Biodiversity Conservation and
Management at INTSORMIL
Gebisa Ejeta
Plant Genetics & Breeding
Purdue University
The African “center of crop origin”
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Cereals
– African rice (Oryza glaberrima), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) (West African
drylands), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) (Abyssinia), tef (Eragrostis abyssinica), fonio
(Digitaria exilis) (West Africa)
Pulses
– cowpea (Vigna linguculata), bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea), hyacinth
bean (Lablab purpureus), kersting's groundnut (Macrotyloma geocarpa)
Roots & tuber crops
– yam (Dioscorea cayanensis)
Oil crops
– oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) (West Africa), castor bean (Ricinus communis)
Fruits & nuts
– baobab (Adansonia digitata) (tropical Africa), watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) melon
(Cucumis melo) (central Africa)
Vegetables & spices
– okra (Hibiscus esculentus), sesame (Sesamum indicum), egglplant (Solanum
aethiopicum) (tropical Africa).
Fibers
– kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) (Western Sudan)
Stimulants
– coffee (Coffea arabica) (Abyssinia)
VI. Abyssinian Center
Abyssinia, Eritrea, and part of Somaliland (Vavilov centers of origin)
Miscellaneous
Grains & Legumes
Abyssinian hard wheat
Triticum durum abyssinicum
Sesame
Sesamum indicum (basic center)
Poulard wheat
Triticum turgidum abyssinicum
Castor bean
Ricinus communis (a center)
Emmer
Triticum dicoccum abyssinicum
Garden cress
Lepidium sativum
Polish wheat
Triticum polonicum abyssinicum
Coffee
Coffea arabica
Barley
Hordeum sativum
Okra
Hibiscus esculentus
Grain sorghum
Andropogon sorghum
Myrrh
Commiphora abyssinicia
Pearl millet
Pennisetum spicatum
Niger
Guizotia abyssinica
African millet
Eleusine coracana
Ensete
Musa ventricosum
Tef
Eragrostis abyssinica
Indigo
Indigofera argente
Cowpea
Vigna sinensis
Flax
Linum usitatissimum
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/
Diversity
• Diverse ecological conditions and different ethnic customs and
preferences resulted in enormous genetic diversity.
• Most have shown great resilience and broad adaptation
• Global distribution of these species has served humanity well.
• Some have had a narrowly defined nich & utility
– Example: Teff is a highly valued staple cereal crop in Ethiopia, but is
cultivated no where else as a food crop .
Conservation and Management of
Genetic Resources: Essential
• In situ conservation
• Ex situ Conservation
• Whose Responsibility?
– Partnerships and Dialogue
• Ag & Conservation Groups
• Scientists & Policy Makers
• Rich & Poor Nations
– Accountability (community, nation, & donors)
– Education, based on demonstrable benefit
Genetic Resource Conservation
Activities at INTSORMIL
• Collection, characterization, and documentation
Sorghum Domestication
China
India
Sudan
Ethiopia
Americas
early Sorghum bicolor
Sorghum Collections
ICRISAT
India
36,719
accessions
NPGS
USA
42,221 accessions
domestication
center
Sources of genetic variation
Striga Tolerance
Kittgn Aifere - Ethiopia
Seguétana - Mali
Stand Establishment
West African Caudatums
Chinese Kaoliangs
Drought tolerance
Feteritas - Sudan
Hegaris - Sudan
Transplants - Sudan, Chad, Cameroon
Hard Durras - Ethiopia, India
Soft Durras - Nigeria
Nutritional Quality
Cold Tolerance
Chinese Kaoliangs
Ethiopian Durras
Yemen Durras
Acid Soils Tolerance
Uganda, Zambia, Mali
Wotet Begunche
Sinde Lamine
Indian Durras/Bhasmati
Sweet stalks
Tanzania Rice Types
Genetic Resource Conservation
Activities at INTSORMIL
• Collection, characterization, and documentation
• Enhance the diversity base of breeding
programs
Genetic Resource Conservation
Activities at INTSORMIL
• Collection, characterization, and documentation
• Enhance the diversity base of breeding programs
• Facilitate open exchange and distribution
