Latest Publications
Authors: Hermann, M.; Amaya, K.; Latournerie, L.; Castiñeiras, L. (eds.)
Este libro presenta los resultados de un proyecto de investigación donde se evaluó la manera como los sistemas locales de semilla abastecen y mantienen los recursos genéticos de los cultivos importantes para los medios de vida de los agricultores en comunidades de escasos recursos ubicadas en la zona del trópico húmedo de Cuba, México y la región amazónica del Perú.
La investigación se enfocó principalmente en el maíz (Zea mays), el frijol común (Phaseolus vulgaris), el frijol pallar (Phaseolus lunatus) y el chile (Capsicum spp.), caracterizando y cuantificando el flujo de semillas en las redes de agricultores. Se analizó la función de los agricultores nudo en estas redes, y se evaluó el rol de hombres y mujeres en el manejo de semillas por parte de los agricultores. Se identificaron también factores que limitan la capacidad de los agricultores para almacenar semilla destinada para la resiembra, o que conducen a la pérdida de semilla, como la deficiencia de métodos y recipientes adecuados para el almacenamiento de las semillas.
Authors: Frese, L.; Maggioni, L.; Lipman, E. (eds)
Report of the third joint meeting of the Working Group on Beta and the World Beta Network (WBN). The meeting focused on scientific and technical aspects of in situ management. The articles include the evolutionary history of the Beta section reconstructed on the basis of molecular data, an account of the taxonomy, distribution, ecology and conservation of Macaronesian Beta, information on the biodiversity of Beta species in the Caucasus and Iran, a survey of Beta nana populations growing in Greece, reconfirming the survival of this species believed to be extinct, and an account of rich populations of B. vulgaris subsp. maritima growing on the coasts of Ireland. A visit to important sites with populations of wild Beta species along the coasts of the Island of Tenerife ascertains that most populations are well preserved.
Key access and utilization descriptors for pearl millet genetic resources
Source/Contributor: UMD
This minimum list consists of an initial set of characterization and evaluation descriptors for pearl millet utilization.
This strategic set of descriptors, together with passport data, will become the basis for the global accession level information portal being developed by Bioversity International with the financial support of the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT). It will facilitate access to and utilization of pearl millet accessions held in genebanks and does not preclude the addition of further descriptors, should data subsequently become available.
Biotic and abiotic stresses included in the list were chosen because of their cosmopolitan nature, wide geographical occurrence and significant economic impact.
Bioversity's Regional Office for Europe provides the Coordination Secretariats for the European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR) and for the European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN).
Bioversity publishes two issues of the Newsletter for Europe a year. This Newsletter is intended to serve as an informal forum for the exchange of news and views, and to create closer ties within the genetic resources community in Europe.
Geneflow is Bioversity International’s flagship public awareness publication, now in its 20th year of production. The publication describes actions by local, national regional and international programmes to improve livelihoods and to conserve and use agricultural biodiversity around the world. Geneflow is distributed on an annual basis to approximately 6500 policymakers, media, donors and non-governmental agencies in about 120 countries.
Geneflow always contains a special focus section devoted to a particular issue or area of work. This year Geneflow looks at two important topics: the Guardians of Diversity (Feature Section) and climate change (Special Report). Past issues of Geneflow have focused on women and biodiversity, crop wild relatives, on-farm conservation and botanic gardens.
Authors: Bailey, A.; Eyzaguirre, P.; Maggioni, L. (eds.)
These proceedings relate to a workshop on home gardens that was organized in Ljubljana, Slovenia, 3-4 October 2007 by the ECPGR In situ and On-farm Conservation Network. The opportunity to convene nearly fifty scientists working on home gardens in a regional meeting was based on the awareness that home gardens probably constitute the richest agro-ecosystems in Europe in terms of genetic diversity of agricultural crops.
At the same time, there is incomplete information on the actual composition of home gardens and on the trends that may affect the maintenance of these precious but possibly fragile ecosystems in the near future. The workshop intended to collect information on home gardens composition, status and distribution in Europe; the role of home gardens for the conservation of diversity; incentives and policies. It also aimed at defining ways to bring forward research, assessing possibility of forming networks and raising awareness.
This book collects together a number of the contributions that were made in Ljubljana and intends to be a starting point demonstrating the opportunity to join efforts to understand and maintain precious resources in Europe.
Authors: Rudebjer, P.; Van Schagen, B.; Chakeredza, S.; Kamau, H. (eds)
Source/Contributor: CDU
Agrobiodiversity needs to enter university curricula in a broader fashion, to prepare graduates for both conserving and using agrobiodiversity sustainably. To tackle this issue, the first regional consultation on agrobiodiversity education in Sub-Saharan Africa was held in January 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop featured expert presentations on key aspects of agrobiodiversity, pointing at the knowledge and skills required in graduates. Workshop participants from 16 African and two European countries identified key issues for teaching and learning agrobiodiversity and outlined a framework for integrating the subject in university curricula. An action plan was developed and a task force was assigned to follow up the workshop recommendations.
European landraces: on-farm conservation, management and use
Authors: Veteläinen M.; Negri V.; Maxted N. (eds.)
This technical bulletin first establishes the context of European landrace diversity conservation and use; it reviews how landrace inventories can be generated, using practical examples of such inventories for European countries; it then provides specific case studies of the on farm management of landraces; and exemplars of how landrace use has been and might be further promoted within a European agricultural context. The recent introduction of the Commission Directive 2008/62 EC on Conservation Varieties will impact European landrace diversity; this is discussed together with the development of diverse European and National policies to support the conservation and use of landraces in production systems for sustainable agriculture. The technical bulletin concludes with a discussion of why we still need landraces, the current conservation status of European landraces, a review of the threats to on farm management of landraces and the opportunities for future landrace cultivation. It concludes with a proposal for a European on farm conservation and landrace management strategy that will both ensure the systematic conservation landrace diversity and promote its sustainable use, thus helping to underpin European food security and well being.
Key access and utilization descriptors for bean genetic resources
Source/Contributor: UMD
This list consists of an initial set of characterization and evaluation descriptors for bean utilization.
This strategic set of descriptors, together with passport data, will become the basis for the global accession level information portal being developed by Bioversity International with the financial support of the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT). It will facilitate access to and utilization of bean accessions held in genebanks and does not preclude the addition of further descriptors, should data subsequently become available.
Key access and utilization descriptors for maize genetic resources
Source/Contributor: UMD
This list consists of an initial set of characterization and evaluation descriptors for maize utilization.
This strategic set of descriptors, together with passport data, will become the basis for the global accession level information portal being developed by Bioversity International with the financial support of the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT). It will facilitate access to and utilization of maize accessions held in genebanks and does not preclude the addition of further descriptors, should data subsequently become available.
