A significantly enhanced role for plant genetic resource centres in linking in situ and ex situ conservation to aid user germplasm access

Main Article Content

Nigel Maxted
Anne-Françoise Adam-Blondon
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3412-9086
Catherine Hazel Aguilar
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8087-5410
Ana Maria Barata
Béla Bartha
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9644-8066
Riccardo Bocci
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5994-4856
Domenico De Paola
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5667-3114
Heli S. Fitzgerald
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6754-6409
Louis John Fresta
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8645-7359
Pietro Fusani
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8643-8414
Giovanni Giuliano
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2486-0510
Filippo Guzzon
Philipp Holzherr
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4010-6008
Vojtěch Holubec
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8113-0111
José María Iriondo Alegría
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2710-3889
Juozas Labokas
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1957-6689
Lorenzo Maggioni
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2521-8690
Joana Magos Brehm
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6444-6488
Anna Palmé
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8012-8359
Jade Phillips
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0125-6895
Jaime Prohens
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1181-9065
Lorenzo Raggi
Parthenopi Ralli
Dainis Rungis
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5173-2912
Karuine Sarikyan
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3067-3691
Jelka Šuštar-Vozlič
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0998-9890
Imke Thormann
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2703-9805
Goran Zdunić
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9618-2093

Abstract

Plant genetic resources (PGR) serve as the cornerstone for global varietal enhancement and food security. However, these resources face significant threats, including diversity erosion and extinction, are often inadequately conserved, and frequently remain inaccessible for practical use. Traditionally, PGR have been primarily conserved through population seed samples stored ex situ in genebanks. In contrast, complementary in situ techniques – whether involving crop wild relatives in genetic reserves or crop landraces on-farm – have largely remained experimental. The demand from breeders for a broader diversity is driving a more integrated approach that combines ex situ and in situ methods. This paper posits that such an integrated strategy would be mutually advantageous for PGR, biodiversity and farmer-based conservation communities. As a foundation for future PGR science, we propose the three 'Principles of PGR Conservation and Use Congruence' and outline the practical processes involved in in situ and on-farm conservation. We also review the challenges associated with integrating ex situ and in situ conservation, specifically addressing how collaborative resource management can be established, how potential resource users can access in situ and on-farm conserved PGR, how to promote user access to in situ conserved populations, and the progress made thus far in integrating in situ and ex situ efforts. While it is acknowledged that full integration may be unrealistic without adequate resources for Genetic Resource Centres and the rectification of skill gaps, the potential to significantly enhance the long-term, sustainable conservation of PGR diversity holds profound existential benefits for humanity in the 21st century.

 

 

Article Details

How to Cite
Maxted, N., Adam-Blondon, A.-F., Aguilar, C. H., Barata, A. M., Bartha, B., Bocci, R., De Paola, D., Fitzgerald, H. S., Fresta, L. J., Fusani, P., Giuliano, G., Guzzon, F., Holzherr, P., Holubec, V., Iriondo Alegría, J. M., Labokas, J., Maggioni, L., Magos Brehm, J., Palmé, A., Phillips, J., Prohens, J., Raggi, L., Ralli, P., Rungis, D., Sarikyan, K., Šuštar-Vozlič, J., Thormann, I. and Zdunić, G. (2025) “A significantly enhanced role for plant genetic resource centres in linking in situ and ex situ conservation to aid user germplasm access”, Genetic Resources, (S2), pp. 203–223. doi: 10.46265/genresj.UNVV5571.
Section
Review and position paper
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