Preserving the Future of Vegetable Improvement

Abstract

Diverse and readily accessible genetic resources are vital for any crop improvement program oriented toward high and stable yields and specific consumer preferences to finally contribute to food security and a diverse diet for the ever increasing global population. Molecular tools to identify and use genes responsible for specific traits in gene bank accessions of wild and cultivated species have great potential to enhance germplasm utilization and to shorten breeding cycles. Complementary approaches of in situ and ex situ conservation are used to preserve germplasm for improvement programs. AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center conserves approximately 56,000 accessions and is therefore the world’s most important gene bank for vegetable crops. More than 35,000 samples of regular and improved vegetable germplasm have been distributed over the last 10 years to a range of users in the public and private sectors. Another 10,000 samples have been used by the Center’s scientists for their research. After extensive screening and breeding efforts, five anthracnose-resistant pepper lines have been released by the Center. Similarly, Solanum pimpinellifolium, a wild tomato species is being used to develop resistant varieties against bacterial wilt. Resistance against the damage from aphids was detected in Capsicum annuum accessions from Costa Rica. Moderate to highly resistant lines to bruchid, a destructive storage insect pest of mungbean resulted from extensive screening trials at the Asian Regional Center. The AVRDC Vegetable Genetic Resources Information System (AVGRIS) provides direct access to information pertaining to the accessions in the gene bank to all potential users through the internet. To secure the future of variety improvement programs of staple crops including fruits and vegetables, gene bank capacities for medium to long-term conservation, germplasm characterization and evaluation, and information exchange need to be given priority attention.