Genetic resources and conservation challenges under the threat of climate change.

Abstract

Abstract This chapter describes and discusses some of the initiatives and developments that make the world better prepared to respond to climate change in terms of plant genetic resources (PGRs). A broad overview is provided of important issues concerning conservation and use of PGRs, including conservation approaches, strategies and responses that become more relevant under the threat of climate change. An enormous amount of crop germplasm and wild relatives is conserved in genebanks around the world, as well as in situ. Although not all this conserved germplasm is equally characterized and evaluated, there is sufficient documented germplasm available to plant breeders that can be used to tackle the growing threat of global climate change.