Publication Date
1985
Location
Kyoto Japan
Description
SUMMARY A Program conducted by the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical ( CIA T) to develop a collection of forage plant germplasm resources for tropical pasture research in acid, infertile soil areas is described. After an initial 5-year stage of preliminary work in germplasm collection and introduction, 28 major expeditions to collect native germplasm of tropical forage species were carried out in 10 countries on 3 continents, principally in regions with acid soils of low fertility during 1977 to 1984. Emphasis has been on legumes,mainly Centrosema, Desmodium, Stylosanthes, and Zornia, in tropical America, andDesmodium, its allied genera, andPueraria in Southeast Asia. Recent collecting endeavours in East Africa are emphasizing grass germplasm, particularly Brachiaria species. A total of 9900 accessions has been collected, which together with 4200 accessions received from other institutions, constitute one of the largest collections of tropical forage germplasm. The collection, of which 87% are legumes, is highly specialized in material originating from acid soils. The CIAT collection is primarily an international working collection which, in collaboration with national institutions, is utilized for cultivar development for the acid soil regions of the tropics. In view increasing genetic erosion and of the need for base collections, future responsibilities in the field of germplasm conservation are visualized.
Citation
Schultze-Kraft, R, "Development of an International Collection of Tropical Forage Germplasm for Acid Soils" (1985). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 3.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session14/3)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Development of an International Collection of Tropical Forage Germplasm for Acid Soils
Kyoto Japan
SUMMARY A Program conducted by the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical ( CIA T) to develop a collection of forage plant germplasm resources for tropical pasture research in acid, infertile soil areas is described. After an initial 5-year stage of preliminary work in germplasm collection and introduction, 28 major expeditions to collect native germplasm of tropical forage species were carried out in 10 countries on 3 continents, principally in regions with acid soils of low fertility during 1977 to 1984. Emphasis has been on legumes,mainly Centrosema, Desmodium, Stylosanthes, and Zornia, in tropical America, andDesmodium, its allied genera, andPueraria in Southeast Asia. Recent collecting endeavours in East Africa are emphasizing grass germplasm, particularly Brachiaria species. A total of 9900 accessions has been collected, which together with 4200 accessions received from other institutions, constitute one of the largest collections of tropical forage germplasm. The collection, of which 87% are legumes, is highly specialized in material originating from acid soils. The CIAT collection is primarily an international working collection which, in collaboration with national institutions, is utilized for cultivar development for the acid soil regions of the tropics. In view increasing genetic erosion and of the need for base collections, future responsibilities in the field of germplasm conservation are visualized.
