Volume 6, No. 1, English, July 2000

Facing thechallenges of thenew millennium .......... 1

Contents of the new millennium

Training materialson ex situ conservationof plant geneticresources ................... 3

Fruits from theAmerican tropics:from information toresearch ..................... 4

Intellectual propertyrights applied to plantgenetic resources....... 6

Promoting the useof papaya geneticresources ................... 8

Vavilov-FrankelFellowships 2001 ........ 9

Plant genetic resourceson the Web ................ 11

Collecting tomatoesin the Andes .............. 12

Readings on plantgenetic resources...... 10

AAgriculture has been successful in meeting the demand for morefood. But with the increase in population not expected to level outuntil at least the 8 billion mark is reached, the world faces a hugechallenge. Supplies of freshwater and suitable new land for farminggrow scarcer by the day. The forests and the genetic base of foodcrops are shrinking and so is plant biodiversity at a rate of 2% ayear. Plant genetic resources determine the characteristics ofplants, including their ability to adapt and survive. The use of theseresources can ensure food security and drive the economic andsocial development of the world’s growing population.

The International Conference on Science and Technology forManaging Plant Genetic Diversity in the 21st Century, recently heldin Malaysia, examined the current status of genetic resourcesconservation and the major challenges to be faced if plant diversityis to be put at work for development. The Conference wasorganized by IPGRI and the Palm Oil Research Institute (PORIM)of Malaysia, and attended by a 250 experts on agrobiodiversityfrom 70 countries. Latin America was represented by participantsfrom Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico andVenezuela. Some were supported by IPGRI.

Topics of lectures and workshops included strategies andtechnologies to conserve plant genetic resources, the cost ofmanaging germplasm collections, alternatives to increase the useof underutilized species, and the role of bioinformatics as well asthe public and private sectors in managing biodiversity.

“Bringing genebanks and breeders closer together to bridge thegap between conservation and use is a real challenge,“ said

Facing the challenges

Newsletter for the AmericasVolume 6, No. 1, English,

July 2000

The Newsletter for the Americasis published by the IPGRIAmericas Group. It highlightsactivities on plant geneticresources conducted by IPGRI andits partners in the region. It is alsopublished in Spanish as Boletínde las Américas . Its contents maybe reproduced with credit to thesource.

For contributions and furtherinformation, please contactNewsletter for the Americas,IPGRI Americas Group, AA 6713,Cali, Colombia. Phone: (57-2)445-0048/9; Fax: (57-2) 445-0096;Email: ciat-ipgri@cgiar.org;Web address: http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org.

The International Plant GeneticResources Institute (IPGRI) isan autonomous internationalscientific organization, supportedby the Consultative Group onInternational Agricultural Research(CGIAR). IPGRI’s mandate is toadvance the conservation and useof plant genetic resources for thebenefit of present and futuregenerations. IPGRI operatesthrough three programmes: (1)the Plant Genetic ResourcesProgramme, (2) the CGIARGenetic Resources SupportProgramme and (3) theInternational Network for theImprovement of Banana andPlantain (INIBAP). Theinternational status of IPGRI isconferred under an EstablishmentAgreement signed by 48 countries.

Information on the

papers presented is

available at http://

www.ipgri.cgiar.org/

sosindex.htm. This

site will also provide

access to the confer-

ence conclusions and

proceedings.

2

Ramón Lastra, Regional Directorof IPGRI in the Americas. “So isincreasing the use ofunderutilized crops to reducepoverty,” he said, “consideringthat they contribute to the foodsupply and generate income.”Lastra highlighted that the limitedknowledge about plant geneticresources policy and legislationamong specialists is increasinguncertainty.

According to Luigi Guarino,lecturer and IPGRI’s specialist onGenetic Diversity, plant geneticresources conservation ismoving from the in situ / ex situdichotomy towards a multiplecriteria approach. Bioinformaticsapplied to documentation will playa key role in managing geneticresources. Future germplasmdocumentation systems willintegrate taxonomic, DNA andtraditional knowledge databaseswith analysis tools in a singleplatform.

The conference was supportedby international and Asianorganizations, including theMalaysian Ministry of Science,Technology and Environment, theFood and AgricultureOrganization of the UnitedNations (FAO), and cooperationagencies of Australia, Canada,Germany and the United States.

