Volume 5, No. 1, English, June 1999

IPGRI�s25th anniversary and new strategy

IPGRI’s history starts in 1974, when the Consultative Gr oup onInternational Agricultural Research (CGIAR) established theInternational Board for Plant Genetic Resour ces (IBPGR) to arre stloss of plant genetic diversity. Administered by F AO, IBPGRbecame an independent CGIAR Centre in 1994 and adopted thename of International Plant Genetic Resour ces Institute (IPGRI).The new Institute established its headquarters in Rome, with thesupport of the Italian Government. T oday, IPGRI has more than170 staff operating from fifteen of fices ar ound the world. It is thelargest international institution devoted to plant genetic r esourcesconservation and utilization, its Establishment Agreement ratifiedto date by 48 countries.

From collecting to research �The evolving role of IPGRI

For a number of years, IBPGR focused on pr omoting collectingand storage of crop germplasm in national and internationalgenebanks, a priority for which advanced technology was notavailable at that time. The Institute gradually got involved inresearch on the pr oblems associated with conservation, onstrengthening national institutions to conserve their plant geneticresour ces and in pr ocessing and disseminating information ongermplasm collections to pr omote use.

These changes made it desirable for IBPGR to become an indepen-dent center within the CGIAR. In 1994, when it became IPGRI,the Institute took up new r esponsibilities, incorporating into itsprogramme the International Network for the Impr ovement ofBanana and Plantain (INIBAP), up to then a separate entity withinthe CGIAR. It also took on the role of convening center of theCGIAR’s System-wide Genetic Resour ces Pr ogramme (SGRP),which links the genetic r esour ces activities of the CGIAR centers.

cont. on page 8

IPGRI�s 25th anniversaryand new strategy...........1

Regional custard applegenebank established inPeru ...............................2

Seeds of Hope for CentralAmerica .........................4

Rescuing Paraguayanpeppers ..........................5

Recovering grey litera-ture on forestry andgenetic resources..........6

Disseminating researchthrough PGRNewsletter .....................7

Opportunities fortraining ........................ 10

PGR on the Web .......... 11

Readings on PGR ........ 13

Contents

2

Newsletter for the AmericasNewsletter for the AmericasNewsletter for the AmericasNewsletter for the AmericasNewsletter for the AmericasVolume 5, No. 1, English,

June 1999

The Newsletter for the AmericasNewsletter for the AmericasNewsletter for the AmericasNewsletter for the AmericasNewsletter for the Americasis published by the IPGRI AmericasGroup. It highlights activities onplant genetic r esources conductedby IPGRI and its partners in theregion. It is also published in Spa-nish as Boletín de las Américas. Boletín de las Américas. Boletín de las Américas. Boletín de las Américas. Boletín de las Américas. I tscontents may be repr oduced withcredit to the sourc e.

For contributions and further infor-mation, please contact Newsletterfor the Americas, IPGRI AmericasGroup, A A 6713, Cali, Colombia.Phone: (57-2) 445-0048/9; Fax:(57-2) 445-0096; Email: ciat-ipgri-@cgiar. org; Web addr ess: http://w w w.cgiar. org/ipgri.

The International Plant Genetic Re-sour ces Institute (IPGRI) is an auto-nomous international scientific or-ganization, supported by the Con-sultative Gr oup on InternationalAgricultural Research (CGIAR).IPGRI’s mandate is to advance theconservation and use of plant gene-tic resour ces for the benefit of pre -sent and future generations. It ope-rates thr ough three pr ogrammes:(1) the Plant Genetic Resour ces Pro -gramme, (2) the CGIAR GeneticResour ces Support Pr ogramme and(3) the International Network forthe Impr ovement of Banana andPlantain (INIBAP). The internatio-nal status of IPGRI is conferredunder an Establishment Agr eementwhich, by June 1999, had been sig-ned by 48 countries.

Regional custardapple genebank established in Peru

Custard apple ( Annonacherimola ), one of 100 species ofthe genus Annona , is a nativeAmerican fr uit considered a deli-cacy amongst natives of the Andessince pr ehistoric times. Its center oforigin is found along the inter-Andean valleys from southernEcuador to northern Chile, with itsgreatest diversity concentrated inPeru.

Called cherimoyas locally, thesefruits are known for their deliciousflavor, aroma and attractive fleshcolor, characteristics that makethem appetizing for fr esh consump-tion as well as for making desserts,i ce cream and beverages. Medicinaluses are also known. They arepresently cultivated on a commer-cial scale in various Central andSouth American countries, and inSpain, New Zealand, the UnitedStates, Italy, India and Egypt.

