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Conservation, evaluation and utilisation of plant genetic resources from Central Asia and the Caucasus
Project ID
CIM/2000/078
Commissioned Organisation
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Genetic Resources Unit, Syria
Project Leader
Dr Jan Valkoun
j.valkoun@cgiar.org
Phone:
963 21 213477/213433
Fax:
963 21 213490/225105
Project Budget
$476,100.00
Start Date
01/07/2001
Finish Date
30/06/2004
ACIAR Research Program Manager
Mr John Cullen
Related publications
Overview Objectives
The objectives of this second phase were to: 1) evaluate germplasm collected and acquired in Phase I for important agronomic traits such as tolerance to abiotic/biotic stresses and quality; 2) build upon and consolidate the capacity-building initiatives started in phase I; 3) extend the coverage of collection missions to include Georgia and Azerbaijan as well as strategic areas not covered in previous missions.
Project Background and Objectives
The Central Asian and Caucasus (CAC) regions are some of those most at risk in terms of genetic erosion of their endemic cropland races and wild relatives of crop plants. This is because after the collapse of the Soviet Union the farming systems in these regions have drastically changed. An intensification of cereal cropping without adequate inputs and without efficient crop husbandry is causing severe deterioration in soil fertility, including salinity. In addition new varieties are replacing traditional landraces. Land once used to grow animal fodder is being increasingly used to grow food crops, thereby placing increased pressure on rangeland species.
Despite the will of scientists and administrators, little progress has been made to arrest this process. Leguminous crop and forage species are those most at risk from the intensification of cropping and the current grazing taking place in these regions. There is also a strong concern for the viability status of germplasm from this region that exists in the poorly resourced local collections and that of the Vavilov Institute. This situation has been partially addressed by a Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) project that has assisted, with the help of ICARDA, in upgrading the seed stocks and database of some key food legumes and cereals.
The ICARDA mandate region has widely diverse environments and represents the world's largest available population of cereal and leguminous plants suited to arid and semi-arid Continental climates and Mediterranean mild to cold winter climates. The mandate has recently been extended to include the CAC countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. The germplasm base in European collections from these republics is slight, yet they are centres of diversity for a number of key cereal and grain legume species and their wild relatives.
A preceding ACIAR project funded an initiative by ICARDA and the West Australian based Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) to conserve and develop the CAC germplasm in a systematic manner for reciprocal benefit. The project engendered much goodwill, and the Centres have ongoing access to key regions of the world that are becoming increasingly sensitive to foreign exploitation of their germplasm. At the same time the project enabled a transfer of germplasm to less privileged countries unable to mount widespread collection tours in their own right or to adequately screen the incoming germplasm. This second project was designed to bring to a satisfactory conclusion this highly successful work.
Progress Reports (Year 1, 2, 3 etc)
Year 1:
Summary
Since project activities got underway in September 2001, there have been 4 major activity areas where significant achievements have been realized. Firstly over 1400 CAC cereal and food legume accessions were evaluated for resistance to a variety of diseases including rusts for the cereals and wilts for the legumes. Significant levels of resistance to all diseases were observed for all species entered into the trial. This is of particular significance to the National breeding programs in the region and also to those at ICARDA. In fact, the resistant material identified in this trial will go for further evaluation in the ICARDA breeding programs. The results of these screening will be disseminated through the CAC regional network for cereal PGR and later be publicized on a web-page that is under construction for the project.
A climate similarity analysis using GIS and database tools was undertaken this year that compared the Australian climate and that of the CAC region. What is uniquely original about this analysis is that it produces continuous surface data that can be used in further analyses or presented in continuous surface map form. The tools and approach developed with partially support from this project form a significant output in them selves. The data from the similarity analysis will be useful when considering the potential adaptation when introducing species from one area to the other.
Significant achievements were made in the capacity development facet of this project. Each of the eight CAC countries now has a committed PGR unit consisting of up to 3 scientists who received training this year in databases and general aspects of PGR work. What is so important about these units is that they are really the first unit of their nature in the region whose sole focus is PGR conservation, documentation and characterization. They can now act as in-country focal points for the PGR work of this project and for international cooperation in general. In addition to supporting the formation and operations of these PGR units this project has also been active in seeking funding for and providing technical support for the development of seed storage facilities in each of the countries. This year funding was secured from the USDA to upgrade the storage facility at UzRIPI and will house some 58,000 accessions endemic to the region.
Other notable achievements this year include the transfer of over 3000 cereal and legume accessions originating the CAC countries from ICARDA to Australia. This is significant in that up until now Australian breeders had access to only a limited amount of material from this important center of origin.
A successful collection mission was undertaken in Turkmenistan that involved productive collaboration with a local institute, ICARDA, VIR, USDA and Ag WA. These missions are of utmost importance because there is genetic erosion occurring in this important center of diversity and at this point in time the local NARS do not have the resources to mount collections missions them selves.
Future research directions
Evaluation of CAC germplasm for disease, quality and tolerance to abiotic stresses will continue to be a focus of this project. At a regional steering meeting for a cereal PGR working group an action plan to undertake a region wide evaluation for the above factors was drawn up. Seed will be multiplied this year for screenings in 2004.
