Plants and Animals
In human history, 40 000 to 100 000 plant species have been regularly used for food, fibers, industrial, cultural and medicinal purposes.
We can't hope to cover the immensity of the world's plant and animal biodiversity on these pages. What we want to do is guide you to different crops and animals that have been the focus of Bioversity's research for development.
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Over the last 500 years, with increased contacts between disparate populations and the development of a global trading system, 30 or so crop species have become intensively and widely used and are now the basis of much of the world's agriculture.
Many of these 'basic' crops included in this section are covered under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Countries that have signed the Treaty are obliged to make the germplasm of these crops and information about them available for utilization and conservation in research, breeding and training. Understanding and documenting the diversity of these crops is an essential part of making the Treaty work.
Find out which crops are covered by the International Treaty (PDF, 160 KB).
Find out more about the International Treaty.
Neglected and Underutilized Species
At least 7 000 cultivated species continue to be used today around the world, mostly on a very small scale in subsistence agricultural systems. These crops are often refered to as neglected and underutilized species. The biodiversity contained in these species is a resource that can free millions from poverty, hunger and malnutrition.
However, a lack of attention has meant that their potential value is under-estimated and under-exploited. It also places them in danger of continued genetic erosion and ultimately disappearance, which would further restrict development options for the poor.
Find out more about neglected and underutilized species.
Databases on crops and crop collections
The Bioversity Species Compendium is a searchable database providing information about:
- seed survival during storage
- germination requirements and dormancy
- reproductive biology
- pests and diseases.
To quickly check scientific names against other standardized databases, use Bioversity's Taxonomic Nomenclature Checker (TNC). Two versions exist. One checks lists of scientific names against the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) of the United States Department of Agriculture and the other checks the Mansfeld's World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops.
Go TNC-GRIN
Go to TNC-Mansfeld
Bioversity maintains a number of databases with summary information on ex situ germplasm collections worldwide. Currently, summary information on more than 5 million accessions belonging to more than 20 000 species worldwide is available.
Go to the Directory of germplasm databases.
For a listing of other germplasm databases, click here.
The System-wide Information Network for Genetic Resources (SINGER) is the genetic resources information exchange network of the centres of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). It provides access to information on the collections of genetic resources held by the CGIAR centres.
The European plant genetic resource catalogue, EURISCO, collects data from the national plant genetic resource inventories and provides access to ex situ plant genetic resource information in Europe.