3

The r esulting collection will beenriched with material repatriatedfrom the collection that INIA-Spainmaintains at its Malaga experimentstation. The collection will also besupplemented with material fro mother Andean countries that alsopossess gr eat genetic variability ofthis crop, and thus will function asa regional genebank within theframework of the Andean PlantGenetic Resour ces Network(REDARFIT).

The INIAs of both Peru and Spainas well as IPGRI expect that thisinitiative will stimulate the use ofthe br oad variability pr esent inAnnona cherimola for the selectionof high yielding, high qualityvarieties r esistant to the mostimportant pests and diseases. It isalso hoped that the conservationefforts lead to the pr oduction ofquality seed and the developmentof technologies that will helprealize the species’ economicpotential.

For further information contactRamon Lastra <r .lastra@cgiar. org>.

Due to its high nutritive value(fiber, vitamin C and niacin),genetic diversity, broad adaptationand export potential, this crop hasgreat potential for br eedingthrough hybridization, selectionand vegetative propagation. Thesereasons justify ef forts to conserveits genetic diversity, especially inPeru and Ecuador, where bothwild and cultivated forms arefound at altitudes between 1200and 2000 meters above sea level.

W ith this in mind, the Per uvianInstituto Nacional de InvestigaciónAgraria (INIA-Per u), in collabora-tion with the IPGRI AmericasGroup and with funds from theSpanish Instituto Nacional deInvestigación y Tecnología Agrariay Alimentaria (INIA-Spain), isestablishing a field genebank forcherimoya in Peru, coor dinated bythe national PGR pr ogramme,PRONARGEB. The genebank,located at the Canaan ExperimentStation in A yacucho, will conserveboth cultivated and wild material.

The pr oject began in 1998. Duringthat year the site was pr epared,rootstocks were established, andsome collecting missions werecarried out with participation ofprofessionals from INIA-Peru andnational universities. The materialcollected to date—248 accessionsof wild and cultivated cheri-moya—has all been grafted onto“criollo” r ootstocks in the fieldgenebank.

4

Central America will never be the same after hurricane Mitch. The disaster left scars on the landand in the memories of thousands of people, who witnessed natur e’s fury destroy their hopes anddreams. Humanitarian aid from around the world arrived shortly after but eventually diminished,and the r egion was faced with r eality: the specter of hunger. W idespread devastation in the country-side, especially in Honduras and Nicaragua, left no harvest and worse, much of the seed for the nextplanting gone.

To help ward off this threat, four CGIAR centers pr oposed an emer gency seed r elief pr oject similar tothat carried out in Rwanda during 1995 and 1996, after civil war shattered the country’s agriculturalproduction. Under the Central American initiative, the International Center for Tr opical Agriculture(CIA T), the International Maize and Wheat Impr ovement Center (CIMMYT), the International PotatoCenter (CIP) and the International Plant Genetic Resour ces Institute (IPGRI) joined for ces with a widearray of government, non-government and grassr oots or ganizations in the region.

The pr oject is divided in three stages, the first two funded by the Canadian International DevelopmentAgency (CIDA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Seed will beinitially pr ovided to farmers and local seed production gradually r eestablished. Then, a network ofhigh quality artesanal seed pr oduction sites will be set up. In collaboration with national or ganiza-tions, NGOs and farmer gr oups, seed of staple cr ops has been multiplied and is being distributed tosmall farmers in the most devastated ar eas of Honduras and Nicaragua.

Practically from the moment the disaster str uck, specialists in geographic information systems (GIS)have played an important ro le, offering tools of practical value to the many national and internationalorganizations engaged in re l ief efforts. In January of this year, CIAT scientists supplied a “MitchAtlas” on CD-ROM to 15 institutions in Honduras. It built on a Honduras atlas that had alr eady beenreleased in October 1998. After the hurricane swept through the region, GIS experts at CIAT addednew information indicating the condition of roads before and after Mitch, re l ief efforts under way inspecific ar eas, locations of hospitals, damage to cr ops, the distribution of poverty and other informa-tion pertinent to re l ief eff orts.

Atlas Mitch has helped determine the placesand tar get population where seeds must besupplied. “We want these farmers to come outon top—to derive some benefit from a terribledisaster,” says CIAT soil scientist Jose IgnacioSanz, who coor dinates the Center ’s participa-tion in Seeds of Hope for Central America.“ We’re helping farmers help themselves in asustainable way,” he adds.