Training materials on ex situconservation of plant genetic resources

El germoplasma se adquiere• por colecta, intercambio

o donación• para protegerlo, utilizarlo

o completar colecciones

Adquisición del germoplasma

Conservación Ex Situde Recursos Fitogenéticos

La colecta in vitro

• Extracción, siembra ytransporte in vitro detejidos vegetales

• Se indica para conservarespecies difíciles de manejar

• Mayor variabilidad genéticaen el menor número demuestras de una especie

• Se establece para manejoy utilización

Colección núcleo

3

PPlant genetic resources are the foundation ofhuman subsistence. They meet basic needsand help reduce hunger and poverty. Despitetheir potential, plant genetic resources aregradually eroding because of poor managementand habitat degradation. Plant geneticresources are important and should beconserved for the benefit of present and futuregenerations.

Plant genetic resources can be conserved in orout of their natural habitat or in a combination ofenvironments. Outside their natural habitats,plant genetic resources are maintained ingermplasm collections, whose conservation ingenebanks requires qualified and well trainedpersonnel.

In order to support genebanks in training theirstaff to manage genetic resources, IPGRI hasdeveloped some training materials in Spanishas part of a project to foster plant geneticresources research and training in LatinAmerica. This project is funded by Spain.

The module on ex situ conservation is apractical tool to train genebank staff as itcovers the principles and procedures tomaintain germplasm in genebanks, fromcollecting to utilization. It contains bibliographicreferences and examples of how to go fromtheory to practice.

By developing and releasing these trainingmaterials, IPGRI hopes to be contributing tobetter genebank management and greatergermplasm utilization.

The training module, in Spanish for the timebeing, is available in electronic form (CD-ROMand Internet). Copies may be obtained bycontacting Margarita Baena atm.baena@cgiar.org.

from informationFruits from

4

AAmong the diversity of edible plants, fruits and

nuts amount to 3000 species, many still

growing wild and in small farms in the tropics.

Despite their diversity, many fruits with

economic potential are neglected. Research

and development efforts have focused on

around thirty fruit species.

About 150 tropical fruits provide food for small farmer

communities but, provided they reached new markets, they could diversify the diet of new

consumers and render income to resource-poor farmers. The wild relatives of tropical fruits

are resistant to adverse conditions and their genes could be used in breeding to increase

yield and nutritional quality. Some underutilized tropical fruits adapt easily to marginal lands

and could improve degraded habitats.

Tropical American fruits are traditionally known for their properties and uses but also

underutilized. Aside from pineapple, avocado and papaya –the most competitive in the

international fruit market– most tropical American fruit produce remains in local markets and

hardly competes in the international market.

Just a few tropical American fruits have been studied. Literature about them is scarce,

scattered and difficult to find. Scientists interested in knowing about research on a fruit crop

from this region must search a variety of information sources yet not succeed in their efforts.

In response to regional interest for developing fruit crops, IPGRI has compiled information on

American tropical fruits to assess how far they have been studied and highlight gaps on

information and research. Two information products resulting from this initiative are a

bibliography and an inventory of fruits from the American tropics. Both are available for

researchers, teachers and students.

The bibliography, retrospective to 25 years, contains 662 references with citation and

Agrovoc descriptors. Records are organized around nine themes including plant pathology

(54 records), plant breeding (111), plant propagation (148), taxonomy and evolution (35),

crop production (41), plant physiology (108), entomology (29), chemical composition (83)

and floral biology (53). A full list of descriptors in English and Spanish is provided. The

bibliography is available at http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/system/page.asp?theme=7.

The inventory of American tropical fruits contains 1100 species,

distributed in 66 families and 282 genera. It provides information

on the species’ taxonomy, use, origin and geographic distribution.

Common names in various languages are included as

well as bibliographic references (conventional and

grey literature). The most important species are

illustrated in color. Most diversity has been found in the

Myrtaceae (101 species), Andean or temperate Rosaceae

(74), Arecaceae (73), Sapotaceae, Passifloraceae and

Leguminosae (approximately 55 species in every family),

Annonaceae (39), Solanaceae (25) and Malpighiaceae

(19). Important species such as pineapple, papaya, avocado

and Brazil nut represent the Bromeliaceae, Caricaceae,

Lauraceae and Lecythidaceae, respectively.

IPGRI expects that these products increase research on

underutilized tropical American fruits and enhance their

use, for the benefit of their native communities.

