Status of ICT structure, infrastructure and applications existed to manage and disseminate information and knowledge of Plant Genetic Resources Innovations Information in the Region:

Current Status of Plant

Genetic Resources in Jordan:

Challenges and Future

Strategies

S. Saifan*

Information paper submitted to the Inception workshop of the regional project TCP/SNO/3401- Optimizing the Use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and

Agriculture for Adaptation to Climate Change, Beirut, 19-20 August 2013

* National Center for Agricultural Research and Extension (NCARE), Jordan. Head, Plant genetic resources department. P.O.Box 639-Baqa'19381 Jordan, Tel: 00962 6 4725071. Fax: 00962 6 4726099. E-mail: [email protected]

Introduction

Biogeography and biodiversity of Jordan (Value

of Jordanian plant biodiversity, Threats of plant

diversity and PGRFA in Jordan)

International treaties and national respond

Institutes interested in PGR in Jordan

Management of PGR in Jordan

Gaps and needs

Inside…

The challenges of climate change impact, population increase, loss of diversity and food security becomes more precarious.

PGRFA is an accelerating field of interest that is becoming increasingly important to face these challenges.

Jordan has to consider and adopt effective strategy for PGRFA and develop active breeding programs to develop new varieties of crop plants adapted to the changing environment.

The government of the Jordan is making an effort through strengthening its national programs as well as international relations.

This report presents a summary of Jordan PGR strategy, policies and national programs.

Introduction

Vegetation map illustrates natural vegetation of Jordan

Biogeography and biodiversity of Jordan

Altitude (-400 m to1750 masl).

Rinfall (50- 600 mm)

Eco-geographical Zones:

The highland mountains region; the

eastern desert; the Jordan valley; and the

Aqaba gulf

Vegetation types (13):

Pine forest, evergreen oak

forest, Deciduous oak forest, Juniper

forest, Mediterranean non-forest

region, steppe

vegetation, Halophytic, Sandy

dunes, Hammada, Tropical, Acacia and

rocky vegetation, Hydrophytic, and Mud

flats

Species richness: 9.1 species/100 km²

(Danin, 2001).

Diversity:

2500 species (1% of the total world

flora)

152 families

700 genera (Jordan country study, 1998).

Value of Jordanian plant biodiversity- Direct utilization: edible for human, grazing for animals, parent of

cultivated species,

- Jordan flora figure out important landraces and wild relatives of globally important crops(wheat, barley, oat, lentil, vetch, cowpea, peas, etc.).

- Include valuable genetic resources for crop improvements (drought and saline resistant plants, medicinal, soil fixing, nitrogen fixing, and disease resistance).

- Contain species adapted to the Jordan environment and are integral to the sustainability of production systems and hence they considered key for comprehensive national development.

Threats of plant diversity and PGR in Jordan

Habitat degradation and fragmentation cause loss of genetic diversity and lead to genetic vulnerability and erosion

Climate change

Over collection

Over-grazing Deforestation

Agricultural

development

Urbanization

Jordan and the international treaties

International treaties relevant to PGR and ratified by Jordan

Treaty Year Goals

International convention for the protection

of new varieties (UPOV)1991

protect intellectual property rights (IPR) for

new varieties

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 1992Conservation BD, Sustainable utilization,

Benefets sharing

UN framework convention on climate

change1994

Develop national frameworks to face

climate change impact

The Cartagana protocol for biosafety 2000Adopt protocols and regulations for safe

movement and use of GMO.

International Treaty on plant genetic

resources for food and Agriculture

(ITPGRFA)

2001Maintain PGRFA, Sustainable utilization of

PGRFA, Equitable and benefit sharing

The Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur

Supplementary Protocol on Liability and

Redress.

2010

Conservation and sustainable use of BD to

protect from damage resulting from living

modified organisms (LMOs)

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic

Resources and the Fair and Equitable

Sharing of Benefits Arising from their

Utilization to the CBD

2010

sharing the benefits arising from the

utilization of genetic resources in a fair and

equitable way

Policy Issued by Year

National Environmental Strategy (NES) Ministry of Municipal, Rural affairs

and environment

1991

National Environmental Action Plan

(NEAP)

Ministry of Planning 1995

Water Strategy and Policies Ministry of Water 1998

National Agenda 21 General Corporation for

Environmental Protection

2001

Poverty Reduction Strategy Ministry of Social Development 2001

National strategy for agricultural

development (2000-2010)

Higher Socio-economic Council 2002

Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Ministry of Environment 2002

National Strategy for Tourism Ministry of Tourism 2004

National Energy Strategy Ministry of Energy 2005

National Strategy and Action Plan to

Combat Desertification

Ministry of Environment 2005

The National Agenda Royal National Agenda Committee 2006

National strategy for plant conservation

(WS &CWR)Under discussion

Policies and strategies relevant to PGR in Jordan

National institutes interested in Plant genetic resources in Jordan

National Centre for Agriculture and Extension (NCARE)

Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).

Ministry of Environment (MOE).

The Royal Society for Conservation Nature (RSCN).

Jordan Universities.

The Royal Botanic Garden.

The Higher Council for Science and Technology

(HCST).

Management of plant genetic resources in Jordan

During 1952 and 1977 old cultivars of durum wheat have been collected

and deposited at USDA and in BARI gene banks.

Collection in cooperation with ICARDA (1981-2012), more than 1300

accessions of cereals and legumes were collected.

Collection in cooperation with BI (1995, 2012) for cereals and vegetable

landraces.

