The Use of Plant Genetic Resources

This 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.

Table of Contents:
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.

Review :
"...a useful reference serving as a 'snapshot' of current concepts and activities in a reemerging area of interest to the scientific community. Its modest price also makes it accessible to a broad range of interested parties." Economic Botany "...the book is interesting, and presents information well regarding the conservation of plant biodiversity from the gene to species level. We recommend the book to those interested in crops and their relatives." Valeria C. Volin and John C. Volin, Economic Botany