International Germplasm Transfer: Past and Present

The historical impact of worldwide plant genetic resource movement has dramatically affected mankind for more than 500 years. All countries have plant genetic resource deficiencies, and all have benefitted from an infusion of introduced crop germplasm. The travels of Christopher Columbus and other explorers may have escalated the intercontinental germplasm transfers, but genetic resources were moved prior to the Columbus era, continue to the present, and will continue in the future as long as populations and food requirements increase. During 1992, two symposia were sponsored by the Crop Science Society of America in the C-8 Plant Genetic Resource division at the annual meetings in Minneapolis, MN. J. McD. Stewart organized one symposium entitled "1492-1992: 500 Years of Global Germplasm Transfer." Devon Doney organized the second symposium entitled "International Cooperation in Germplasm Activities." The combined topics of the two symposia provided an overview on the global movement of germplasm, the impact from intercontinental genetic resource transfers, an assessment of problems and current needs that are inherent in global germplasm exchange, philosophical and political ramifications involved in germplasm movement, and information on seven widely grown crops that have global mandates for continuous germplasm exchange. Their Crop Germplasm Committees are truly global in function, operation, and genetic resource exchange, and serve as examples of what can be accomplished as priorities are focused and implemented.

• Format: Misc.
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0891186026
• ISBN13: 9780891186021
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Acsess