Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity

Crop diversity underpins the productivity, resilience, and adaptive capacity of agriculture. Loss of this diversity, termed crop genetic erosion, is therefore concerning. While alarms regarding evident declines in crop diversity have been raised for over a century, the magnitude, trajectory, drivers...

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Main Authors: Khoury, Colin K., Brush, S., Costich, Denise E., Curry, H.A., Haan, Stef de, Engels, Johannes M.M., Guarino, Luigi, Hoban, Sean, Mercer, K.L., Miller, A.J., Nabhan, Gary Paul, Perales, H.R., Richards, C., Riggins, C., Thormann, I.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Wiley 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115281
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author Khoury, Colin K.
Brush, S.
Costich, Denise E.
Curry, H.A.
Haan, Stef de
Engels, Johannes M.M.
Guarino, Luigi
Hoban, Sean
Mercer, K.L.
Miller, A.J.
Nabhan, Gary Paul
Perales, H.R.
Richards, C.
Riggins, C.
Thormann, I.
author_browse Brush, S.
Costich, Denise E.
Curry, H.A.
Engels, Johannes M.M.
Guarino, Luigi
Haan, Stef de
Hoban, Sean
Khoury, Colin K.
Mercer, K.L.
Miller, A.J.
Nabhan, Gary Paul
Perales, H.R.
Richards, C.
Riggins, C.
Thormann, I.
author_facet Khoury, Colin K.
Brush, S.
Costich, Denise E.
Curry, H.A.
Haan, Stef de
Engels, Johannes M.M.
Guarino, Luigi
Hoban, Sean
Mercer, K.L.
Miller, A.J.
Nabhan, Gary Paul
Perales, H.R.
Richards, C.
Riggins, C.
Thormann, I.
author_sort Khoury, Colin K.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Crop diversity underpins the productivity, resilience, and adaptive capacity of agriculture. Loss of this diversity, termed crop genetic erosion, is therefore concerning. While alarms regarding evident declines in crop diversity have been raised for over a century, the magnitude, trajectory, drivers, and significance of these losses remain insufficiently understood. We outline the various definitions, measurements, scales, and sources of information on crop genetic erosion. We then provide a synthesis of evidence regarding changes in the diversity of traditional crop landraces on farms, modern crop cultivars in agriculture, crop wild relatives in their natural habitats, and crop genetic resources held in conservation repositories. This evidence indicates that marked losses, but also maintenance and increases in diversity, have occurred in all these contexts, the extent depending on species, taxonomic and geographic scale, and region, as well as analytical approach. We discuss steps needed to further advance knowledge around the agricultural and societal significance, as well as conservation implications, of crop genetic erosion. Finally, we propose actions to mitigate, stem, and reverse further losses of crop diversity.
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spelling CGSpace1152812025-03-11T12:14:31Z Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity Khoury, Colin K. Brush, S. Costich, Denise E. Curry, H.A. Haan, Stef de Engels, Johannes M.M. Guarino, Luigi Hoban, Sean Mercer, K.L. Miller, A.J. Nabhan, Gary Paul Perales, H.R. Richards, C. Riggins, C. Thormann, I. agrobiodiversity biodiversity conservation crops crop wild relatives food security plant genetic resources physiology Crop diversity underpins the productivity, resilience, and adaptive capacity of agriculture. Loss of this diversity, termed crop genetic erosion, is therefore concerning. While alarms regarding evident declines in crop diversity have been raised for over a century, the magnitude, trajectory, drivers, and significance of these losses remain insufficiently understood. We outline the various definitions, measurements, scales, and sources of information on crop genetic erosion. We then provide a synthesis of evidence regarding changes in the diversity of traditional crop landraces on farms, modern crop cultivars in agriculture, crop wild relatives in their natural habitats, and crop genetic resources held in conservation repositories. This evidence indicates that marked losses, but also maintenance and increases in diversity, have occurred in all these contexts, the extent depending on species, taxonomic and geographic scale, and region, as well as analytical approach. We discuss steps needed to further advance knowledge around the agricultural and societal significance, as well as conservation implications, of crop genetic erosion. Finally, we propose actions to mitigate, stem, and reverse further losses of crop diversity. 2022-01 2021-10-01T04:55:52Z 2021-10-01T04:55:52Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115281 en Open Access Wiley Khoury, C. K., Brush, S., Costich, D. E., Curry, H. A., de Haan, S., Engels, J. M. M., Guarino, L., Hoban, S., Mercer, K. L., Miller, A. J., Nabhan, G. P., Perales, H. R., Richards, C., Riggins, C., & Thormann, I. (2021). Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity. New Phytologist. ISSN 1469-8137.
spellingShingle agrobiodiversity
biodiversity conservation
crops
crop wild relatives
food security
plant genetic resources
physiology
Khoury, Colin K.
Brush, S.
Costich, Denise E.
Curry, H.A.
Haan, Stef de
Engels, Johannes M.M.
Guarino, Luigi
Hoban, Sean
Mercer, K.L.
Miller, A.J.
Nabhan, Gary Paul
Perales, H.R.
Richards, C.
Riggins, C.
Thormann, I.
Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity
title Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity
title_full Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity
title_fullStr Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity
title_full_unstemmed Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity
title_short Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity
title_sort crop genetic erosion understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity
topic agrobiodiversity
biodiversity conservation
crops
crop wild relatives
food security
plant genetic resources
physiology
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115281
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