The Case for Multiple-Use Plant Germplasm Collections and a Strategy for Implementation

1995). From a historic perspective, U.S. germplasm collections and U.S. forests were managed to promote and Germplasm collections are viewed as a source of genetic diversity to sustain agricultural production in terms of farm crops support crop improvement and botanical research, as well as support conservation efforts. The United States Department of Agriculture’s and timber. National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is responsible for managToday, a diverse community uses the USFS national ing plant genetic resources in the USA. Despite patterns of use that forests and NPGS germplasm collections. In addition indicate that gene source and wild species are requested as frequently to timber and mining interests, the USFS now accommoas cultivated species in NPGS collections that are taxonomically didates hikers, hunters, and bird watchers. Although the verse, the contents of most NPGS collections continue to reflect the NPGS is primarily focused on managing germplasm for historic objectives of plant introduction. Narrow germplasm colleccrop improvement, germplasm collections are being tions are restricted in their ability to meet the needs of diverse users used by a broad community engaged in basic and applied and have limited function conserving plant biodiversity. This article botanical research (Frankel et al., 1995; Bretting and outlines a model that can be used to diversify germplasm collections Duvick, 1997). Today, both agencies recognize the inso they effectively serve users and contribute to conservation, yet remain a size that ensures effective maintenance of accessions. The trinsic role their respective resources play in sustaining model is developed by first carefully defining the overall scope of the agricultural productivity and maintaining a stable, dicollection. A taxonomically broad collection that falls within the scope verse environment. Although germplasm collections is then defined with relatively few accessions. However, accession have historically played an important role in conserving representation is increased for characters or species that are of specific cultivated germplasm, collections are now considered interest to users, or that require protection. Accession representation important tools for the general conservation of plant in areas of interest would be dynamic, reflecting the changing needs biodiversity, especially for those wild taxa related to of users and conservation. A diverse group of stakeholders is charged cultivated species (Frankel et al., 1995; Pistorius, 1997). with the task of working together to establish priorities that can be In outlining the USFS agenda for the 21st century, used to guide the development of a multiple-use collection that conForest Chief Dombeck describes how the agency has tains a manageable number of accessions. evolved from a policy of sustained timber yield, to multiple use, to ecosystem management. Dombeck (1999) outlines an agenda for the 21st century that focuses T concept that natural resources can be used by a on watershed health and restoration, sustainable forest diverse community, yet can be managed to conserve ecosystem management, forest access, and recreation. and enhance ecosystem processes and biodiversity, is Rising to similar challenges, the plant genetic resource shared by many conservation agencies. For example, (PGR) community is developing a policy that ensures the mission of the United States Department of Agriculgermplasm collections meet the specific needs of plant ture’s Forest Service (USFS) “is to achieve quality land breeders and scientists engaged in basic and applied management under the sustainable multiple-use manbotanical research, and contribute to the conservation agement concept to meet the diverse needs of the peoof plant biodiversity (especially intraspecific diversity) ple” (Dombeck, 1999). Similarities in historic and cur(for example see Bretting and Duvick [1997] and Maxted rent missions can be drawn between the USFS national et al. [1997]). forests and the NPGS plant germplasm collections. In The purpose of this article is to suggest that despite this article, the phrase germplasm collection refers to a current philosophical trends, the contents of most germdiscrete collection of accessions, managed by an institute plasm collections continue to reflect the historic objecsuch as a gene bank, that are maintained ex situ or tives of plant introduction and crop improvement. Efprotected in natural reserves (in situ). Historically, most forts are needed to diversify germplasm collections so U.S. crop germplasm collections were assembled to they can more effectively serve scientists not only immeet the needs of crop improvement and agricultural proving traditional crops or developing new uses for diversification (Pistorius, 1997). The U.S. germplasm crop species, but also testing hypotheses in non-agriculcollections play an important role in guarding against tural areas of botany. Efforts are also needed to diversify the loss of cultivated germplasm by housing a rich samcollections to ensure they make a significant contribuple of landrace and obsolete cultivars (Frankel et al., tion to the conservation of plant biodiversity. Recognizing the conceptual similarities between germplasm colS.L. Greene, USDA-ARS National Temperate Forage Legume Germlections and national forests, and recognizing the success plasm Resources Unit, Prosser, WA 99350-9687; J.B. Morris, USDAof the USFS in adapting to changing needs, we believe ARS Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit, Griffin, GA 302231797. Washington Agric. Exp. Stn., Technical Paper No. 0900-11. Abbreviations: CGC, Crop Germplasm Committee; GRIN, GermReceived 12 Oct. 1999. *Corresponding author ([email protected]. plasm Resources Information Network; NPGS, National Plant Germedu). plasm System; PGR, plant genetic resources; USFS, USDA Forest Service. Published in Crop Sci. 41:886–892 (2001).