Considerations for Effective Exchange of Clonally Propagated Plant Germplasm

Abstract

Abstract Effective germplasm exchange can be equated with acquisition of desired or appropriate germplasm, its subsequent survival and distribution, and then its exploitation at one or more levels, including breeding programs. Few problems occur when clonally propagated plant materials are moved locally. However, exchange problems continually reoccur when the same type of plant germplasm is shipped over long distances, such as between countries. The purposes of this paper are to: a) identify key components of the international plant germplasm exchange process that are time-consuming and present the most serious threats to the plant germ plasm itself; and b) propose procedures that will minimize or eliminate these problem areas and reduce the length of time required for successful exchange of germplasm to take place. Exchange components for clonally and sexually propagated foreign and domestic plant germplasm, including most temperate fruit crops, are exploration, collection, identification, data recording and manipulation, labeling, shipping, propagation, regulation resulting from quarantine policy development and interpretation, quarantine pathogen testing and therapy, repository/genebank maintenance and preservation, breeding, testing/evaluation, and distribution.