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Dr.
Ayfer TAN
Aegean Agricultural Research Institute Menemen, Izmir,
TURKEY
Introduction
The plant
genetic resources activities were started by the establishment
of Crop Research and Introduction Centre (CRIC) in 11 964
(recent name of the institute is Aegean Agricultural Research
Institute. AARI). Because of the importance of Turkey for
Plant Genetic Resources, the Plant Genetic Resources activities
reorganized in 1976 within the framework of National Plant
Genetic Resources Research Programme (NPGRRP). AARI has then
become National Project Coordination Institute.
Tile Objective
of NPGRRP is the exploration, collection, conservation (both
ex situ and in situ), and evaluation of existing plant genetic
resources and plant diversity of Turkey for today and future.
Turkey
is one of the pioneering country started to maintain the genetic
resources. Although Turkey has considerable experiences on
ex situ conservation (both in field and seed gene banks) since
early 1960s. The in situ conservation of wild crop relatives
has been started in 1994.
In
Situ Conservation
The recent
applications of in situ conservation, project aims
to maintain the wild crop genetic resources in their natural
habitats at selected pilot arm. This project is the first
of its kind in the world to project both woody and non-woody
crop relatives and forest species from an integrated multi-species
and multi-site approach. This has been done through conducting
eco-geographical surveys and inventories to provide basis
for establishment of in situ Gene Management Zones
(GMZs) in selected pilot area that are rich in target wild
crop relatives. The highest priorities have been given to
wild species of globally significant non-woody crops which
are in the first gene pool of card (Triticum spp., Aegilops
spp. ), legumes (Vicia spp., Lens spp. and Pisum spp.)
as well as important woody species such as chestnut, plums,
and selected forest species. The project initiates and develops
a mechanism to foster the on going National Plant Genetic
Resources Research Programme for identifying, designating
and managing the areas specifically for in situ conservation
of nationally and globally significant wild crop relatives
which are originated in Turkey. The project also aims to make
in situ conservation integrated with existing ex situ conservation
programme of Turkey (e.g. The in situ conservation
activities are complementary to ex situ conservation
activities).
The project
uses the complementary strengths of Ministry of Agriculture,
and Rural Affairs (MARA) with experience in genetic resources
activities especially in ex situ conservation, Ministry
of Forestry (MOF) which has experience inland management,
Ministry of Environment (MOE) which has a strategic out look
on resource management. and MOF are the implementing Ministries
of in situ Conservation Project. The lead institute
of MARA, the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute (AARI)
coordinates activities for in situ conservation project and
collaborates with other related research institutes. The pilot
areas have been selected and described as: The Kaz Dag Area
of North-western Aegean Region; Ceylanpinar of South-eastern
Turkey; Mountains at Southern Anatolia on the Southern part
of Anatolian Diagonal (Bolkar and Aladag Mountains).
The project
has been designated around the following five components:
- Site
survey and inventories;
- Designation
of GMZs;
- Data
management;
- Development
of a. National Plan for in situ conservation,
- Provide
the institutional strengthening within and between MARA,
MOF and MOE.
The project
has been started in 1993 with training of project staff of
MARA, MOF and MOE. The survey activities have been started
at three designated arms, in 1994, The project seeks to identify
and establish in situ conservation areas in Turkey, for the
protection of genetic resources and wild relatives of major
crops and forest tree species that are originated in Turkey.
The survey/inventory activities have been completed in two
selected areas and the GMZs have been identified for wild
relatives, of. wheat (at Ceylanpinar of Southeastern Turkey).
wild plum and chestnut (Kaz Dag Area of North-western Aegean
Region). The survey/inventory activities at Bolkar and Aladag
Mountains are still continued.
In 1995,
IPGRI together with National Programmes in 9 countries formulated
a global project to strengthen the scientific basis of in
situ conservation of agricultural biodiversity. Nine countries
involved in the project are: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Nepal,
Vietnam, Peru, Mexico, Morocco, Turkey and Hungary. The main
objectives of the project are (1) to support the development
of framework of knowledge on farmer decision-making processes
that influences in situ conservation of agricultural biodiversity,
(2) strengthen national institutions for the planning a new
implementation of Conservation programmes for agricultural
biodiversity, and (3) to broaden the use of agricultural biodiversity
and participation in its conservation by farming communities
and other groups in collaboration with various universities.
Ex
situ conservation
Ex
situ conservation activities has been undertaken since
1964. lt. is still on process within the framework of NPGRRP.
The collection by sampling the maximum variation and determination
of the inter-specific agro-ecological and phyto-geographical
distribution of plant species are the first step of the project.
Data of former survey and expedition are compiled and priorities
to locations and plant species are considered to eliminate
the duplicate efforts, during planning the collection missions.
