Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T23:02:44.607Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Genetic Vulnerability of Oceania's Traditional Crops

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

Vincent Lebot
Vincent Lebot
Affiliation:
Department of Horticulture, University of Hawaii, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The traditional crops of Oceania are asexually propagated and are losing their positions in cropping systems because of their genetic vulnerability. This paper reviews genetic reasons explaining the deterioration of their agronomic performance, using information mostly derived from surveys of genetic resources conducted in more than 50 Pacific islands, coupled with genetic investigations. More than 2000 cultivars have been analysed for isozyme variation. Cultivars and wild forms showed greater isozymic variation in Melanesia than in Polynesia and Micronesia but the genetic base for many of these crops was much narrower than morphological and chemical variation had suggested. No correlations were found between zymotypes, chemotypes, and morphotypes. Cultivars exhibited variation in qualitative traits as a result of human selection of somatic mutations. Accumulation of viral particles in propagules and build-up of pest and pathogen populations are often responsible for poor agronomic performance. If breeding of these traditional crops is to have any future, it is important to exchange genotypes to broaden the base of existing programmes.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 28 , Issue 3 , July 1992 , pp. 309 - 323
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barrau, J. (1965). Histoire et prehistoire horticoles de l'Océanie tropicale. Journal de la Societé des Océanistes 21: 55–78.Google Scholar
Brown, J. F. (ed.) (1989). Kava and Kava Diseases in the South Pacific. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Working paper no. 24.Google Scholar
Coates, D. J., Yen, D. E. & Gaffey, P. M. (1988). Chromosome variation in Taro, Colocasia esculenta: Implications for origin in the Pacific. Cytologia 53: 551–560.Google Scholar
Coursey, D. G. (1979). Yams. In Evolution of Crop Plants, 70–74 (ed. by Simmonds, N. W.) London: Longman.Google Scholar
Gagné, W. C. (1982). Staple crops in subsistence agriculture. Their major insect pests, with emphasis on biogeographical and ecological aspects. In Monographiae Biologicae, Vol. 42, 229–257 (ed. by Gressitt, J. L.). The Hague: Dr W. Junk publishers.Google Scholar
Guarino, L. & Jackson, G. V. H. (1986). Describing and Documenting Root Crops in the South Pacific. RAS/83/001 Field Document no. 12. Suva, Fiji: UNDP/FAO.Google Scholar
Ivancic, A., Liloqula, R. & Saclea, J. (1989). Taro breeding in the Solomon Islands. Paper presented at the first IRETA/USP workshop on ‘Development of improved cultivars for the south Pacific region’, Alafua Campus, 26–30 March 1989.Google Scholar
Jackson, G. V. H. (1978). Alomae and Bobone Diseases of Taro. South Pacific Commission Advisory Leaflet 8, Noumea, New Caledonia.Google Scholar
Jackson, G. V. H. & Pelomo, P. M. (1980). Breeding for resistance to diseases of taro, Colocasia esculenta in Solomon Islands. International Symposium on Taro and Cocoyam. Visayas State College of Agriculture, Baybay, Leyte. International Foundation for Science.Google Scholar
Jackson, G. V. H. & Breen, J. (1985). Collecting, Describing and Evaluating Root Crops. RAS/83/001 Field Document no. 8. Suva, Fiji: UNDP/FAO.Google Scholar
Lebot, V. (1986). Evaluation of local and introduced cultivars of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) in Vanuatu. Alafua Agricultural Bulletin 11 (3): 25–31.Google Scholar
Lebot, V. (1988). Les performances de la pomme de terre à Vanuatu. L'Agronomie Tropicale, 43(1): 37–46.Google Scholar
Lebot, V. (1990). Survey of the genetic resources of Piper methysticum Forst. f. in Oceania. FAO/IBPGR Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter, 30–32.Google Scholar
Lebot, V. & Aradhya, K. M. (1991). Isozyme variation in Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. (Schott.)) in Asia in Oceania. Euphytica: International journal of Plant Breeding. 56: 55–66.Google Scholar
Lebot, V., Aradhya, K. M. & Manshardt, R. M. (1991a). Geographical survey of genetic variation in kava (Piper methysticum Forst. f. and P. wichmannii C. DC.). Pacific Science 45: 169–187.Google Scholar
Lebot, V., Aradhya, K. M., Manshardt, R. M. & Meilleur, B. (1991b). Isozymes and classification of Pacific bananas and plantains. In preparation.Google Scholar
Lebot, V. & Lévesque, J. (1989). The origin and distribution of kava (Piper methysticum Forst. f. and Piper wichmannii C. DC., Piperaceae): A phytochemical approach. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Allertonia 5: 223–280.Google Scholar
Nunn, P. D. (1990). Recent environmental changes on Pacific islands. The Geographical Journal, The Royal Geographical Society 156: 125–140.Google Scholar
Patel, M. Z. & Liloqula, R. (1986). Progress on breeding disease resistant taro in Solomon Islands. UNDP/FAO/GTZ/IRETA Regional Crop Protection Workshop, Apia, Western Samoa, 8–12 September 1986.Google Scholar
Patel, M. Z., Salea, J. & Jackson, G. V. H. (1984). Breeding strategies for controlling diseases of taro in Solomon Islands. In Proceedings: Sixth Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops, 21–26 February 1983, 143–156. Lima, Peru: CIP.Google Scholar
Plucknett, D. L. (1976). Edible aroids: Alocasia, Colocasia, Cyrtosperma, Xanthosoma. In Evolution of Crop Plants, 10–12 (ed. by Simmonds, N. W.). London: Longman.Google Scholar
Ragone, D. (1991). Variability of breadfruit in the Pacific Islands. PhD Dissertation, Department of Horticulture, University of Hawaii, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Simmonds, N. W. (1956). A banana collecting expedition to south east Asia and the Pacific. Tropical Agriculture, Trinidad 33: 251–271.Google Scholar
Simmonds, N. W. (1976). Sugarcanes. In Evolution of Crop Plants, 104–108 (ed. by Simmonds, N. W.). London: Longman.Google Scholar
Simmonds, N. W. & Shepherd, K. (1955). The taxonomy and origins of the cultivated bananas. journal of the Linnean Society, London 55: 302–312.Google Scholar
Wood, B. (1988). Characterization of the world collection of sugarcanes and related grasses by isozyme analysis. Final Report, USDA/ARS, Subtropical Horticultural Research Station, Miami, Florida.Google Scholar