Technical and political factors constraining reserve placements

Abstract

There are a number of constraints to the effective placement of reserves for the in situ conservation of wild species related to crops, and particularly for those sufficiently related that they have foreseeable and potential use in the genetic enhancement of the crop itself. These constraints are scientific, practical and political. Additionally, there are few operational blueprints for fully comprehensive systems of genetic conservation of crop gene pools ranging from long-term ex situ conservation of culti-vars to long-term in situ conservation of wild species. Much of the needed action remains conceptual and broadly based in terms of implementation and methodologies.