Dear Colleagues, 

As new uniform, distinct and genetically homogeneous improved varieties are being bred to satisfy the market needs, less uniform landraces of annual species, traditional varieties, farmer’s varieties, indigenous varieties of perennial species, crop wild relatives, wild harvested plants and other wild plant species are being lost, and their diversity eroded. Plant genetic resources have an important role to play to ensure food security but also in the production of other valuable materials such as fiber, fuel, chemical substances, etc. Under the effect of the upcoming climate change, which is increasing the occurrence of abiotic and biotic stresses, landraces and similar types of genetically diverse heterogeneous resources are important due to their specific adaptive traits.

Genetic erosion is continuously endangering plant genetic resources. Additionally, landraces’ and indigenous varieties’ names, cultivation practices and uses are important components of cultural heritage and therefore need to be preserved. The exploration, evaluation and genetic identification of plant genetic resources are also important for their ex situ conservation in gene banks as well as in situ/on-farm in their place of origin, which allows their uninterrupted adaptation to specific microclimates under the forces of both natural and human selection.

Until today, many plant genetic resources have been collected; however, many regions of the planet remain unexplored, and even though many accessions are conserved in gene banks, their on-farm conservation shows a decline. Moreover, the vast collections in gene banks have many duplicates, and there is uncertainty whether they are different accessions or different samples that belong to the same population. Moreover, the collections of plant genetic resources should be evaluated for biotic and abiotic tolerances such as drought, salinity stress or resistance to pests, which could rise due to the upcoming climate change. Therefore, their characterization and genetic identification are of the utmost importance to ensure that the maximum possible genetic diversity is maintained and available for utilization for breeding.

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) and wild plant species are considered valuable resources for crop improvement since they represent a large pool of genetic diversity. This genetic diversity is well recognized for its value in enhancing crop resilience to stresses and also for increasing yield and nutritional value. 

The objective of this Special Issue is to provide new research and review articles on plant genetic resources worldwide. The scope of this Special Issue will include plant genetic resources’ exploration, evaluation, and genetic identification to reduce the risk of genetic erosion and the loss of important alleles and genetic stocks, as well as to utilize the useful genes in crop breeding to increase yield stability in newly bred cultivars and to meet the growing environmental challenges and climate change.

Prof. Dr. Penelope Bebeli
Prof. Dr. Vasileios Papasotiropoulos
Prof. Dr. Jaime Prohens
Guest Editors

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• plant genetic resources
• crop wild relatives
• landraces
• gene banks
• indigenous species
• traditional varieties
• characterization
• conservation
• genetic improvement
• molecular fingerprinting
• genetic erosion
• descriptors

Title: The knowledge and the practices of crop landraces and indigenous varieties are an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage
Authors: Penelope Bebeli
Affiliation: Agricultural University of Athens

Title: A holistic approach of crop genetic resources, conservation and promotion in an isolated Aegean Sea Island: The paradigm of Skyros Island (Greece)
Authors: Penelope Bebeli
Affiliation: Agricultural University of Athens
Abstract: Agrobiodiversity loss is a threat for the worldwide agri-food sector especially due to the current and upcoming impact of the climate change. Landraces/local varieties (LR/LVs) as well as other plant genetic resources that are more abundant in isolated and marginal areas, can play a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation. Therefore, their collection, monitoring and in-situ conservation as well as promotion of their use and consumption are crucial. In this context a long-term project was organized in a small isolated Greek island (Skyros, Aegean Sea), for first time to our knowledge, a holistic approach had been developed on crop genetic resources which included collection of annual crop landraces samples and characterization, recording of grape and fruit trees local varieties, monitoring of LR/LVs that existed and still can be found in cultivation, and establishing a regime of their on-farm conservation. More than 119 annual species LRs’ samples were collected, 60 and 24 different tree and grapevine local varieties respectively were recorded using semi-structured questionnaires and field visits. Additionally on farm conservation practices were applied and are discussed in the present study. Many landraces were collected and conserved ex-situ and in-situ. Several tree landraces presented important traits valuable for breeders and farmers. “Kurakatsi” pea landrace was registered in the European catalogue of conservation varieties. Monitoring on-farm conservation practices enhanced the long-term cooperation with several farmers and dissemination activities such as meeting presentations to local stakeholders and policy makers and training school students to establish and care for a school garden sown with island’s most important annual landraces raised the awareness about the economic and cultural value of LR/LVs.