Informal Seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems: the case of cassava in Cauca, Colombia

Our ability to manage gene flow within traditional agroecosystems and their repercussions requires understanding the biology of crops, including farming practices" role in crop ecology. That these practices" effects on crop population genetics have not been quantified bespeaks lack of an appropriate...

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Main Authors: Dyer, George, González, Carolina, Lopera, Diana Carolina
Format: Conjunto de datos
Language:Inglés
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/77654
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author Dyer, George
González, Carolina
Lopera, Diana Carolina
author_browse Dyer, George
González, Carolina
Lopera, Diana Carolina
author_facet Dyer, George
González, Carolina
Lopera, Diana Carolina
author_sort Dyer, George
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Our ability to manage gene flow within traditional agroecosystems and their repercussions requires understanding the biology of crops, including farming practices" role in crop ecology. That these practices" effects on crop population genetics have not been quantified bespeaks lack of an appropriate analytical framework. We use a model that construes seed-management practices as part of a crop"s demography to describe the dynamics of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in Cauca, Colombia. We quantify several management practices for cassava the first estimates of their kind for a vegetatively-propagated crop describe their demographic repercussions, and compare them to those of maize, a sexually-reproduced grain crop. We discuss the implications for gene flow, the conservation of cassava diversity, and the biosafety of vegetatively-propagated crops in centers of diversity. Cassava populations are surprisingly open and dynamic: farmers exchange germplasm across localities, particularly improved varieties, and distribute it among neighbors at extremely high rates vis-à-vis maize. This implies that a large portion of cassava populations consists of non-local germplasm, often grown in mixed stands with local varieties. Gene flow from this germplasm into local seed banks and gene pools via pollen has been documented, but its extent remains uncertain. In sum, cassava"s biology and vegetative propagation might facilitate pre-release confinement of genetically-modified varieties, as expected, but simultaneously contribute to their diffusion across traditional agroecosystems if released. Genetically-modified cassava is unlikely to displace landraces or compromise their diversity, but rapid diffusion of improved germplasm and subsequent incorporation into cassava landraces, seed banks or wild populations could obstruct the tracking and eradication of deleterious transgenes. Attempts to regulate traditional farming practices to reduce the risks could compromise cassava populations" adaptive potential and ultimately prove ineffectual.
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spelling CGSpace776542025-05-01T21:01:56Z Informal Seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems: the case of cassava in Cauca, Colombia Dyer, George González, Carolina Lopera, Diana Carolina agrobiodiversity dapa latin america and the caribbean seeds cultivars plant propagation manihot esculenta cassava maize farming systems germplasm landraces plant cropping systems field crops Our ability to manage gene flow within traditional agroecosystems and their repercussions requires understanding the biology of crops, including farming practices" role in crop ecology. That these practices" effects on crop population genetics have not been quantified bespeaks lack of an appropriate analytical framework. We use a model that construes seed-management practices as part of a crop"s demography to describe the dynamics of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in Cauca, Colombia. We quantify several management practices for cassava the first estimates of their kind for a vegetatively-propagated crop describe their demographic repercussions, and compare them to those of maize, a sexually-reproduced grain crop. We discuss the implications for gene flow, the conservation of cassava diversity, and the biosafety of vegetatively-propagated crops in centers of diversity. Cassava populations are surprisingly open and dynamic: farmers exchange germplasm across localities, particularly improved varieties, and distribute it among neighbors at extremely high rates vis-à-vis maize. This implies that a large portion of cassava populations consists of non-local germplasm, often grown in mixed stands with local varieties. Gene flow from this germplasm into local seed banks and gene pools via pollen has been documented, but its extent remains uncertain. In sum, cassava"s biology and vegetative propagation might facilitate pre-release confinement of genetically-modified varieties, as expected, but simultaneously contribute to their diffusion across traditional agroecosystems if released. Genetically-modified cassava is unlikely to displace landraces or compromise their diversity, but rapid diffusion of improved germplasm and subsequent incorporation into cassava landraces, seed banks or wild populations could obstruct the tracking and eradication of deleterious transgenes. Attempts to regulate traditional farming practices to reduce the risks could compromise cassava populations" adaptive potential and ultimately prove ineffectual. 2012 2016-11-10T12:15:21Z 2016-11-10T12:15:21Z Dataset https://hdl.handle.net/10568/77654 en http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0029067 Open Access Dyer, George; González, Carolina; Lopera, Diana Carolina. 2012. Informal Seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems: the case of cassava in Cauca, Colombia.
spellingShingle agrobiodiversity
dapa
latin america and the caribbean
seeds
cultivars
plant propagation
manihot esculenta
cassava
maize
farming systems
germplasm
landraces
plant cropping systems
field crops
Dyer, George
González, Carolina
Lopera, Diana Carolina
Informal Seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems: the case of cassava in Cauca, Colombia
title Informal Seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems: the case of cassava in Cauca, Colombia
title_full Informal Seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems: the case of cassava in Cauca, Colombia
title_fullStr Informal Seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems: the case of cassava in Cauca, Colombia
title_full_unstemmed Informal Seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems: the case of cassava in Cauca, Colombia
title_short Informal Seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems: the case of cassava in Cauca, Colombia
title_sort informal seed systems and the management of gene flow in traditional agroecosystems the case of cassava in cauca colombia
topic agrobiodiversity
dapa
latin america and the caribbean
seeds
cultivars
plant propagation
manihot esculenta
cassava
maize
farming systems
germplasm
landraces
plant cropping systems
field crops
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/77654
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