Plant genetic resource initiatives in international development

Governments both in developed and developing countries are exploring means to support comprehensive plant genetic resource programs interactive with the international network coordinating global distribution and conservation of germplasm. National plant genetic resource programs can serve as an effective interface between the conservation of a country’s biological resources and their availability for use in crop improvement. Recent developments in the global exchange of germplasm, molecular characterization of genetic diversity, and conservation biology, and the increasing size of many collections have focused renewed attention on national germplasm capabilities.