For further information on the bibliography

and inventory, please contact Dimary

Libreros <d.libreros@cgiar.org>

and for research on tropical

fruits, Dr. Geo Coppens

<g.coppens@cgiar.org>.

n to researchthe American tropics:

5

to plant genetic rto plant genetic rto plant genetic rto plant genetic rto plant genetic resouresouresouresouresourcescescescescesIntellectual property rights applied

6

AAdvances in plant genetic resources utilization have modified public

perception over the value of these resources as well as the political

environment in which they are exchanged. Countries adhering to international

agreements must develop appropriate legislation so policy makers trying to

design sound, coherent and consistent policies on access to plant genetic

resources, intellectual property rights and benefit sharing find it difficult to

evaluate alternatives and decide on topics still under discussion.

As a leader on plant genetic resources, IPGRI would like to contribute to the

development and adoption of policies and laws that favor plant genetic

resources conservation and use by providing useful information. Studies (see

box) analyzing the scientific and technical consequences of the current options

and instruments to regulate access to and exchange of genetic resources,

protect intellectual property and distribute the benefits derived from their use

have been published in the series Issues in Genetic Resources. Two recent

publications of this series deal with the latest advances and tendencies in

policy applied to plant genetic resources conservation and use, and protection

of plant varieties under the World Trade Organization.

The publication “Recent policy trends and developments related to the

conservation, use and development of genetic resources” describes the main

instruments developed during the 90s, the contradictions among them and the

issues under discussion regarding farmers’ rights and interest of indigenous

and local communities, benefit sharing, access to genetic resources,

tendencies of the industry and patenting and protection of plant varieties under

a sui generis system. Issues raised in this publication lead to the development

of a guide to design policies to protect varieties under the World Trade

Organization. The guide entitled “Key questions for decision-makers, protection

IPGRI publications on intellectual property rights applied to plant genetic resources*IPGRI publications on intellectual property rights applied to plant genetic resources*IPGRI publications on intellectual property rights applied to plant genetic resources*IPGRI publications on intellectual property rights applied to plant genetic resources*IPGRI publications on intellectual property rights applied to plant genetic resources*

Material transfer agreements in genetic resources exchange - the case of theInternational Agricultural Research Centres. J.H. Barton and W.E. Siebeck.Issues in Genetic Resources No. 1, May 1994.

A multilateral system for plant genetic resources: imperatives, achievements andchallenges. D. Cooper, J. Engels and E. Frison. Issues in Genetic ResourcesNo. 2, May 1994.

Access to plant genetic resources and the equitable sharing of benefits: acontribution to the debate on systems for the exchange of germplasm. J. Engels(ed.) Issues in Genetic Resources No. 4, June 1996.

Intellectual Property Rights and Plant Genetic Resources: Options for a SuiGeneris System. D. Leskien and M. Flitner. Issues in Genetic Resources No. 6,June 1997.

Recent policy trends and developments related to the conservation, use anddevelopment of genetic resources. S.H. Bragdon and D.R. Downes. Issues inGenetic Resources No. 7, June 1998.

Key questions for decision-makers. Protection of plant varieties under the WTOAgreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. DecisionTools, October 1999.

* Abstracts and publications available at http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/system/page.asp?theme=7.

7

of plant varieties under WTO agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of

Intellectual Property Rights” is organized in a question and answer format.

Both publications are available in electronic form at http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/

publications/pubselect.asp. Abstracts are also available in the same site.

For additional information on IPGRI’s work on plant genetic resources policy

and legislation, contact Dr. Susan Bragdon, Senior Scientist, Law and Policy, at

s.bragdon@cgiar.org.

papaya genetic resources

Brazil: Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, CentroNacional de Pesquisa de Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia andCentro Nacional de Pesquisa de Mandioca e Fruticultura

Colombia: Universidad de Caldas, Universidad Nacional andCorporación Colombiana para la Investigación en Agricultura

Costa Rica: Universidad de Costa Rica

Ecuador: Instituto Nacional Autónomo de Investigaciones Agropecuarias andUniversidad Técnica de Ambato

Venezuela: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Fondo Nacional de InvestigaciónAgropecuaria, Instituto Venezolano de Investigación Científica

International organizations: Internacional Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Centrede coopération internationale en rechérche agronomique pour le dévéloppement andInternational Centre for Tropical Agriculture

Partners in the papaya projectPartners in the papaya projectPartners in the papaya projectPartners in the papaya projectPartners in the papaya project

8

Promoting the use ofCCommon papaya, Carica papaya, is the fourth tropical fruit of world importance. It produces pulpand papain, a proteolytic enzyme used in medicine and industry. Papaya cultivation is sociallyimportant in the Andean region for its short cycle, continuous production, adaptation to small plotsand continuous labor requirements. Crop production is limited by the papaya ring spot virus and thebacterial canker. Plantations depend on seed imported from Asia. Little breeding work has been donein this region so local cultivars are not resistant or tolerant.

