Managing genebanks: seed base collection examined

An idea is advanced for the composition of seed base collections. Policy pl anning needs to be rethought as to the inventory of base collections. Curat ors often concentrate on the storage of unadapted cultivated materials whil e neglecting select improved cultivars and crop wild relatives. The fact th at germ plasm customized to the farmer's immediate needs is present in low numbers in cold chambers suggests that base collection management operates at a relative distance from a market economy intent on food production. Thi s attitude is antithetic to food security and raises the need for expert qu estioning on proper gene bank management. The view put forwarded here is th at three major areas should head the inventory of base collections in geneb anks, viz. landraces, improved breeding materials of multiple categories, a nd crop wild relatives. Base collections must ultimately serve society by b ecoming repositories for regulating and replenishing agricultural stocks, s hould stochastic catastrophe strike in the farm. The relentless pace of env ironmental degradation means that conservation per se is the top priority f or crop wild relatives.