The excellent progress made with capacity development in the first year will be built upon in the second year. English language and further database training for the PGR unit members will be focused upon in 2003. A web-page to promote the activities of the units and this project, to act as a regional information sharing platform and to promote funding opportunities will be constructed in the second year of the project. Further support for the development of storage facilities will continue to be an important focus for the remainder of this project.
Collection mission will be mounted each year in the region. In 2003 a team will go into both Armenia and Tajikistan.
Year 2:
This project follows on from a previous highly successful ACIAR project entitled: "Development and conservation of plant genetic resources from the Central Asian Republics and associated regions". (CSI/97/56) The aim of the current project is to extend upon the activities of the previous project in three ways 1) germplasm collected and acquired in CSI/97/56 will be evaluated for important agronomic traits such as tolerance to abiotic/biotic stresses and quality; 2) the capacity building initiatives started in phase 1 will be built upon and consolidated; 3) the coverage of plant collection missions will be extended to include Georgia and Azerbaijan as well as strategic areas not covered in previous missions.
Since project activities got underway in September 2001, there have been 4 major activity areas where significant achievements have been realized. The following details what was achieved in the period from 1 July 2002 - 30 June 2003 within the context of these 4 activity areas :
Strategic collection missions
A successful collection mission was undertaken in the south west and south east of Turkmenistan.
The mission involved productive collaboration and linkage building with The Garry Gala Scientific Institute of Plant Genetic Resources in Turkmenistan, ICARDA, VIR, USDA and Ag WA.
These missions are of utmost importance because there is genetic erosion occurring in this important center of diversity and at this point in time the local NARS do not have the resources to mount collections missions them selves.
Germplasm characterization
Last year over 1400 CAC cereal and food legume accessions were evaluated for resistance to a variety of with significant levels of resistance to all diseases observed for all species entered into the trial. This is of particular significance to the National breeding programs in the region and also to those at ICARDA
This year compare chickpea accessions from the Caucusas, Mediterranean basin and central Asia were compared in the field at Tel Hadya using agro-morphologic characterizters. The hypothesis being tested is that the material from central Asia and the Caucusas is likely to be genetically different than those from the Mediterranean. Preliminary analysis data indicate significant eco-geographic differences between the materials.
In addition to the agromorphological characterizations cereal material was also examined using molecular fingerprinting. Ecogeographic distinctions were found for both bread wheat and Aegilops species. This demonstrates the importance of the region as separate center of diversity that should be preserved.
Capacity development
Significant achievements were made in the capacity development facet of this project. Each of the eight CAC countries now has a committed PGR unit consisting of up to 3 scientists who received training this year in databases and general aspects of PGR work. In addition to this there is an increasing commitment on behalf of policy makers in most countries that has translated into concrete action such as commitment of funds to build or renovate seed storage facilities and or establishment of PGR institutes. This sort of development can be directly attributed to the ACAIR funded ICARDA PGR activities in the region and will have a lasting impact.
Further capacity development work this year included the construction of a NARS managed web-site to
1. Promote the activities of the national plant genetic resource units
2. Promote the activities of this projects
3. Promote funding PGR based funding opportunities in the area
4. Act as a regional information sharing platform and
The site address is http://www.cac-biodiversity.org
Next years focus
Evaluation of CAC germplasm for disease and tolerance to abiotic stresses will continue to be a focus in the next season. At a regional steering meeting for a cereal PGR working group an action plan to undertake a region wide evaluation for the above factors was drawn up. Seed will be multiplied this year for screenings in 2004.
The excellent progress made with capacity development in the second year will be built upon in the third year. English language and further database training for the PGR unit members will be focused upon in the 2003 - 2004 period. Further support for the development of storage facilities will continue to be an important focus for the remainder of this project.
Collection mission will be mounted each year in the region. In 2004 a team will go into both Armenia and Tajikistan.
Project Outcomes
The project has successfully initiated steps to collect, conserve, document and utilise the plant genetic resources (PGRs) from the CAC countries, positioning them to achieve long-term security of the agro-biodiversity in the region. Project scientists collected over 3000 unique accessions from all eight CAC countries by mounting 11 separate collection missions. They evaluated and/or characterised over 3300 CAC cereal and legume accessions under both field and laboratory conditions - at ICARDA and/or in the CAC.
This tremendous achievement has provided invaluable germplasm for long-term international plant improvement efforts. It illustrates the capacity of collaborative ACIAR projects to facilitate germplasm exchange, which is getting much more difficult as countries move to protect natural resources and intellectual property.
The project was also successful in facilitating the development of PGR capacity within CAC national programs. Since 1999, with the support of ACIAR and other agencies, the project has facilitated the development of a database system and its employment in CAC to capture information pertaining to current ex-situ collections of PGR in CAC countries. It has also supplied a significant amount of computer equipment to CAC national programs to facilitate the documentation, management and analysis of data associated with PGR, and supplied technical backup, funding and support to secure further funds to upgrade or build seed storage facilities in CAC. This will have a long term impact on the conservation and utilisation of PGR from the region for international benefit.
Location
There are no project locations defined for this project.
