Toward a US National Strategy for the Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives

Priority Genepools and Taxa

Inventory of CWR and Utilized Taxa in the US

Conservation Strategies and Recommendations

Taxonomic Prioritization (crop genepool and taxa)

Gap Analysis and Threat Assessment

Research Process

Collecting and Storage Ex Situ In Situ Establishment and Management

Method-

Inclusive of wide range of utilized and potentially useful taxa, including both native and naturalized taxa occurring in the US (including Hawaii (Puerto Rico?).

Taxa directly used for food, fiber, forage, medicine, ornamental, and restoration purposes

CWR taxa

National Inventory

CWR definition- “a wild plant taxon that has an indirect use derived from its relatively close genetic relationship to a crop; this relationship is defined in terms of the CWR belonging to Gene Pools 1 or 2, or taxon groups 1 to 4 of the crop” (Maxted et al. 2006)

Adapted method includes Genepool 3- some are useful to breeding, and also useful for other research purposes

Functionally defined by genus

Some crops have multiple genera contributing to genepool (e.g. maize, carrot, beet, wheat, banana)

Defining Crop Wild Relatives

Results:

3,000 taxa

work in progress

National Inventory

Taxonomic Priorities- what taxa are likely to be most useful?

Crop definition- “a plant...or plant product…that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence” (Webster’s 2011)

Major crops for food and economy- have modern (improved) cultivar forms and active breeding programs.

primary focus on the plant species known to, or with the potential to, contribute to agriculture through crop breeding.

The national strategy is a conservation strategy prioritizing species based upon their potential use value- to food production and food security, and to the economy.

Method-

Gather data on major crops globally (FAOSTAT, published literature, ITPGRFA)

Prioritize the list (Priority 1, Priority 2)

Identify genera in genepools of priority crops

Review inventory and add additional genepools to priorities- CWR, and Iconic Directly Utilized Species

sugar maple (Acer saccharum), wild rice (Zizania spp.), medicinal species of Echinacea, pine nut species of Pinus, pecan (Carya illinoinensis, jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) and the alcohol/sugar taxa of Agave- taxa added (but not CWR)

Top Crops Worldwide, and US Iconics

Results:

255 crops/ 281 genera

Priority 1- 108 crops/ 126 genera

Priority 2- 147 crops/ 155 genera.

This list certainly includes all the most important agricultural crops around the world by a number of measures, and covers all crops listed in FAOSTAT for US production and food supply, with virtually all major US crops on Priority 1. The list should cover the great majority of the world’s crops with major breeding programs

Top Crops Worldwide, and US Iconics

Results:

2,489 taxa in 159 Priority genera occur in the US-

Priority 1- 904 taxa in 74 genera

Priority 2- 1,108 taxa in 85 genera

Need to further prioritize!

Especially species rich native genepools of important crops include Allium (onion), Cucurbita (squash), Fragaria (strawberry), Helianthus (sunflower), Ilex (maté), Ipomoea (sweet potato), Lactuca (lettuce), Phaseolus (bean), Prunus (cherry, almond, peach), Ribes (currant), Rubus (raspberry), Saccharum (sugar cane), Trifolium (clover), Vaccinium (blueberry, cranberry), and Vitis (grape)

Proposal for Taxonomic Priorities for the US

Focus on Priority 1 crop genepools (with edits by you!)

Closely related taxa (GP1/2), and more distant taxa that are known to be utilized in crop breeding, will be subjected to the full gap analysis for identification of collecting priorities, and for in situ conservation considerations.

Distantly related taxa (GP3) - a superficial gap analysis will identify taxa not conserved ex situ by at least a few populations, and prioritize these for additional collecting. Generally no in situ analysis for Genepool 3 taxa.

Include listed threatened and rare species in Priority 1 genepools (incl GP3) in strategy

Identify the non-native taxa of particular interest with your guidance (generally GP1/GP2), and include identified taxa in the ex situ gap analysis.

This method certainly covers the richest genepools of native diversity occurring in the US that have the potential to contribute to crop improvement, and attempts to cover the major iconic wild species directly utilized for food/medicine as well. 

Proposal for Taxonomic Priorities for the US

Examine Priority 1, de-prioritize crops/genera that are minor crops or that lack breeding programs. Some potentials: Ilex (21 taxa), Lathyrus (31 taxa), Linum (21 taxa), Papaver (14 taxa), Trifolium (96 taxa), and Vicia (as fava bean has no close relatives; 14 taxa). 

Examine Priority 2 crops/genera, and suggest any crop genepools worthy of re-prioritization at Priority 1. Some potential suggestions: Humulus, Physalis, Castanea, Mentha, or Nicotiana.

Examine national inventory and identify taxa of high direct use value, or within crop genepools of importance not already listed. Forages, ornamentals, medicinals, oil and industrial crops knowledge gap.

Once Priority crops are more clearly established, input on which taxa within each genepool that are in GP3 or are naturalized in the US are useful and should be included in gap analysis.

Sharing of occurrence records that you curate for all priority taxa with the project

Input on the results of the gap analysis

Critical Input by YOU