The case for conserving biodiversity is well established on economic as
well as scientific grounds. Biodiversity is essential for sustainable
development, adaptation to a changing environment and the continued
functioning of the biosphere - indeed, to human survival itself. Plant
breeders are dependent upon the availability of a large pool of diverse
genetic material represented by local races and wild relatives, since in
themselves modern crop varieties provide too restricted a genepool for
further breeding.
Without the ability to draw from a diverse genetic reservoir, further
improvement may not be possible. It is therefore essential that guidance
is available on collecting plant germplasm. In recent years it has
become evident that there is no single publication that provides the
prospective collector of plant germplasm with generic as well as
specific, and theoretical as well as practical, information. It was to
fill this gap that the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute
(IPGRI), together with FAO, IUCN and UNEP, cooperated to produce this
book. The volume is a comprehensive reference work and is aimed at both
new and experienced collectors as well as those with a general interest
in plant genetics, breeding and biodiversity.