Released in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, 2001 under the name “Brhan”
Genetic Resource Conservation
Activities at INTSORMIL
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Collection, characterization, and documentation
Enhance the diversity base of breeding programs
Facilitate open exchange and distribution
Conduct diversity analysis (ex-situ , in-situ)
– Morphological
– Molecular
Genetic Diversity in Cultivated
Sorghums
• Genetic Diversity in Cultivated Races of Sorghum
(Menkir et al., 1997. Crop Sci. 37:564)
– 190 acc. from four geographic regions of origin (Far and Middle East, Central and
Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, Western Africa) - 162 polymorphic RAPD bands
– Cultivated races with limited amount of genetic differentiation
Low level of differentiation among regions
– Genetic distances estimates to help identifying suitable germplasm for introgression
into breeding stocks
• Phenotypic Diversity among Sudanese Landraces
(Grenier et al., 2003. GRES in press)
– 2,017 acc. Sudanese landrace collection - 19 morpho-agronomic characters
– Different distribution of phenotypic diversity among regions
Specific patterns of phenotypic diversity for each geographical area of origin
– Phenotypic diversity to highlight selective pressures that have reduced the variation
to certain ideotypes
Genetic Diversity in Cultivated
Races of Sorghum
Regions
Far and
Middle East
Central and
Eastern
Africa
Southern
Africa
Western
Africa
Far and
Middle East
Central and
Eastern
Africa
Southern
Africa
Western
Africa
0.350a
0.357bc
0.356c
0.375b
0.353ab
0.348b
0.365ad
0.305a
0.374b
0.358a
Mean genetic distance estimates calculated from 162 polymorphic RAPD
bands for all pairs of accessions from either one or two geographic regions of
origin (Menkir et al., 1997. Crop Sci. 37:564)
GeziraGedarif
Phenotypic Diversity
among Sudanese
Landraces
Kassala
Blue
Nile
Equatoria
Principal component
analysis on the total
Sudanese landrace
collection (2,017 acc.)
and for nine quantitative
morpho-agronomic
characters (Grenier et
al., 2003. GRES in
press)
3
2
1
Factor 2 : Kernel size - 100-seed weight
Upper
Nile
4
0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1
Gezira-Gedarif
2
3
4 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1
Kassala
2
3
4 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1
Blue Nile
2
3
4
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1
Upper Nile
2
3
4 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1
Equatoria
2
3
4 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1
Unknown
2
3
4
4
3
2
1
0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
Factor 1 : Plant height - Flowering date
Genetic Resource Conservation
Activities at INTSORMIL
•
•
•
•
Collection, characterization, and documentation
Enhance the diversity base of breeding programs
Facilitate open exchange and distribution
Conduct diversity analysis (ex-situ , in-situ)
– Morphological
– Molecular
• Assess extent of gene flow bet. Wild &
Cultivated
Gene Flow Between
Cultivated and Wild
Sorghums
in Africa
Genetic Resource Conservation
Activities at INTSORMIL
•
•
•
•
Collection, characterization, and documentation
Enhance the diversity base of breeding programs
Facilitate open exchange and distribution
Conduct diversity analysis (ex-situ , in-situ)
– Morphological
– Molecular
• Assess extent of gene flow bet. Wild & Cultivated
• Investigate extent of real genetic erosion
Genetic Resource Conservation
Activities at INTSORMIL
•
•
•
•
Collection, characterization, and documentation
Enhance the diversity base of breeding programs
Facilitate open exchange and distribution
Conduct diversity analysis (ex-situ , in-situ)
– Morphological
– Molecular
• Assess extent of gene flow bet. Wild & Cultivated
• Investigate extent of real genetic erosion
• Facilitate repatriation and/or new introduction
Biomass & Biofuel Potential?