Collection in cooperation with Kew garden/UK (2001-2009) for wild

species .

Collection in cooperation with IPK genebank (2012) for wild barley.

Collection of various plant species conducted by NCARE (1996-2012)

Frequent collection in cooperation with Jordanian research institutes.

Collection

Wild Barley, 2012

Hordeum vulgare subsp. Spontaneum 72 acc from 30 site, May 2012

Conservation (In situ) of PGR in Jordan

Agrobidiversity project: on-farm conservation (6)

Medicinal plant project:

12 sites designated for

In situ conservation

RSCN: 13 protected

areas (natural reserves)

MoA: 15 natural reserves

Conservation (Ex situ) of PGR in Jordan

National seed bank at NCARE

Field Banks: 3 fields (NCARE) maintained old

cultivars and stocks of

olive, almond, pistachio, pomegranate, fig and

medicinal..

Botanic gardens:

RBG, UOJ (research

and herbaria)

In vitro: under research

Conservation (Ex situ) of PGR in Jordan

National gene Bank at NCARE (1996)

Capability

-Laboratory and seed drying facilities

- Cold stores (0 - 4c)

- Herbarium unit with 4000

specimens collected since 1886.

Genebank database

- Data management

facilities capable to

connect with GIS.

NCARE genebank progress 1996-2012

Families 87

Genera 435

Species 656

Subspecies 65

Diversity

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012

Crop type percentage conserved at NCARE

genebank (2012)

48%

9%

3%

8%

0%

3%

1%

5%

8%

15%

%

Cereals

Forage Legumes

Food Legumes

Medicinal Plants

Oil seeds

Others

Range Shrubs

Trees

Vegetables

Wild Plants

Activity

Collection

Conservation

Multiplication

Plant protection

Rehabilitation

Water research

Strategy and plans

Evaluation

Direct Utilization

Climate change

Biotechnology and tissue culture

Activities and utilization of PGR in Jordan

(categorized by research type)

No Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

1Plantae

Angiospermae Oppositifoliae

(Dicotyledoneae) Scrophulariales Acanthaceae Acanthus syriacus

2Plantae

Angiospermae Oppositifoliae

(Dicotyledoneae) Scrophulariales Acanthaceae Blepharis attenuata

3Plantae Pterophyta Pteridopsida Polypodiales Adiantaceae Adiantum

capillus-

veneris

4Plantae

Angiospermae Oppositifoliae

(Dicotyledoneae) Caryophyllales Aizoaceae Aizoon canariense

5Plantae

Angiospermae Oppositifoliae

(Dicotyledoneae) Caryophyllales Aizoaceae Aizoon hispanicum

6Plantae

Angiospermae Oppositifoliae

(Dicotyledoneae) Caryophyllales Aizoaceae

Mesembryanthem

um nodiflorum

7Plantae

Angiospermae Oppositifoliae

(Dicotyledoneae) Caryophyllales Aizoaceae Opophytum forsskalii

New Jordan plant checklist (2521 species), IUCN & RBG

Jordan plant Red list, IUCN & RBG

Utilization of PGR in Jordan

Utilization of plant genetic resources in Jordan

categorized by crop type.

Crop Percentage (%)

Wheat 15.70

Barley 15.70

Chickpea 1.65

Lentils 4.13

Bean 2.48

forage legumes 4.96

Trees 20.66

Vegetables 8.26

Medicinal and aromatic 9.92

Others 16.53

Exchanging PGR at NCARE genebank (1996-2012). Loan seeds

Year No. of accessions Crop type

1996 0

1997 27

1998 10

1999 13 FL, VEG, Wheat, Barley

2000 29 Wheat,VEG

2001 85 Wheat,VEG, Tree (Pyrus sp), FL

2002 96 VEG, WS

2003 16 WS

2004 26 Tree (Pistacia), VEG, MP

2005 77 MP, VEG, FL

2006 19 Wheat, Tree (Moringa), MP (Thymus sp., Mellissa sp)

2007 85 MP, VEG, Sh, Barley

2008 24 FL, VEG, MP, Tree, Barley

2009 74 MP, VEG, Wheat (wild),

2010 16 Oil seed (Sesamum), Ornamental (Orchis sp.)

2011 50 VEG, MP

2012 200 Barley, WS, VEG, MP, Tree

Total 847

FL: Forage legumes, MP: Medicinal plant, Sh: Shrub, VEG: Vegetables, WLP: Wild species.

legal constraints like:

• Lack of a specified PGR legislative for regulating access to genetic resources

and benefits sharing.

• Lack of systematic integration of the conservation, sustainable use

and benefits sharing concepts in the national policy formulation process.

• Lack of economic incentives and valuation of plant genetic resources for food

and agriculture.

• Weak linkages between research and policy making.

• Weak enforcement of laws and legislations.

Gaps and needs

- Need to improve national genebanks and the coverage of diversity in ex

situ collections, including CWR and farmer varieties, coupled with better

documentation, characterization, and evaluation of collections.

- Need for awareness about PGRFA including MLS and ABS.

- Need attention toward conservation and use of PGRFA of neglected and

underutilized crops and non food crops.

- Capacity building in management for PGR (seed technology, taxonomy,

cyto-genetics, breeding, ex situ, in situ and on-farm PGR management).

- Institutional collaboration is important for sustainable utilization of PGR,

there is still lack of a long-term coordination mechanism between

institutions working in PGR in general and PGRFA in particular. In addition

there is a lack of local community and farmer institutions that enable the

sustainable use of PGRFA.

End of presentation

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