Institutions from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Venezuela and three internationalresearch organizations (see box) engaged in a collaborative project to enhance use of papayagenetic resources. The project aims to stimulate papaya production for export and industry. Fundedby the Regional Fund for Agricultural Technolgy (FONTAGRO), participants in the three-year projectwill collect, conserve and evaluate the genetic and horticultural diversity of papaya, study thevariability of its main pests and diseases in producing countries, and identify sources of resistance ortolerance to breed stable commercial cultivars.

The project started at the end of 1999 with a workshop to assess the state of the art of Caricaresearch in the region and standardize criteria for Carica taxonomy. The workshop wasconducted at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias of theVenezuelan Fondo Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuaris. Forty-threerepresentatives of the countries participating in the project attended theworkshop, including Dr. Víctor M. Patiño, an expert in Carica taxonomy.

For further information contact Dr. Freddy Leal, ProjectCoordinator, at Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad Central deVenezuela, Apartado 4579, 2101A Maracay, Venezuela. Phone:(58-43) 83 19 32; Fax: (58-43) 45 35 42; Email:flealpinto@hotmail.com.

Fellowships 2001

9

Vavilov-FrankelIIPGRI has established the Vavilov-Frankel Fellowship Fund tocommemorate the valuable contributions to plant science by NikolaiIvanovich Vavilov and Sir Otto Frankel. The Fund aims to encourage theconservation and use of plant genetic resources in developing countriesthrough awarding fellowships to outstanding young researchers. Thefellowships enable the applicants to carry out relevant, innovativeresearch outside their own country for a period of between three monthsto one year. The research should have a clear benefit to the homecountry, preferably in areas of the applicant’s future research. Awards canbe held concurrently with other sources of support.

In 2001, a total of US$ 50,000 will be made available for awards. Themaximum award per fellow will be US$ 25,000 and is intended to covertravel, stipend, bench fees, equipment, conference participation or anyother use relevant for the research project.

The research funded should be linked to innovative topics related to theconservation and use of plant genetic resources such as newconservation technologies and strategies, socioeconomic and humanaspects of conservation and use, germplasm management, forest geneticresources, policy development, genetic erosion assessment andmitigation and conservation and utilization of specific crops. It is unlikelythat work purely on plant breeding or molecular characterization beselected. Fellows are encouraged to present the results of their researchat an international conference, within one year of termination of thefellowship.

Applications for the year 2001 are invited from developing-countrynationals, aged 35 or under, holding a masters degree (or equivalent) and/or doctorate in a relevant subject area. Application forms in English,French and Spanish may be obtained from Dimary Libreros<d.libreros@cgiar.org> or at http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/training/vavilov.htm.Applications should be sent by mail, fax or email to Vavilov-FrankelFellowships, IPGRI, Via delle Sette Chiese 142, 00145 Rome, Italy. Fax:(39) 06 5750309 or Email: e.clancy@cgiar.org and must be received atIPGRI before 15 November 2000 .

Applications are accepted in English, French or Spanish. The completedapplication form should be accompanied by a cover letter, a full curriculumvitae, a research proposal (1000 words, maximum, including a clearstatement of objectives, methodology, materials and justification) and aletter of acceptance from the proposed host institute. The successfulapplicants will be informed by 31 March 2001 and are required to take uptheir fellowships before 31 December 2001.

on plant genetic resourcesReadings

1 0

ReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference

Johnson, R.C. and T. Hodgkin. 1999. Core collections for today and tomorrow. International PlantGenetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), Rome, Italy. 80 p.

The book introduces the fundamentals, procedures, problems and patterns of genetic diversitythat must be taken into account to set up a base collection. It reports on the results of a world-widesurvey among genebanks conducted by IPGRI, that found 63 base collections of 51 crops (includingamaranth, potato, maize and peppers) in 15 countries. Studies conducted in base collections of beans,sesame, cassava, rice, blue grass and alfalfa in various genebanks are included.

Genetic resources, policy and legislationGenetic resources, policy and legislationGenetic resources, policy and legislationGenetic resources, policy and legislationGenetic resources, policy and legislation

Palmberg-Lerche, C. 1999. Conservation and management of forest genetic resources. Journal ofTropical Forest Science 11(1):286-302.

Palmer, M. and K. Hearn. 1999. Code of conduct for the conservation and enjoyment of wild plants.Botanical Society of the British Isles (BSBI), London, UK. 12 p.

