The Use of Plant Genetic Resources

Cambridge University Press, 2/2/1989
EAN 9780521345842, ISBN10: 0521345847

Hardcover, 396 pages, 22.8 x 15.2 x 2.8 cm
Language: English

This 1989 volume stresses the way in which the pool of plant genetic resources provides vital raw material for producing new and improved crops and as source materials for experimental biologists. The availability of germplasm - particularly from wild relatives of crop plants - has become increasingly important with the development of new technology. These sophisticated new techniques now enable the plant breeder to make even greater use of many of the beneficial characteristics found in wild plants - such as disease- and drought- resistance - and to transfer these characteristics to improve existing crops. The first four sections of the volume provide a detailed survey of the role of plant collections in research and breeding, some case histories for specific plants, guidance on the size and structure of plant collections, and, finally, the principles and strategies of evaluation. The last two sections look at wild relatives of crops and also the impact of new technology. The volume will be of use to plant breeders, crop scientists, conservationists and plant biologists.

Preface
Acknowledgements
Part I. Role of Genetic Resource Collections in Research and Breeding
1. Germplasm collections and the public plant breeder K. S. Gill
2. Germplasm collections and the private plant breeder J. S. C. Smith and D. N. Duvick
3. Germplasm collections and the experimental biologist R. G. Palmer
Part II. Use of Collections
4. International use of a sorghum germplasm collection K. E. Prasada Rao, M. H. Mengesha and V. G. Reddy
5. Current use of potato collections J. G. Th. Hermsen
6. Use of collections in cereal improvement in semi-arid areas J. P. Srivastava and A. B. Damania
7. Limitations to the use of germplasm collections D. R. Marshall
Part III. Size and Structure of Collections
8. The case for large collections T. T. Chang
9. The Case for core collections A. H. D. Brown
10. The role of networks of dispersed collections P. M. Perret
Part IV. Evaluation
11. Characterisation and evaluation of okra S. Hamon and D. H. van Sloten
12. Evaluation of cereals in Europe G. Fischbeck
13. Evaluatling the germplasm of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) and wild Arachis species at ICRISAT J. P. Moss, V. Ramanatha Rao and R. W. Gibbons
14. Practical considerations relevant to effective evaluation J. T. Williams
15. Principles and strategies of evaluation O. H. Frankel
Part V. Wild Relatives of Crops
16. Collection strategies for the wild relatives of field crops C. G. D. Cahpman
17. Wild relatives as sources of disease resistance J. J. Burdon and A. M. Jarosz
18. Ecological and genetic considerations in collecting and using wild relatives G. Ladizinsky
Part VI. Technological or Scientific Innovations that Affect the use of Genetic Resources
19. In vitro conservation and germplasm utilisation L. A. Withers
20. Screening for resistance to diseases P. H. Williams
21. Restriction fragments as molecular markers for germplasm evaluation and utilisation R. Bernatsky and S. D. Tanksley
22. Molecular biology and genetic resources W. J. Peacock
Index.