Legume Genetic Resources for Semi-Arid Temperate Environments

Abstract

Because of their ability to fix biological nitrogen, the food, pasture, and forage legumes are of crucial importance in maintaining the long-term sustainability of cropping systems. The Fertile Crescent is the region of original demonstration and has a vast genetic diversity of these legumes and ICARDA located in this region has the mandate to act as the world center for conserving their germplasm, in collaboration with the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR). To examine the current status and future prospects of genetic resources work in food, pasture, and forage legumes, an international. workshop co-sponsored by UNDP and lCARDA was held in Cairo, in the period 19-24 June 1987. The workshop brought together scientists from West Asia and North Africa as well as from industrialized countries. Country reports, followed by specialized papers by world experts, set the stage for discussions on the major issues of collection, conservation, evaluation, and documentation of the germplasm of these crops. Small groups, each consisting of country activity leaders and world experts, conducted in-depth discussions of the issues involved. The greater insight attained helped in identifying areas for further research and support, and for developing future activities related to the genetic resources of legume crops important for the ICARDA region and beyond.