1,721,007 research outputs found
Valuing insurance services emerging from a gene bank: The case of the Greek Gene Bank
No full textWe develop a conceptual framework for determining insurance values associated with a gene bank and we apply the methodology to the Greek Gene Bank (GGB), the largest ex situ conservation program in Greece. To evaluate the insurance value generated by the holdings of the GGB genetic resources, the current study examined scenarios for alternative arrival probabilities of an adverse event that would negatively affect production of seven major staple crops held at the GGB within the next 100. years. Within the range of our estimates, it is indicated that insurance values considerably exceed the current operating costs of maintaining the GGB. © 2013 Elsevier B.V
Farmers Have Too Low Knowledge to Protect and Benefit from Native Pollinators – Insight from Morocco
No full textIn 2016 The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) showed that agricultural production is now twice as dependent on pol- linators than five decades ago, but pollinator decline accelerates globally, in particular in agricultural lands. Farmers cannot protect, what they do not see or recognise or value. Knowledgeable farmers are crucial for pollinator protection. In 2016 the knowledge of 110 male and female smallholder farmers (0.4 – 2.5 ha) in the Rabat-Sal ́e-Kenitra region (Mo- rocco) has been assessed by a standardised questionnaire. On average, farmers know only 1.4 pollinator species except honeybees. 23 out of 110 farmers had collaborated with bee- keepers, but not for improved pollination of their crops. They had invited the beekeepers to bring hives, because according to local arrangements a farmer providing flowers gets a share of the honey as in kind payment. Despite availability in their agricultural lands no farmer is able to recognise nests of pollinators or predators. Though all farmers produced at least one pollinator dependent crop, only 19% were aware that they need pollinators in their fields. They did not know for which crops pollination is essential, for which crop pollination has great, modest or little impact, they were e.g. much more concerned about pollination of tomato than of apple. As apple flowers in early spring, pollination by ho- neybees is often hampered by rain or cold days without sun. Farmers lacking knowledge might take wrong decisions in case of crop failure. All farmers enlarged fields reducing valuable pollinator habitats in field edges since the year 2000. Also the farmers increased the use of insecticides and fungicides on average by 54 % since 2000. There is very little literature on farmers’ knowledge on pollinators, but according to the samples the knowled- ge in Morocco is comparatively low. There was nearly no difference between literate and illiterate farmers. Therefore, obligatory lessons on pollinators is recommended for primary and secondary schools. Involvement of mass media would be useful
Pilot Study for the In Situ Conservation of Wild Wheat Progenitors, Triticum monococcum subsp. aegilopoides and Aegilops speltoides var. ligustica in Mesti Area, Greece
No full textPilot Study for the In Situ Conservation of Wild Wheat Progenitors, Triticum monococcum subsp. aegilopoides and Aegilops speltoides var. ligustica in Mesti Area, Greece
Multivariate analysis and genetic diversity of Greek grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars using ampelographic and microsatellite markers
No full textIntervention at the 4th International Symposium on Mediterranean Vineyards and Climate Change, 12-14 May 2017, Santorini, Greece
Regeneration and Characterization of cultivated and wild cereal genetic resources at ICARDA
No full textSeed regeneration is the process that leads to the generation of a new seed-lot for a given
accession with the intention to increase its stored seeds in the collection (also called
“multiplication”) or to increase the viability of its seeds equal to or above an agreed minimum
level, which is referred to as the regeneration threshold. The latter case is often termed as “seed
rejuvenation”.
Characterization is the description of plant germplasm through recording the expression of
highly heritable characters (not affected by the environment) ranging from morphological,
physiological or agronomical features to seed proteins and oil or molecular markers (FAO, 2013).
This activity provides information on traits that allows discrimination among accessions and
facilitates the verification of identity. It also includes the taxonomic identification and verification
when needed.
The Genebanks of ICARDA conserve “in-trust” a total of 76,730 accessions of small-grained
cereals belonging to 68 different taxa and originating from 110 countries (last update December
2021). The term “small-grained cereals” includes cultivated bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and
durum wheat (T. turgidum Desf.), primitive tetraploid (e.g. T. dicoccon Schrank) and hexaploid wheat
(e.g. T. spelta L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and their wild relatives (Aegilops, Triticum and Hordeum).
It also includes accessions of triticale (x Triticosecale spp.), rye (Secale spp.) and oat (Avena spp). With
the exception of rye and some crop wild relatives (e.g. Aegilops speltoides, Aegilops caudata, Hordeum
bulbosum) these cereals are self-pollinated, annual and cool-season grasses. The cultivated forms are
grown for human food consumption, animal feed and forage. All of these species are found as
both, winter and facultative types (growing primarily during the winter months, requiring
vernalization to flower, and with ability to withstand prolonged periods of below freezing
temperatures) and spring types (growing primarily during the spring and summer months, normally
not requiring vernalization to flower). Details on reproductive system (self vs. cross pollination,
self-incompatibility) and on growth cycle (annual, biennial, perennial) for the most representative
small-grained cereal species maintained by ICARDA’s Genebanks are given in Annex 1.
An essential element of seed regeneration is the maintenance of genetic integrity of the original
sample. The two concerns are maintaining the occurrence of different alleles and maintaining the
frequency of these alleles. Therefore, knowledge on reproductive system, growth cycle and growth
habit of an accession are key elements for regeneration process. Cereal accessions at ICARDA are
regenerated when seed quantity falls below 1,500 seeds in medium-term storage or when seed
viability drops below 85% of initial viability of the stored seeds (75% in case of wild relative
species). Regeneration is also undertaken for the newly introduced, collected or received accessions
to allow to conduct characterization and multiply seeds to replenish active and base collection and
to send samples for safety duplication.
Planting of cereals accessions for regeneration at ICARDA is done in the months of November
and December to exploit favorable winter season precipitations and to meet the vernalization
requirements for the winter type accessions. Characterization can be carried out at any stage of the conservation process, as long as there are sufficient numbers of seeds to sample. However,
characterization of accessions at the field is done as soon as the accession will be acquired by
ICARDA’s Genebank and is often combined with the regeneration process. The GRS aims to
regenerate and characterize the accessions under conditions that meet recognized international
standards based on current technologies and scientific knowledge.
The purpose of this SOP is to give detailed instructions and to ensure consistency on the
regeneration and characterization activities of cultivated and wild cereal germplasm maintained at
ICARDA’s Genebank in compliance with national and international treaties and conventions
Best Practices for Collecting and Acquiring Plant Genetic Resources
No full textBest Practices for Collecting and Acquiring Plant Genetic Resources
Mainstreaming the maintenance and commercialization of landraces in the formal seed sector – The example of Greece
Get PDFMainstreaming the maintenance and commercialization of landraces in the formal seed sector – The example of Greece
Importance of agrobiodiversity conservation
Get PDFImportance of agrobiodiversity conservation, concepts, and definitions
Effect of Farming with Alternative Pollinators “FAP” on faba bean crop in two different regions
No full textThis study evaluates the effect of Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP) approach in faba bean cultivation in Morocco’s Marchouch and Settat regions. This study aims to compare FAP fields—surrounded by different marketable habitat enhancement plants (MHEP) such as coriander, clover, canola, lupinus, sulla and buckwheat, with monoculture faba bean control. The FAP fields showed significantly greater pollinator abundance and diversity. In addition, FAP is an ecologically sustainable strategy for fauna enhancing in different agroecosystems in arid environments such as Settat and Marchouch regions
Widening the genetic base of cultivated germplasm through pre-breeding activities
Get PDFWidening the genetic base of cultivated germplasm through pre-breeding activities
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