After seed supplies are delivered for the year’ sfirst planting season, hope will sprout again inhundr eds of r ural communities acr oss Hondu-ras and Nicaragua. Solidarity will be thefertilizer that helps it gro w.

For further information contact Guillermo Giraldo, Coor dinator, Seeds of Hope <soh@optinet.hn>and/or Jose Ignacio Sanz, CIAT <j.sanz@cgiar. org>.

* Adapted from Growing Affinities (Eduardo Figueroa, CIAT )

Seeds of Hope for Central America *

Solidarity in the wake of hurricane Mitch

The map shows the course followed by Mitch

Paraguay does not have genebanks yetmaintains its plant geneticresources

Landraces and wild r elatives of important cropssuch as cassava, peanuts, pineapple and peppers(Capsicum ) can be found in Paraguay. Among thewild peppers about to disappear because of theincr easing deterioration of their natural ecosys-tems is Capsicum flexuosum , a rare wild speciesnot repr esented in germplasm collections untilrecently.

IPGRI, the United States Department ofAgriculture (USDA), the UniversidadNacional de Asuncion and the ParaguayanInstituto Agr onomico Nacional joined in 1998to rescue Paraguayan Capsicum landraces andwild r elatives. They were faced with theproblem that Paraguay does not havegenebanks where to conserve any materialscollected.

The first step to r escuing Paraguayan pepperswas ther efore the signature of an agr eementbetween Paraguayan authorities and USDA toconserve the germplasm collected in genebanks inthe United States. Under this agr eement, USDA w i l lkeep the Paraguayan Capsicum collection free of cost forthe country, which will keep sover eignty over its plantmaterial. This is to say that the country will be able to con-serve its diversity ex s i tu despite not having a genebank establishedwithin its bor ders. USDA will also hold a safety duplicate of the Paraguayancollection among its general collections.

USDA is also supporting in si tu conservation of Capsicum and other species inParaguay. As a complement to ex s i tu conservation, USDA is curr ently funding aninventory of crop wild r elatives and developing guidelines to pr omote in s i tuconservation of this genetic diversity thr ough the country’s system of r eserves andprotected are as.

Paraguayan authorities are studying the possibility of expanding the agr eementwith USDA in the future to include other native species and enhance conservationactivities. The r esults and institutional linkages from this collaboration are contrib-uting to develop a national agrobiodiversity strategy and to the establishment of anational plant genetic r esour ces conservation and use pr ogram in Paraguay.

For further information contact David Williams in IPGRI <d.williams@cgiar. org>or Karen Williams in USDA <kwilliams@ars-grin.gov>.

5

Rescuing Paraguayan peppers

In fora conducted in the last

few years, partners in the

region asked IPGRI to set up

an information system or

database to record research

work conducted by r esearch-

ers from the region but not

published in international

scientific journals. T rying to

respond to this need, IPGRI

found that CIAT, in collabora-

tion with institutions from the

region, had set up a database

on grey literature on natural

resour ces —Gr eylit. Genetic

resour ces is one of Gre yl i t’ s

priority topics. T aking advan-

tage of this platform, IPGRI

has transferred to Gr eylit the

grey literature on plant ge-

netic r esour ces available in

the Americas Gr oup library.

Greylit now holds 20,000

records with abstracts, one

fourth of which are relevant to

genetic r esour ces and

forestry. The database can

be accessed on line thr ough

CIAT’s information ser-

vices. Gr eylit has a Web

site (http://

w w.ciat.cgiar. org/gr eylit/)

that explains how the

database topics and fields

are organized, its geo-

graphic coverage and

procedures for r ecor ding or

looking up information.

W e invite r esear chers and

institutions in the r egion to

take advantage of this

resource to both r ecord

their work and become

familiar with work done by

others. We trust that by

disseminating previous

work, Gr eylit will pave the

way to new r esearch work

and avoid duplication of

eff orts.

6

Information is an input to as well as an output from researc h.

Knowledge from r esearch needs to be compiled, or ganized and

recorded in or der to be disseminated and r etrieved. Knowledge

can be disseminated in r esearch fora as well as in both conventio-

nal and non-conventional media. Conventional media include

scientific journals, from which CD-ROMs can be compiled and

made available to libraries. Literature recor ded in non-conventio-

nal media —known as grey literatur e—is not so easily retrieved.

