Genetic Resources: Conservation and Classification
Genetic Resources: Types and Conservation
Since the nineteenth century, there has been a significant scientific breakthrough in the breeding and selection of cultivars and breeds. This has left aside many forms, and today, agriculture and livestock genetics rest on a very restricted base. There are five categories of genetic resources:
- Wild relatives: Share common ancestry with domesticated species but have remained wild. They have a very broad genetic base.
- Primitive races and cultures: Local varieties selected through many generations, retaining the most primitive forms in their places of origin.
- Obsolete cultivars and breeds: Forms discarded in the early days of breeding.
- Advanced breeding lines, mutations, and other genetic improvements: The raw materials and advanced breeding lines developed by plant breeders, including forms under study.
- Modern cultivars and breeds: A few high-performance forms used in agriculture, forestry, and livestock. They have a very narrow genetic base.
The selection process has led to high genetic uniformity, which poses a risk for epidemics and diseases. Wild relatives contain genes resistant to pests and diseases that can improve productivity, provide greater nutritional value and taste, etc. Their conservation is essential as a genetic reserve for emergencies and future improvements.
Conservation Methods
- Ex situ conservation (outside the natural environment) in gene banks: This includes seed banks, embryo and sperm banks, tissue culture, etc. This method is expensive due to the costly facilities and can only retain a portion of the existing variety.
- In situ conservation (in natural areas): This involves establishing protected areas and working with local people (farmers) to preserve local genetic material. This work includes studying the forms and varieties in different locations and supporting and rewarding farmers for their efforts in preserving the genetic material.
Biogeographic Classification (Example: Peru)
Central and South America belong to the Neotropical region, which is divided into domains and biogeographic provinces. The general scheme for Peru includes region, domain, and grasslands, with detailed consideration of local conditions.
Neotropical Region
- Amazon Domain: Amazon ecoregions, including low jungle or tropical rainforest, warm Pacific valleys or high forest, desert, and equatorial or dry forest.
- Andean-Patagonian Domain: Highland ecosystems, coastal desert, mountain steppe, and western slopes.
- Chaco Domain: Savanna ecoregion with palm trees.
Ocean Region
- Tropical Ocean Domain: Tropical sea ecoregion.
- Peruvian-Chilean Oceanic Domain: Cold sea ecoregion of the Peruvian Current.
From this general classification, it is possible to integrate a classification based on habitats and ecosystems, an aspect that is little studied and not yet clear.
For example, within the coastal desert ecoregion, the following biocenoses or ecosystems can be distinguished: desert ecosystem, coastal river ecosystem, freshwater marsh ecosystem, freshwater lake ecosystem, wetland ecosystem, locust bean ecosystem, *Gramadal* ecosystem, gallery forest ecosystem, and coastal hill ecosystems (including trees, shrubs, herbs, succulents, cacti, etc.).