GERMPLASM COLLECTIONS. WHAT WE LEARNED AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN 
FROM THEM




J.I. Cubero,
ETSIAM, Cordoba, Spain


Germplasm collections became a priority in the last fifty years 
but they had already been formed and studied for at least two 
centuries. Obviously, different historical periods collected 
different vegetal materials and emphasized diverse scientific 
and practical objectives. Germplasm collections have produced 
many facts out of which valuable scientific theories have been 
proposed. Their "balance sheet" clearly being positive, there 
are however some negative points in their formation and handling 
which should be converted also in positive experience for the 
future.

First collections consciously maintained as much probably were 
those of medical plants kept in many monasteries during the 
Middle Ages. The empirical pharmacological knowledge obtained 
from them is out of the scope of the present paper. Monasteries 
also maintained garden plants whose number was increasing 
following East-West contacts (as Crusades were). The interest in 
keeping and studying these materials motivated the creation of 
the first botanical gardens, not surprisingly by universities 
(Padua being the first one in 1945). Private collections of 
tulips triggered the first recorded "plant collection fever" as 
well as the first intense plants breeding activity as early as 
in the XVI century in The Netherlands. Collections performed by 
of both private and public organizations were continuous since 
that time until now. Most, if not all, collected plants till the 
end of the XIX century were ornamentals. The increased 
importance of the professional plant breeding motivated the 
first collections of varieties of agricultural interest. 
Extensive germplasm collections were performed during the first 
third of our century, with H.V. Harlan and, especially, N.I. 
Vavilov as outstanding names in this field.

Among the many positive facts derived from germplasm collections 
worth mentioning are: (1) the foundation of very precise 
taxonomic systems derived from the accurate description of 
varieties and forms of ornamental interest requested by 
gardeners from professional botanists in the first half of the 
XVIII century; (2) the interchange and ex situ domestication of 
valuable materials probably since the end of the XVIII century; 
(3) the knowledge of phytogeographical areas around the world as 
a consequence of the precise description of collecting sites; 
(4) the always increasing scientific interest in describing the 
amazing amount of variation recorded in living collections, 
which lead to the establishment of the modern Plant Systematics; 
(5) countless varieties of commercial use in all fields, both 
purposely and unconsciously (through accidental hybridizations 
in maintained living collections), and new methods to obtain 
them (wide and narrow crosses, for example) which were 
transferred to the common scientific practice (not to be forgot: 
Mendel selected his pea lines out of a living commercial 
collection maintained in his monastery);  (6) experimental 
knowledge on population dynamics, as the well known Vavilov's 
laws of "parallel variation" and "migration of recessives" in 
cultivated plants; (7) a deep insight into the origin and 
evolution of cultivated plants as well as on the host-parasite 
co-evolution and on the causes of genetic erosion; (8) a strong-
effort on setting up priorities in germplasm conservation and on 
the best technical ways to implement them, and a long etcetera.

There are also some negative aspects on germplasm collections, 
or rather on germplasm amassing; among others; equipment for 
such a delicate task, a problem already detected in the XIX 
century and not yet completely solved; (2) development, 
especially at the national level, of a "stamp collector 
syndrome", i.e.., collecting because nowadays it is a 
fashionable task, having the required infrastructure but not 
having clear ideas on why and how to use or to study the 
material collected; (3) spoliation of natural environment on 
behalf of commercial and/or scientific interests; (4) jealousy 
at many levels (personal, professional, national and 
supranational) which hinders a correct flow of information.

While still learning in a positive way from plant collections, 
our best contribution for the next future could certainly be to 
eliminate the negative aspects that preclude the right use of 
actual germplasm collections.


References


Darlington CD, 1973, Chromosome Botany and the Origins of 
Cultivated Plants. Hafner Press, New York.


Harlan HV, 1957, One man's life with barley. Exposition Press, 
New York.


Harlan JR, 1975, Crops and Man. American Society of Agronomy, 
Madison, Wis.


Olby R, 1985, Origins of Mendelism. The University of Chicago 
Press. Chicago.


Vavilov NI, 1949/50. The origin, variation, immunity and 
breeding of cultivated plants. The Chronica Botanica Co., 
Waltham, Mass.