattern (whereby increasing geographic distance was correlated with decreasing genetic relatedness), as well as signals of higher genetic sharing between several southern districts. These results provide, for the first time, a picture of current within-country diversity of Tanzanian P. falciparum populations.

Crop wild relative diversity and conservation planning in two isolated oceanic islands of a biodiversity hotspot (Mauritius and Rodrigues)

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Bissessur ◽  
C. Baider ◽  
N. Boodia ◽  
M.G.H. Badaloo ◽  
J.A. Bégué ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Wild Relatives ◽  
Relative Distribution ◽  
Scoring Method

AbstractThe rising need for crop diversification to mitigate the impacts of climate change on food security urges the exploration of crop wild relatives (CWR) as potential genetic resources for crop improvement. This study aimed at assessing the diversity of CWR of the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues and proposing cost-effective conservation measures for their sustainable use. A comprehensive list of the native species was collated from The Mauritius Herbarium and published literature. Each species was assessed for the economic value of its related crop, utilization potential for crop improvement, relative distribution, occurrence status and Red List conservation status, using a standard scoring method for prioritization. The occurrence data of the priority species were collected, verified, geo-referenced and mapped. A total of 43 crop-related species were identified for both islands and 21 species were prioritized for active conservation. The CWR diversity hotspots in Mauritius included Mondrain, followed by Florin and Le Pouce Mountain. Although a wide diversity of CWR has been recorded on both islands, most do not relate to major economic crops in use, therefore only a few species may be gene donors to economic crops at the regional and global level. For example, coffee, a major global beverage crop, has three wild relatives on Mauritius, which could potentially be of interest for future predictive characterization.

Creation and use of a national inventory of crop wild relatives

2007 ◽  
Vol 140 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 142-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigel Maxted ◽  
Maria Scholten ◽  
Rosalind Codd ◽  
Brian Ford-Lloyd
Keyword(s):  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Wild Relatives ◽  
National Inventory
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