A great deal of r esearch conducted in the r egion is disseminated

orally or in non-conventional media such as annual r eports fro m

organizations and projects, working documents, theses or pr ocee-

dings. Though equally valuable and important, r esearch recorded

as grey literature is often unknown because it is dif ficult to access.

Recovering grey literatureon forestry and genetic resources

For further informa-

tion contact Dimary

Libre ros in IPGRI

<d.libre ros@cgiar. org>

and/or Zulma

Piñeros at CIAT

<z.piñer os@cgiar. org>.

The Plant Genetic Resources

Newsletter, or PGR Newsletter , is a

joint FAO-IPGRI publication. It

accepts papers dealing with the

genetic r esour ces of useful plants

resulting from new work; histori-

cal study, review and criticism in

genetic diversity; ethnobotanical

and ecogeographic surveying;

herbarium studies; collecting;

characterization and evaluation;

documentation; conservation and

genebank practice. It also con-

tains book r eviews and a section

on news. Contributions can be

submitted in English, Fr ench and

Spanish.

PGR Newsletter appears as one

volume per year, consisting of

four issues published in Marc h,

June, September and December.

It is available free of charge to

libraries of genebanks, universi-

ties, government institutions,

research centers and other institu-

tions inter ested in plant genetic

resourc es.

Contributions are subject to

evaluation by the Newsletter ’ sInformation on therequir ements forauthors appears in theIPGRI Web pages athttp://www .cgiar. org/ipgri/publicat/pgrn_s.htm.

Editorial Committee. Articles are

evaluated for scientific content

and validity by experts in the

topic. Manuscripts for publica-

tion and other communications

should be addr essed to:

Managing Editor

Plant Genetic Resources

Newsletter IPGRI

Via delle Sette Chiese 14200145

Rome Italy

Phone: (39-6) 51 89 22 33;

Fax: (39-6) 57 5 0309;

Email: <p.stapleton@cgiar. org>

or <ipgri@cgiar. org>.

7

Do you have news or results of recent work on plantgenetic resources and do not know where to makethem known? Are you looking for a place to publishand reach a wide audience?

Disseminating research throughPGR Newsletter

25 years of achievements

IPGRI has made important contributions to the conser-vation and utilization of plant genetic r esour ces in areassuch as resear ch, policy-making, capacity building anddissemination of information.

Research on genetic diversity has r esulted in impr ovedconservation strategies and techniques as well as inprocedures to collect germplasm based on ecogeographicstudies. IPGRI has also contributed to developing andimpr oving technologies for in v i tro conservation,cryopr eservation and seed storage.

IPGRI has contributed to international policy-making byparticipating in fora and by conducting technical analysis ofalternatives to establish genetic r esour ces access policies. Theseanalyses have been published in the series Issues in Plant GeneticResour ces. IPGRI has also facilitated agr eements between FAO andthe CGIAR thr ough which the germplasm collections held in tr ust bythe Centers are now included in the International Network of Ex SituCollections.

IPGRI has supported the development of national pr ogrammes on plantgenetic r esour ces in many countries and trained some 2100 r esear chersin disciplines r elated to plant genetic r esour ces conservation and use.The Institute has pr omoted international collaboration by helpingorganize some fifty r egional, thematic and crop genetic r esourcesnetworks in which more than 150 countries participate. It hassponsored over 560 collecting missions in 136 countries in whichmore than 240,000 samples have been collected. IPGRI is also man-aging the lar gest Musa germplasm collection, curr ently in tr ust underthe auspices of the FAO International Network of Ex Situ Collections.

In support to genebanks, IPGRI has developed and promoted interna-tional standards for genebank management as well as a characteriza-tion based on descriptors lists. Lists for 80 cr ops and for est species areused in 140 countries both individually and in combination with otherlists. In collaboration with FAO and other institutions, IPGRI hasproduced a series of guidelines for the safe movement of germplasm.

8

cont. from page 1

25th ann iversary a

The guidelines have established methodolo-gies and pr ocedures to diagnose and tr eat mostdiseases af fecting the transfer of germplasm ofspecific cr ops between countries.

Regar ding dissemination of information,IPGRI has published almost 400 titles, articlesin peer- reviewed journals, regional newslet-ters, pr oceedings and other specialized materi-als. The Institute has also contributed toraising awareness about the unique nature ofagrobiodiversity and its importance for devel-opment.