Lenné, J.M. and D. Wood. 1999. Optimizing biodiversity for productive agriculture. In: Agrobiodiversity:characterization, utilization and management (D. Wood and J.M. Lenné (eds.)). CommonwealthAgricultural Bureau International (CABI), Wallingford, UK. p. 447-470.

BiodiversityBiodiversityBiodiversityBiodiversityBiodiversity, conser, conser, conser, conser, conservation and characterizationvation and characterizationvation and characterizationvation and characterizationvation and characterization

Franks, J.R. 1999. In situ conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture: a UKperspective. Land Use Policy 16(2):81-91.

Innan, H., R. Terauchi, G. Kahl and F. Tajima. 1999. A method for estimating nucleotide diversityfrom AFLP data. Genetics 151(3):1157-1164.

Genebanks and germplasmGenebanks and germplasmGenebanks and germplasmGenebanks and germplasmGenebanks and germplasm databasesdatabasesdatabasesdatabasesdatabases

http://www.plant.wageningen-ur.nl/about/Biodiversity/Cgn/

http://tor.ngb.se/Databases/

http://www.bgbm.fu-berlin.de/biocise/

TTTTTaxonomy of Andean plantsaxonomy of Andean plantsaxonomy of Andean plantsaxonomy of Andean plantsaxonomy of Andean plants

http://www.sacha.org/

Information on genderInformation on genderInformation on genderInformation on genderInformation on genderhttp://www.gema.org/index.shtml

Plant genetic resources

Intellectual property rightsIntellectual property rightsIntellectual property rightsIntellectual property rightsIntellectual property rights

http://www.patent.gov.uk/index.html

http://www.upov.int/eng/index.htm

TTTTTraining opportunitiesraining opportunitiesraining opportunitiesraining opportunitiesraining opportunities

http://www.oei.org.co/WebBancube/bancube.htm

http://www.latinoaustralia.com

Funding sources for projectsFunding sources for projectsFunding sources for projectsFunding sources for projectsFunding sources for projectshttp://www.cos.com/

on the Web

1 1

Pammenter, N.W. and P. Berjak. 1999. A review of recalcitrant seed physiology in relation todesiccation-tolerance mechanisms. Seed Science Research 9(1):13-37.

TTTTTaxonomyaxonomyaxonomyaxonomyaxonomy, evolution and origin of cultivated plants, evolution and origin of cultivated plants, evolution and origin of cultivated plants, evolution and origin of cultivated plants, evolution and origin of cultivated plants

Dhillon, N.P.S. and K. Ishiki. 1999. Genomic variation and genetic relationship in Ipomoea spp.Plant Breeding 188(2):161-165.

Lira, R. and M. Nee. 1999. A new species of Sechium sect. Frantzia (Cucurbitaceae, Sicyeae,Sicyinae) from Mexico. Brittonia 51(2):204-209.

Lioi, L., F. Sparvoli and R. Bollini. 1999. Variation and genomic polymorphism of lectin-relatedproteins in Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) seeds. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution46(2):175-182.

Alice, L.A. and C.S. Campbell. 1999. Phylogeny of Rubus (Rosaceae) based on nuclear ribosomalDNA internal transcribed spacer region sequences. American Journal of Botany 86(1):81-97.

International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), Americas GroupA.A. 6713, Cali, Colombia. Phone: (57-2) 445-0048/9; Fax: (57-2) 445-0096;

Email: ciat-ipgri@cgiar.org; Web address: http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/

in the AndesCollecting tomatoes

1 2

he world’s production of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)reaches over 60 million tons per year. Despite being an Andeancrop, most tomato hybrids and cultivars planted in this regionare susceptible to South American pests and diseases as theycome from Europe and the United States.

In order to widen the genetic base of the crop, specialists from UniversidadPolitécnica de Valencia in Spain, the University of Loja in Ecuador and the Universityof Piura in Peru conducted a joint collecting mission to gather wild relatives of Lycopersicon that canpotentially resist pests and diseases. The collecting mission was conducted at the end of 1999 in thirteenlocations in Peru and three in Ecuador, and was partially funded by Spain as part of a collaborative projectbetween this country and IPGRI.

The 190 accessions of Lycopersicon hirsutum, L. penellii, L. esculentum, L. pimpinellifolium and L. ochrantumcollected were morphologically variable and adaptable to adverse environments. No evidence of pests anddiseases was found in the tomatoes cultivated at the sites collected.

TT