Implementation of development work for the National Conservation Strategy for wild relatives of cultivated species and wild plants used for food

Food production and agricultural production in general are threatened by the changing environmental conditions caused by climate change. To meet this challenge, plant breeders need access to genetic diversity with adaptive value. The possibility that Crop Wild Relatives (hereafter, CWRs) can crossbreed with cultivated plants and thus transfer their characteristics gives them unique importance as a source of variation and diversity that can contribute to the improvement of traditional and modern cultivars. In these circumstances, natural populations of crop wild relatives constitute a source of genetic diversity capable of providing adaptation to new environmental conditions and tolerance or resistance to pests and diseases. The fact that Spain has the largest number of CWRs in Europe and is the third richest country in the world in terms of the most important CWRs gives it a great responsibility in this area. In July 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food approved the National Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Wild Relatives of Crops and Wild Plants Used for Food, establishing a series of actions aimed at improving the conservation status and use of these plant genetic resources. The Strategy also included a catalogue of 521 species of crop wild relatives and wild relatives of plants used for food, on which priority actions should be focused.

The purpose of this project is to develop and implement some of the actions outlined in the National Strategy. The following activities are being carried out over the four years of the project:

1. Design of a database following international standards and collection of information relating to the biology, ecology and chorology of the species in the Catalogue and their use in plant improvement.

2. Assessment of the conservation status of the crop wild relatives and wild relatives of plants used for food included in the Catalogue in their natural habitat, documentation of in situ conservation actions and proposal of priority locations for the establishment of genetic reserves. Field verification of the information collected in the database.

3. Evaluation of the representativeness and conservation status of the crop wild relatives and wild relatives of plants used for food of the Catalogue in germplasm banks and proposal of priority locations for seed collection and conservation in germplasm banks.

4. Analysis of the potential risks and impacts of climate change on species distribution patterns and the effects it may have on their genetic diversity.

5. Development of a protocol for establishing genetic reserves, specifying minimum quality requirements. Establishment of a multi-species genetic reserve within a protected area and development of a management and monitoring plan.