The new strategy

The first IPGRI strategy —Diversity for Develop-ment— was written in 1993 when the world had just

come to grips with the r elationship between theenvir onment and development. The document de-

scribed the Institute’s aims about conservation of plantgenetic r esour ces for food and agriculture, then a priority topic for

development. However, many changes, impossible to pr edict at thattime, have occurred in this area during the last few years. These changes have

led countries to r eexamine their capacity to conserve and use these r esources and IPGRIto revise its institutional strategy.

The original strategy was based on the r ecognition that genetic r esources were the key tofuture food security and that their collection and safekeeping were essential. The newstrategy places equal emphasis on the use of diversity for development. By “use,” IPGRIunderstands the exploitation of diversity to support genetic enhancement and enrichingproduction systems with traditional or improved germplasm. Thus, sustainable use ofplant genetic r esour ces will have more emphasis in the Institute’s agenda, which will alsosee an incr ease in its for est genetic r esour ces conservation activities. IPGRI also plans tocollaborate with a wider range of partners, including grassr oots or ganizations, advancedresearch institutions and botanical gar dens. On its 25 th anniversary, IPGRI tr usts that itsnew strategy will impr ove its capacity to assist national pr ogrammes in safeguardinggenetic diversity and putting it to work for development on behalf of present and futuregenerations.

9

and new s t rat egy

Courses

Geographic Information Systems (GIS), August 2 –September 24, T urrialba, Costa Rica. The course iscomposed of four independent modules. Contact:Centro Agronómico Tr opical de Investigación yEnseñanza (CA TIE), T raining Pr ogram, CA TIE 7170,Turrialba, Costa Rica. Phone: (506) 556 6021; Fax:(506) 556 0176/1533; Email: <capacita@catie.ac.cr>;W eb addr ess: http://www .catie.ac.cr/

Fifth International Course on Pr oject Design andAnalysis for Biological Diversity Monitoring and Man-agement, October 3 – 18, Ciénaga de Zapata, Cuba.Contact: Lic. Mario Gutiérrez Padrón, Gr upo deCartografía y Sistemas de Información Geográfica,Unidad de Medio Ambiente, CITMA Matanzas, CalleMilanés # 19 e/t Matanzas y Jovellanos, Matanzas40100, Cuba. Phone: (53-52) 2294, 4964 or 4095; Fax:(53-52) 614 712 or 667 685; Email: <uma@atenas.inf.cu>;W eb addr ess: http://www .stanfor d.edu/grou p/CCB/Courses/r esumencuba.htm

Workshop on Modern T ools for Plant Br eedingand Quality Assessment, April 3 – 14, 2000, Melle,Belgium. Language of instr uction: English. Con-tact: Modern T ools for Plant Quality Assessment,p/a Secr etary, CLO-DFE, Burg. VanGansber ghelaan 109, 9820 Mer elbeke, Belgium.Phone: (32-9) 252 1981; Fax (32-9) 252 1150; Email:<moderntools@clo.fgov .be>.

Tissue Culture Update (August 16 – September 3) and GeneticResour ces Conservation (November 1 – 19), Brasilia, CentroNacional de Pesquisa de Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia(CENARGEN). Language of instr uction: Portuguese. Contact:EMBRAPA - Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Coor denaçãoAdministrativa de Tr einamento, Cx. Postal 02372, 70770-900 -Brasilia, DF, Brasil. Phone: (55-61) 348 4660; Fax: (55-61) 340 3624;W eb addr ess: http://www .cenar gen.embrapa.br/unidade/cursos/cursos.html

10

Opportunities for training

M.Sc. Programs

Conservation and Management of Biodiversity and Tr opicalForests. Duration: 2 years. Contact: Centro AgronómicoTropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CA TIE), Graduate School,C ATIE 7170, T urrialba, Costa Rica. Phone: (506) 556 6431; Fax:(506) 556 1533; Email: <posgrado@catie.ac.cr>; Web addre ss:http://www .catie.ac.cr/posgrado/

Conservation and Management of Natural Resour ces forAgriculture, with emphasis on genetic r esour ces. Duration: 18-24months. Contact: Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, PlantProduction, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP),Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce – INTA, C.C. 276,7620 Balcarce, Buenos Aire s, Argentina. Phone: (54-2266) 430544,422040, 422041 or 422 042; Fax: (54-2266) 421756, 430456 or 430353;Email: <posveg@balcar ce.inta.gov. ar>.

