Abstract Detail

Economic Botany Section

Syfert, Mindy [1], Castañeda-Álvarez, Nora P. [2], Khoury, Colin [3], Särkinen, Tiina [4], Sosa, Chrystian C. [5], Achicanoy, Harold C. [5], Bernau, Vivian [5], Prohens, Jaime [6], Daunay, Marie-Christine [7], Knapp, Sandra [1].

Wild relatives of the brinjal eggplant (Solanum melongena L.: Solanaceae): evaluating gaps in global germplasm collections and identifying priority collecting areas.

Crop wild relatives (CWR) provide important traits for plant breeding efforts, including pathogen resistance and abiotic stress traits, and are an important part of maintaining food security in the next decades. Despite their importance, current global germplasm collections represent only a small fraction of CWR diversity, especially in non-staple crops. We have investigated gaps in the global germplasm collections of the brinjal eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and its wild relatives. We followed a previously established gap analysis methodology where collections available in seed banks are compared to records available in global herbaria to study how much of the wild diversity is currently represented in germplasm collections. We find that most eggplant CWR have either no or are represented by a small number of accessions in seed banks compared to their native natural ranges. We identify that ca. 20% of the eggplant CWR is under threat of extinction due to their small geographic ranges and ongoing habitat degradation in tropical East Africa and Asia. We identify priority areas where targeted collections should be made to strengthen global resources for eggplant breeding in the future. These include Eastern Africa, particularly the Kenya-Tanzania border, where a number of CWR co-occur but not currently represented in germplasm collections. The traditional genepool concept is discussed in relation to the brinjal eggplant and the large genus Solanum L.; large diverse genera create problems for the traditional and taxonomic concepts. We emphasize the importance considering the wild relatives outside of the genepool concept by including phylogenetic relationships as well as extinction risk when targeting localities for CWR collection.

1 - Natural History Museum, Life Sciences, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
2 - International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, Cali, Colombia
3 - International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Km 17 Recta Cali Palmira, Palmira, Colombia
4 - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, United Kingdom
5 - International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, Palmira, Colombia
6 - Universidad Politècnica de València, Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrobiodiversidad Valenciana, , Valencia, Spain
7 - INRA, Unité de Genetique & Amélioration des Fruits et Legumes, UR 1052, Domaine St. Maurice, Monfavet, CS 60094 F-84143, France

Keywords:
crop wild relative
eggplant
Solanum
solanaceae
Africa
collecting.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 4
Location: Salon 2/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 11:30 AM
Number: 4014
Abstract ID:1236
Candidate for Awards:None