17 - Germplasm collection, storage, and conservation

Abstract

Publisher Summary An appropriate conservation strategy for a particular plant gene pool requires a holistic approach, combining the different ex situ and in situ. This chapter presents the new biotechnological possibilities for improving ex situ conservation of plant biodiversity in genebanks and botanical gardens. Two basic conservation strategies, in situ and ex situ, each composed of various techniques, are employed for conservation of plant biodiversity. Ex situ conservation means the conservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitat. In situ conservation means the conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats and the maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species, and in the case of domesticated or cultivated species, in the surroundings where they have developed their distinctive properties. Selection of the appropriate methods should be based on a range of criteria, including the biological nature of the species in question and practicality and feasibility of the particular methods chosen (which depend on the availability of the necessary infrastructures) as well as the cost-effectiveness and security afforded by their application. The complementarity between genebanks and botanical gardens should be fully recognized and capitalized on to optimize plant biodiversity conservation.