11

PGR on the Web

Training manuals

http://mayaweb.upr .clu.edu/artssciences/cjs/book/invypubl.htm: Handbook on scientificwriting (in Spanish) including concrete explana-tions and examples. A useful tool for those inter-ested in impr oving their writing skills and publish-ing r esearch results in international journals.

http://personal.redestb.es/jjdehar o/sistematica/sistfilog.htm: Handbook of systematics and cladis-tics. It contains definitions and fundamentals ofevolution, phylogeny, taxonomy and systematics.Extensive bibliography, a glossary and a list ofrelated Web sites are also included.

http://www. idrc.ca/lacr o/docs/financia2.html:W ebsite of the Canadian International DevelopmentResearch Centre (IDRC), a public research fundinginstitution. It contains a guide on how to pr epareproject pr oposals to submit to IDRC, that can beused to pr epare pr oject pr oposals for other donors.

On-line journals

http://www .fns.uniba.sk/prifuk/journal/index.htm: The sitecontains an index of journals(some with full text) on biology,chemistry, the envir onment,geology and geophysics that canbe searched on line.

http://link.springer .de/link/sub_list: Another pathway toaccess journals with indications asto how to subscribe to them. Itcontains journals withdownloadable (PDF) files.

Other interesting sites

http://bubl.ac.uk/link/: Catalo-gue of the information service atStrathclyde University in Scotlandorganized by scientific field. By en-tering “natural sciences” you canaccess agriculture, biology, ecology,genetics and zoology. It has linksto books in hypertext, databases,organizations and virtual librariesaround the world.

http://www .futur eharvest.org :Future Harvest is an joint initiativeof the 16 CGIAR centers to informthe public how agriculture cansolve hunger, poverty and healthproblems and what CGIAR centersare doing about these pr oblems.Future Harvest pr omotes consortiaand linkages with r esear chers,organizations and gr oups intere s-ted in agriculture. The site containslinks to the Web pages of individualCGIAR centers as well as otherwell known agricultural r esearchorganizations.

12

Databases

http://www .dainet.de/genres/mpc-dir: Directory of or ganiza-tions conducting r esearchprojects on medicinal plants.Objectives, activities and con-tacts of projects are pr ovided.The database allows sear chingby country, organization (nameand type) or continent.

http://pppis.fao.or g/: Data-base about plant pathogens thatallows sear ching by scientificname of pathogens and hosts.It includes pathogen taxonomicclassification, common names,synonyms, geographic distribu-tion and symptoms. Bibliogra-phy and a list of host plantswith common names andsynonyms are also pr ovided.

http://herbaria.harvad.edu/treebase/: Database on phylog-eny with genetic tr ees and dataorganized in matrixes that canbe used as a model for work onplant evolution. Bibliographyon phylogeny is also included.

PGR on the Web

Citations fromsources inInternet

Using the Internet as asource of information isbecoming more andmore frequent. So is theneed to cite thesesourc es. After consult-ing various publishedsources and informationspecialists, the followingis the style we haveadopted: Author, year,publication title, nameof organization, Webaddre ss.

Example:

Van den Hurk, A. 1997.Complementary Conser-vation Strategies. IPGRI.http://www .cgiar. org/ipgri/training/tsupport.html.

Reference

Pierik, R.L.M. 1999. Pierik, R.L.M. 1999. Pierik, R.L.M. 1999. Pierik, R.L.M. 1999. Pierik, R.L.M. 1999. In vitrIn vitrIn vitrIn vitrIn vitr ooooo culture of higher plants. Agricul- culture of higher plants. Agricul- culture of higher plants. Agricul- culture of higher plants. Agricul- culture of higher plants. Agricul-tural Universitytural Universitytural Universitytural Universitytural University , W, W, W, W, W ageningen, Netherlands. 360 p.ageningen, Netherlands. 360 p.ageningen, Netherlands. 360 p.ageningen, Netherlands. 360 p.ageningen, Netherlands. 360 p.

This is an update of techniques and applications of in vi tro plantculture, with potential for training. The first part describes thefundamentals of in vi tro culture including laboratory set-up,media composition and pr eparation, sterilization of media andplant material, isolation and subculture, and the influence ofplant and environmental factors on gr owth and development.The second part illustrates how in vi tro culture is applied.

