Biotechnologies for the Management of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

International Instruments for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture: An Historical Appraisal

“…(a) Approximately 7.4 million germplasm accessions, representing more than 16,500 plant species are currently secured in 1750 gene banks worldwide [19]; (b) Conserved germplasm provides broad genetic diversity that is increasingly used for genetic studies and plant breeding programs, with undeniable benefits for present and future world food production [47]; (c) Newly developed technologies, including molecular biology-based technologies, are greatly contributing to the conservation, exploration and characterization of PGRs, opening unprecedented opportunities for their sustainable utilization [30,31]. (d) The adoption of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture has provided a regulatory framework to access, exchange and benefit sharing of PGRs [10].…”

“…In particular, the decisive contributions offered by biotechnological approaches, especially from genomics and transcriptomics, to the measurement of plant genetic variation, to the protection of diversity, and to gene bank management, were underlined. A more comprehensive review of the biotechnologies, applied to the Management of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, is presented in [30].…”

“…The drafts and the accompanying documents were nonetheless sent to the CBD secretariat and contributed to the negotiation of a biosafety protocol. CGRFA examined the advancements of biotechnologies in 1999 [28] and in 2011 [29], appreciating the contributions that biotechnologies were giving to both conservation and use of PGRs, calling for consideration and management of inherent risks, and urging for capacity development initiatives in developing countries. In particular, the decisive contributions offered by biotechnological approaches, especially from genomics and transcriptomics, to the measurement of plant genetic variation, to the protection of diversity, and to gene bank management, were underlined.…”

From Bioreactor to Entire Plants

“…Adaptation of agronomical practises and, later, genetic improvement by plant breeding must be done (Lidder & Sonnino, 2012). Adaptation of agronomical practises and, later, genetic improvement by plant breeding must be done (Lidder & Sonnino, 2012).…”

In situ Conservation Assessment of Forage and Fodder CWR in Spain Using Phytosociological Associations

“…Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) are wild species that are closely related to crop species to which they contribute genetic material [1]. According to Lidder & Sonnino [2], CWR have more genetic diversity than crops, which are known to have a narrow genetic base as a result of domestication and genetic breeding, especially in recent decades [3]. This greater diversity and the environmental pressures to which they are subjected provide them with specific adaptive traits [4,5] that can be used to improve crop characteristics.…”