Germplasm Exploration by Abozar Rowshan, Assignment

1. Submitted by:
Abozar Rowshan

3. Exploration: Is the act of searching for the purpose of discovery
of information or resources. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal
species, including humans. In human history, its most dramatic rise was during
the Age of Discovery when European explorers sailed and charted much of the
rest of the world for a variety of reasons. Since then, major explorations after
the Age of Discovery have occurred for reasons mostly aimed at information
discovery.
In scientific research, exploration is one of three purposes of empirical
research (the other two being description and explanation). The term is often
used metaphorically. For example, an individual may speak of exploring the
Internet, etc.
History and importance of germplasm exploration

4. purposeful collection of wild and cultivated plants in search of
both primitive and advanced genetic material that may be used to
improve cultivated crops as well as in studying genetic variability
for further understanding of crops.
Depending on needs and objectives, exploration mission can be :
Specific- collecting variability of a particular crop
Broad based- with the aim of capturing maximum diversity of
different crops occurring in same region and maturing at same
time
EXPLORATION

5. Germplasm Exploration
Explorations are the primary source of all the germplasm
present in various germplasm collections.
Objectives:
1. To Collect Germplasm needed by the Breeders.
2. To collect variability remaining in the wild species.
Areas of Collection:- Areas covered during explorations are mainly
the centers of origin.

6. Germplasm exploration in India
BEFORE INDEPENDENCE
Exploration and collection activities gained momentum during the days of British East
India Company
Focal point of such endeavors was the then Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta
Hunting of Tea in the Eastern Himalayas
Growing of Indigo, cinchona, mahagony, teak, jute, sugarcane
Surveys in ornamental plant, particularly of the Himalayan region revealing the enormous
diversity s.a. in primula, potentilla & Rhododendron spp.
Sir J.D Hooker- “Flora of British India”

7. AFTER INDEPENDENCE
Work on Plant exploration, germplasm collection and introduction got
initiated through the foresight of late Dr. B.P. Pal in 1940`s
Received much attention at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute(IARI)
Later at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources(NBPGR)
Study of floristic wealth at the Botanical Survey Of India (BSI), Calcutta
National Botanical Research Institute(NBRI), Lucknow
Forest Research Institute(FRI), Dehradun.

8. Important Points For Exploration, Collection And Execution
Good understanding of crop cultivated in region, their
distribution and noumber.
Planning based on work done.
Knowledge about breeding behaviour of crop.
Arrangement of necessary instruments.
Preparation of tentative schedule.

9. Preparation of road map.
Information on places to be visited.
Permission from forest department.
Timely contact with the collaborators,
cooperators or team members.
Collection of herbarium specimens.
Information regarding local ITK.

10. MERITS OF EXPLORATION
It is the source of virtually all genetic diversity
stored in gene banks.
It is the only means of collecting and conserving the
threatened genetic diversity.
It often provides access to materials of special
interest. For example: new genes, new species etc.

11. PRACTICAL PROBLEMS DURING EXPLORATION
Non availability of collaborators.
Scanty information from local people.
Scanty information on species to be collected.
Non-cooperation from local people and farmers.
Duplication of samples.
Delay in dispatch of material.
Loss of sample during transition.

12. Distribution and extent of prevalent genetic diversity

13. WHAT IS GENETIC DIVERSITY?

14. Genetic diversity is the total number of genetic
characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It is
distinguished from genetic variability, which describes
the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary.

15. It has already been stressed that the Indian subcontinent possesses
rich floristic wealth. Of this 3,000-5,000 species are of economic
value which include about 1,000 wild food plants. The diversity in
plant genetic resources numbers around 166 species (Zeven and de
Wet, 1982) and the wild genepools of direct or indirect utility,
around 320 species, distributed in eight phyto-geographical/agro-
ecological zones (Arora and Nayar, 1984).

16. By and large, India is:
1. a primary centre of diversity for crops, such as rice, black gram, moth
bean, pigeonpea, cucurbits like smooth gourd, ridge gourd and pointed
gourd, tree cotton, capsularis jute, jack fruit, banana, mango, large
cardamom, black pepper and several minor millets and medicinal plants
like Rauvolfia serpentina and Saussurea lappa.