Hermann, M. and J. Heller (eds.). 1997. Andean roots andHermann, M. and J. Heller (eds.). 1997. Andean roots andHermann, M. and J. Heller (eds.). 1997. Andean roots andHermann, M. and J. Heller (eds.). 1997. Andean roots andHermann, M. and J. Heller (eds.). 1997. Andean roots andtubers: Ahipa, arracacha, maca and yacon. Promoting thetubers: Ahipa, arracacha, maca and yacon. Promoting thetubers: Ahipa, arracacha, maca and yacon. Promoting thetubers: Ahipa, arracacha, maca and yacon. Promoting thetubers: Ahipa, arracacha, maca and yacon. Promoting theconservation and use of underutilized and neglected cropsconservation and use of underutilized and neglected cropsconservation and use of underutilized and neglected cropsconservation and use of underutilized and neglected cropsconservation and use of underutilized and neglected cropsNo. 21. Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research,No. 21. Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research,No. 21. Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research,No. 21. Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research,No. 21. Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research,Gatersleben. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute,Gatersleben. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute,Gatersleben. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute,Gatersleben. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute,Gatersleben. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute,Rome, ItalyRome, ItalyRome, ItalyRome, ItalyRome, Italy . 256 p.. 256 p.. 256 p.. 256 p.. 256 p.

This book deals with the biology and genetic r esour ces of fourAndean r oot and tuber cr ops —ahipa ( Pachyr hizus ahipa ),arracacha ( Arracacia xanthorr hiza ), maca ( Lepidium meyenii ) andyacon ( Smallanthus sonchifolius ). It starts with an intr oductionabout Andean r oot and tuber crops, followed by four sectionsdealing individually with each species. Species are described interms of their taxonomy, botany, origin, ecology, properties,utilization and state of the art conservation and br eeding.Information is included on production ar eas, agr onomy, croplimitations, perspectives and research needs. It also contains anappendix with the names and contact information of r esearch-ers i n Andean r oot and tuber cr ops, both within and outside theregion.

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Readings on PGR

Reaka-Kudla, M.L., D.E.Reaka-Kudla, M.L., D.E.Reaka-Kudla, M.L., D.E.Reaka-Kudla, M.L., D.E.Reaka-Kudla, M.L., D.E.WWWWWilson and E.O. Wilson and E.O. Wilson and E.O. Wilson and E.O. Wilson and E.O. W ilson (eds.).ilson (eds.).ilson (eds.).ilson (eds.).ilson (eds.).1997. Biodiversity II: Under1997. Biodiversity II: Under1997. Biodiversity II: Under1997. Biodiversity II: Under1997. Biodiversity II: Under -----standing and protecting ourstanding and protecting ourstanding and protecting ourstanding and protecting ourstanding and protecting ourbiological resources. Josephbiological resources. Josephbiological resources. Josephbiological resources. Josephbiological resources. JosephHenry Press. WHenry Press. WHenry Press. WHenry Press. WHenry Press. W ashington,ashington,ashington,ashington,ashington,D.C. USA. 551 p.D.C. USA. 551 p.D.C. USA. 551 p.D.C. USA. 551 p.D.C. USA. 551 p.

In words intelligible to layreaders and scientists alike,this book alerts us to what canand must be done right now topreserve life on Earth. It isdivided into seven sectionsincluding 33 chapters. Mainsections deal with the value ofbiodiversity, i ts threats andpotential uses, and the r ole ofconservation or ganizations.

Engels. J.M.M. and R.Engels. J.M.M. and R.Engels. J.M.M. and R.Engels. J.M.M. and R.Engels. J.M.M. and R.Ramanatha Rao (eds.). 1998.Ramanatha Rao (eds.). 1998.Ramanatha Rao (eds.). 1998.Ramanatha Rao (eds.). 1998.Ramanatha Rao (eds.). 1998.Regeneration of seed cropsRegeneration of seed cropsRegeneration of seed cropsRegeneration of seed cropsRegeneration of seed cropsand their wild relatives.and their wild relatives.and their wild relatives.and their wild relatives.and their wild relatives.Proceeding of a consultationProceeding of a consultationProceeding of a consultationProceeding of a consultationProceeding of a consultationmeeting, 4-7 December 1995,meeting, 4-7 December 1995,meeting, 4-7 December 1995,meeting, 4-7 December 1995,meeting, 4-7 December 1995,ICRISAICRISAICRISAICRISAICRISA TTTTT, Hyderabad, India., Hyderabad, India., Hyderabad, India., Hyderabad, India., Hyderabad, India.International Plant GeneticInternational Plant GeneticInternational Plant GeneticInternational Plant GeneticInternational Plant GeneticResources Institute, Rome,Resources Institute, Rome,Resources Institute, Rome,Resources Institute, Rome,Resources Institute, Rome,ItalyItalyItalyItalyItaly . 167p.. 167p.. 167p.. 167p.. 167p.