The missions each year are programmed to collect the existing
Plant Genetic Resources for eight plant groups (cereals, forages,
food legumes, vegetables, industrial crops, ornamental, medicinal
and aromatic plants, fruit and grapes) and endemic plant species,
The collections in each plant group, consist of land races,
wild relatives and other wild plant species are considered
in the plant group. The endemic species are collected specifically,
separately from the plant groups.
The ex
situ conservation is implemented both for generative and
vegetative collections which are preserved in seed genebank
and field genebanks respectively. The vegetatively propagated
material, Mainly fruit genetic resources are kept in field
genebanks at 13 institutes. (including AARI). Additionally
at AARI the vegetative garlic collection, some medicinal and
aromatic plants and vegetatively propagated ornamentals are
also kept as field collection. The national collection contains
the land races, wild and weedy relatives (both for seed and
vegetative collections), other wild species which are especially
economically important (medicinal, aromatic, ornamentals etc.)
and endemic plant species. The main users of the material
are the plant breeders and researchers both from Turkey and
abroad. There are some research activities on the in vitro
storage techniques of some vegetatively plant species.
The storage
facilities of Izmir Genebank (at AARI) for seed collection
have been designed for the needs of long-term. and medium-term
storage for both base and active collections, respectively.
Cold rooms work at minus 18°C for long-term and 0°C for medium
term storage. There are also Facilities for temporary storage,
with rooms working at 4°C, The collections are kept always
in the same conditions safely. Humidity is not controlled
in the cold rooms. The seed are dried to 5-6% moisture content
and kept in the sealed can containers for base and active
collections. For temporary storage the aluminium laminated
foils are used. All the conditions in the genebank comply
with internationally recommended standards. For the safe duplicate
of the base collection another storage facilities is available
in Ankara (at CRIFC).
Documentation
Documentation
is one of the main function of the NPGRRP for both ex situ
and in situ activities. A Database Management System
is existing for ex situ conservation information. For in situ
conservation programme, a database was built. for complex
array of information that is acquired in survey and inventory
and management of GMZs. Since in situ conservation
programme is complementary to ex situ conservation,
the two database will be linked and complementary to each
other. The Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to
evaluate the quantitative and spatial data gathered especially
from survey and inventory activities. AARI has GIS facilities,
and a Centre for GIS and Remote Sensing has been established
under the authority of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
This Centre is open to other ministries to use.
Evaluation
and Characterization
NPGRRP
makes a clear distinction between the processes of characterization
and evaluation of genetic resources material holding at the
genebanks (seed and field genebanks). The characterization/evaluation
activities are coordinated by NPGRRP and carried out within
the framework of NPGRRP on project basis. The evaluation programmes
are conducted by the National Plant Breeding Programmes. The
data resulting from evaluation carried out by users of the
samples are return if the evaluation and/or characterization
work cooperatively planned by NPGRRP, The annual report of
the characterization/evaluation project are also achieved
the results.
National
Legislation, Policies and International Agreements
The National
Plant Genetic Resources collections protected by legislation.
A Regulation on Collection Conservation and Utilization of
Plant Genetic Resources which was published in the Official
Gazette on 15 August 1992. This regulation regulates the responsibilities
of related institutions (including institutes of MARA, universities
or the institutes of other ministries, other related institutions
working on related aspects of PGR), and the cooperation with
foreign institutions (including IARCs and CGIAR centres),
and sustainable conservation and utilization of PGR. The plant
genetic resources exchange mechanism has also been regulated
with some principles by this regulation. Various legislation/regulations
are also prepared for the sustainable conservation or protection
of biodiversity (e.g. Regulation of Pasture and Grassland
Protection).
Turkey
is also member of FAO commission for Plant Genetic Resources
for Food and Agriculture and adhered to the International
Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources. Turkey has been actively
contributed to the -preparation of Global Plan of Action (GPA)
and the Report on the State of the Worlds Plant Genetic Resources
by presented National Report and participated in the intergovernmental
meetings and Fourth International Technical Conference that
culminated in the formal adoption of GPA.
Turkey
has close cooperation with IBPGR/IPGRI since its establishment,
and active member of European Cooperative Programme for Conservation
and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources (ECP/GR) and West
Asia and North Africa Plant Genetic Resources Network (WANANET),
Mediterranean Under-utilized Species Network and recently
established Neglected and Under-utilized Species Network of
IPGRI. Turkey is also member of various global crop networks
(e.g. World Beta Network).
The Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) was signed in 1992 and ratified
by Turkish Government in 1996. Turkey has also signed CITES.
Turkey is also signatory of various globally important Conventions/agreements
related to the sustainable protection/conservation of biodiversity.
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