Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
INNOVATIONS IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, ss.363-410, 2019 (SCI-Expanded)
The aim of conservation of biodiversity and genetic resources is to secure existing genetic biodiversity while allowing evolution and to build a wide base of genetic resources that meet demands of present and future uses not only for human kind but also for all livings forms on earth. Genetic resources for sustainable agriculture are irreplaceable natural sources for food, spice, medicine, fuel, fodder and building materials. Genetic diversity is an essential natural resource, like soil, water and the sun, without it life may not exist. Unfortunately, the most dramatic decline in the genetic diversity occurred with dramatic yield improvement of modern crops due to the development of hybrid technologies, synthetic fertilizers, irrigation, pest managements and farm machinery. Among 500,000 land species on earth, 100,000160,000 are estimated to be under threats or about to enter the red list. It is estimated that today 15% of the earth land surface is protected for conservation, however, coverage varies widely among ecosystems and countries. Today approximately 7.4 million germplasm accessions representing more than 16,500 plant species are conserved in approximately 1750 gene banks worldwide, and more than two million accessions are estimated to be added soon. However, most gene banks around the world lack facilities, sufficient funds and staff to successful regeneration of gene bank collections and maintenances. Conservation of biodiversity and genetic resources is needed more than ever, given the cumulative effects of exploitation and destruction that is compounded by climate change. This chapter focuses on a brief history of public awareness on biodiversity and genetic resources for sustainable agriculture with specific highlights on next generational high-throughput techniques. The application of high-throughput phenotyping genomics and phenomics opens new ways for a substantial enhancement of plant conservation activities for sustainable agriculture. Monitoring tools utilizing machine and deep learning approaches coupled with traditional plant breeding could not only inform us about the risk of genetic erosion through genetic drift and nonrandom viability selection within gene banks, but could help us to fight current pest and disease outbreaks, would also have the dual effects of contributing to enhanced food production and to the conservation of plant genetic resources.