Proceedings of a consultationmeeting with genebank cura-tors f rom national and interna-tional or ganizations, or ganizedby IPGRI, SGRP, FAO andICRISAT. It highlights thecomplexity of regenerating exsitu collections and off erssuggestions for ef fectiveregeneration.

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Shand, H. 1997. HumanShand, H. 1997. HumanShand, H. 1997. HumanShand, H. 1997. HumanShand, H. 1997. Humannature: agriculturalnature: agriculturalnature: agriculturalnature: agriculturalnature: agriculturalbiodiversity and farm-basedbiodiversity and farm-basedbiodiversity and farm-basedbiodiversity and farm-basedbiodiversity and farm-basedfood securityfood securityfood securityfood securityfood security . Rural Advance-. Rural Advance-. Rural Advance-. Rural Advance-. Rural Advance-ment Foundation Interna-ment Foundation Interna-ment Foundation Interna-ment Foundation Interna-ment Foundation Interna-tional (RAFI), Ottawa,tional (RAFI), Ottawa,tional (RAFI), Ottawa,tional (RAFI), Ottawa,tional (RAFI), Ottawa,Canada. 94 p.Canada. 94 p.Canada. 94 p.Canada. 94 p.Canada. 94 p.

The book deals with thecauses and possible conse-quences of biodiversity lossfor food security, drawing outthe implications for policy-making r egarding biodiversityconservation. It is divided inthree parts covering topicssuch as loss of agriculturalbiodiversity and culturaldiversity, conservation anduse of plant and animalgenetic r esour ces, and politicalissues af fectingagrobiodiversity.

Readings on PGR

Genetic resources

Hodgkin, T. 1998. Perspectives on the availability and use of plant geneticresour ces. Plant V arieties and Seeds 11 (1): 15-27.

W aghmare, V .N. y K.D. Koranne. 1998. Coloured cotton: pr esent status,problems and future potentials. Indian Journal of Genetics and PlantBreeding 58 (1): 1-15.

Zeven, A.C. 1998. Landraces: a review of definitions and classifications.Euphytica 104 (2): 127-139.

PGR policy and legislation

Dietz, T. y P.C. Stern. 1998. Science, values, and biodiversity. BioScience 48(6): 441-444.

Frisvold, G.B. y P. T. Condon. 1998. The convention on biological diversityand agriculture: implications and unr esolved debates. W orld Development26 (4): 551-570.

Seiler, A. 1998. Sui generis systems: obligations and options for developingcountries. Biotechnology and Development Monitor 34: 2-5.

N.B.N.B.N.B.N.B.N.B. Publications

other than IPGRI’s

recommended in

this section are not

distributed by the

Institute. Readers

inter ested should

contact the journal

or publisher.

Readings on PGR

15

Electronic version ofthe new IPGRI Strategy

The document is available in

pdf format. Copies can be r equested

from the Americas Gr oup informa-

tion services <ciat-ipgri

@cgiar. org>. Besides institutional

information (mission, objectives,

agenda, modus operandi ), the

document pr esents a synthesis of

the main issues curr ently af fecting

plant genetic r esourc es. I t a l so

contains examples and intere st-

ing data about current and past

IPGRI pro jects.

International Plant Genetic Resour ces Institute (IPGRI), Americas GroupA.A. 6713, Cali, Colombia. Phone: (57-2) 445-0048/9Fax: (57-2) 445-0096; Email: <ciat-ipgri@cgiar. org>

W eb addr ess: http://www .cgiar. org/ipgri

Biodiversity, conservation andcharacterization

Ellis, R.H. 1998. Longevity of seeds stored hermetically at lowmoisture contents. Seed Science Research 8 (Supplement No. 1):9-10.

Ellis, R.H. y E.H. Roberts. 1998. How to store seeds to conservebiodiversity. Nature 395 (6704): 758.

Lira R., C. Rodríguez-Jímenez, J.L. Alvarado, I. Rodríguez, J.Castr ejón and A. Domínguez-Mariani. 1998. Diversidad eimportancia económica de la familia Cucurbitaceae en México.Acta Botánica Mexicana 42: 43-77.

Trognitz, B.R., M. Hermann and S. Carrión. 1998. Germplasmconservation of oca ( Oxalis tubero sa mmol.) thr ough botanicalseed. Seed information under a system of polymorphic incom-patibility. Euphytica 101 (2): 133-141.