Record Details

Enhancing Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources in Crop Improvement

OAR@ICRISAT

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/4214/
http://ispb.webs.com/
 
Title Enhancing Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources in
Crop Improvement
 
Creator Upadhyaya, H D
Gowda, C L L
 
Subject Genetics and Genomics
Plant Virology
Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
 
Description Crop plant genetic resources (PGR) including landraces, old and new cultivars, mutant
etc., are vital to crop improvement. These were used in research to develop improved cultivars
that has resulted in increase of productivity and production considerably of various crops.
The need for collecting and conserving germplasm was realized during 1960s, when there
was threat of loss of landraces due to large adoption of improved varieties. Currently over
six million-germplasm accessions are held in over 1300 genebanks across the world. This
paper discusses assembly and management of genetic resources of sorghum, pearl millet,
chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut and six small millets at the Rajendra S Paroda Genebank
at ICRISAT-Patancheru, India and means to further enhance their utilization for sustainable
agriculture globally.
Various institutes and organizations worldwide have donated germplasm to the ICRISAT
genebank. In addition, two hundred and thirteen germplasm collection missions were
organized in 62 countries securing 33,194 germplasm accessions. The entire holding is
over 118,800 accessions of the above crops from 130 countries. The germplasm accessions
receive high priority for regeneration, characterization, conservation and distribution.
The focus of research is on diversity assessment and on developing representative core,
mini-core and composite collections to enhance utilization by the breeders. Molecular
characterization of diverse germplasm sets is pursued for value addition and to enhance
their utilization. Most of the accessions have been characterized. Germplasm seeds are
conserved under very precise (cool and dry) conditions. Adequate seed of each accession is
conserved to meet the requests of researchers and for posterity.
The ICRISAT genebank has been supplying over 21,000 germplasm samples annually
to scientists across the countries. ICRISAT has restored crop germplasm to several countries
including India. From the basic germplasm supplied from ICRISAT genebank, 66 varieties
were released for cultivation in 44 countries
 
Date 2006
 
Type Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
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Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/4214/1/Enhancing_utilization_of_plant_genetic_resources_in_Crop_Imp.pdf
Upadhyaya, H D and Gowda, C L L (2006) Enhancing Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources in Crop Improvement. In: Plant Breeding in Post Genomics Era Proceedings of the Second National Plant Breeding Congress, 1-3 March 2006, Coimbatore, India.