17. 2. a secondary centre of diversity for African crops,
such as finger millet, sorghum, cowpea, cluster bean,
okra, sesame, niger and safflower;
Tropical American types like maize, tomato,
pumpkin/Cucurbita spp., chayote or Chow Chow,
chillies and Amaranthus; and with,

18. 3. regional (Asiatic) diversity, for crops like maize,
barley, amaranth, buckwheat, prosomillet, foxtail
millet, mung bean/green gram, chickpea, cucumber,
bitter gourd, bottle gourd, snake gourd and
Brassicae.

19. Geographical contiguity with the Far-East and/or
the Indo-Malayan (South/South-East Asian region)
belt is largely responsible for more regional diversity
in mung bean, rice bean, sword bean, tomato,
citrus, small cardamom, Saccharum, ginger,
turmeric, tuber crops, particularly taros and yams,
and bamboos.

20. The following regions exhibit
richness in crop plant diversity:

21. 1. Western Himalayas including cold arid tract: In Kinnaur, Lahaul
and Spiti, Pangi, Ladakh and adjoining areas, rich genetic
diversity occurs in wheat, barley (particularly hull-less types),
buckwheat, prosomillet, amaranth, chenopods, field peas, lentil
and several other crops, possessing adaptability to cold and
tolerance to drought conditions. In barley, bluish/black grain
types occur at high altitudes (above 3300 m), exhibiting akinness
to local Tibetan types. In wheat, both awned and awnless, tall
types occur and collections from Lahaul and Spiti have exhibited
resistance/tolerance to rust.

22. Further, rich diversity in rice, maize, French bean, peas,
buckwheat, amaranth and other crops - radish, leafy
Brassicae, pome, stone and nut fruits, forages and
medicinal plants, occurs in the sub-humid hill regions
of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh.

23. 2. North-eastern region and the Eastern Himalayas: The tribal
dominated belts of Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Sikkim,
North Bengal and parts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, are rich in
local variability of cereals - rice, maize (including the primitive pop-
corn), barley, wheat; pseudocereals - buckwheat, Chenopodium,
amaranth and soft-shelled forms in Coix; millets -finger millet, foxtail
millet; legumes - rice bean, winged bean, adzuki bean, black gram,
sem/Dolichos, soybean, sword bean, peas; oilseeds - Brassica spp.,
Perilla, sesame, niger; vegetables - cucurbits (Cyclanthera, Cucurbita,
Momordica, Cucumis, Luffa, Lagenaria, Benincasa); fibres-Corchorus
spp., tree cotton, kenaf and mesta; taro/yam and several other
tuberous/rhizomatous/bulbous types, and in Citrus, Musa and
bamboos.

24. 3. Eastern peninsular region: The tribal dominated tract of
Orissa and the Chotanagpur plateau may serve as good
examples of areas that hold rich crop diversity viz. rice,
sorghum, finger millet, fox-tail millet, prosomillet and
other minor millets, Dolichos, rice bean, chickpea,
pigeonpea, horsegram/kulthi, sesame, niger, Brassicae,
linseed, castor, several cucurbits, brinjal, chillies, mango
and wild types such as in rice (Oryza nivara).

25. 4. Western arid/semi-arid region: In Rajasthan and
Gujarat (including Saurashtra), rich diversity occurs in
sorghum, pearl millet, moth bean, cluster bean/guar,
cowpea, black gram, green gram, Brassicae, sesame,
cucurbits, forage legumes and grasses.

26. 5. Central tribal region: Madhya Pradesh and adjoining tract
of Maharashtra possess rich diversity in wheat, rice,
sorghum, minor millets, grain legumes - particularly cowpea,
chickpea, pigeonpea, black gram and green gram; oilseeds -
niger, sesame, Brassicae; and cucurbits.

27. 6. Western peninsular region: The Western Ghats tract
has promising diversity in tuber crops - Colocasia,
Dioscorea and Coleus; rhizomatous types like Curcuma
species and ginger, and other crops like rice, finger millet,
several grain legumes, and much variation in cucurbits,
forage legumes and grasses; several fruit trees such as
jack fruit and spices like cardamom and black pepper.