Presentation by Lawrence Aboagye, Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute, Bunso, Ghana Delivered at the B4FA Media Dialogue Workshop, Accra, Ghana - September 2012 www.b4fa.org

1. PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
CONSERVATION IN GHANA
PAPER PRESENTED BY
L. M. ABOAGYE
CSIR-PGRRI
BIOSCIENCE FOR FARMING IN AFRICA
JOURNALISTS TRAINING COURSE
19TH -22ND SEPTEMBER , 2012, ACCRA, GHANA.

2. Ghana has a national PGR managementGhana has a national PGR management
programmeprogramme
PGRRI of the CSIR is the organizationPGRRI of the CSIR is the organization
mandated for the Coordination of PGRmandated for the Coordination of PGR
activities.activities.
PGR MANAGEMENT IN GHANAPGR MANAGEMENT IN GHANA

3. CSIRCSIR--PGRRIPGRRI
PGRRI was establishedPGRRI was established
in 1964 as PIE division.in 1964 as PIE division.
Became a centre inBecame a centre in
1994 and an Institute in1994 and an Institute in
2005.2005.
A 5A 5--year strategic hasyear strategic has
been drawn (2009been drawn (2009--
2013).2013).

4. MANDATEMANDATE
CSIRCSIR--PGRRI has the mandate toPGRRI has the mandate to
collect, characterize, evaluate,collect, characterize, evaluate,
document, conserve, distribute anddocument, conserve, distribute and
utilize plant genetic (PGR) fromutilize plant genetic (PGR) from
Ghana and abroad.Ghana and abroad.

5. VISION & MISSIONVISION & MISSION
The vision of CSIRThe vision of CSIR--PGRRI is as follows: ToPGRRI is as follows: To
become a centre of excellence with improvedbecome a centre of excellence with improved
facilities for short, medium and long termfacilities for short, medium and long term
conservation and to encourage sustainableconservation and to encourage sustainable
utilization for wealth creation.utilization for wealth creation.
PGRRI has the mission to collect andPGRRI has the mission to collect and
conserve PGR of Ghana and those fromconserve PGR of Ghana and those from
abroad to prevent their extinction.abroad to prevent their extinction.

6. Genetic Resources of PlantsGenetic Resources of Plants
Plant genetic resources are those materialsPlant genetic resources are those materials
containing actual or potential valuecontaining actual or potential value
They are the basic raw materials for cropThey are the basic raw materials for crop
improvement today and for the futureimprovement today and for the future

7. Genetic Resources of PlantsGenetic Resources of Plants
Genetic resources of plants could be found in:Genetic resources of plants could be found in:
Wild and weedy relativesWild and weedy relatives
Land racesLand races
Bred varieties (Bred varieties (ObaatanpaObaatanpa,, AsontemAsontem,,
AbasafitaaAbasafitaa))

8. The Need to ConserveThe Need to Conserve
A lot of plant resources are being lost throughA lot of plant resources are being lost through
the activities of man and natural hazards:the activities of man and natural hazards:
These include:These include:
Farming activities( slash and burn)Farming activities( slash and burn)
Construction( Roads, townships and dams)Construction( Roads, townships and dams)
Bush firesBush fires
Introduction of new or improved varietiesIntroduction of new or improved varieties
((ObaatanpaObaatanpa,, AsontemAsontem,, AyiyiAyiyi))

9. CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION
ROADSROADS DAMDAM

10. BUSH FIRESBUSH FIRES

11. ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES -- MININGMINING

12. ACTIVITIES OF PGRRIACTIVITIES OF PGRRI
CollectCollect
CharacterizeCharacterize
EvaluateEvaluate
ConservationConservation
MaintenanceMaintenance
DocumentationDocumentation
Distribution &Distribution &
UtilizationUtilization

13. Collection ofCollection of germplasmgermplasm
Collecting TeamCollecting Team Collecting ofCollecting of GermplasmGermplasm

14. Collecting of pepperCollecting of pepper

15. VegetableVegetable germplasmgermplasm collectedcollected

16. GERMPLASM COLLECTINGGERMPLASM COLLECTING
•• To date a total of 10,000 accessions ofTo date a total of 10,000 accessions of
legumes, cereals, vegetables, root andlegumes, cereals, vegetables, root and
tuber crops, medicinal plants, timbertuber crops, medicinal plants, timber
species and wild species.species and wild species.

17. CHARACTERIZATION OFCHARACTERIZATION OF
PEPPERPEPPERTraits evaluated SDI
Stigma Position In Relation
To
Exerted or Same Level 0.124
Fruit Shape At Peduncle Obtuse, Cordate, Acute 0.333
Neck At Base Of Fruit Absent or Present 0.32
Fruit Shape At Blossom Pointed, Sunken, Blunt 0.371
Fruit Cross-Sectional Smooth, Corrugated, Slightly
corrugated, Intermediate, Very
corrugated
0.575
Fruit Persistence Persistence or Deciduous 0.028
Fruit Pungency High 0
Fruit Set High, Intermediate, Low 0.458

18. Trait Range Mean SD CV(%)
Fruit length 1.3-17 5.01 2.28 41.2
Days to 50% flowering 2-117 82.77 13.59 18.61
Days to 50% fruiting 66-143 95.38 12.98 13.6
Fruit width 4.8-28.2 13.31 5.49 41.24
Fruit wall thickness 0.1-3.24 1.07 0.41 38.31
Mean fruit weight 0.25-
18.3
2.46 1.86 75.6
Yield per plant 0.3-223 65.16 57.11 87.64
EVALUATIONEVALUATION

19. DISTRIBUTIONDISTRIBUTION
Pepper
0
100
200
300
400
Res. Inst. Univ. Farmers 2nd Cycle
No.ofaccessions

20. ININ--SITU CONSERVATIONSITU CONSERVATION
In the natural ecosystem, there are 280 forestIn the natural ecosystem, there are 280 forest
reserves and 15 protected areas.reserves and 15 protected areas.
These areas contain wild species, medicinal,These areas contain wild species, medicinal,
plants and wild relatives of cultivated crops.plants and wild relatives of cultivated crops.

21. EXEX--SITUSITU CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION
•• Conservation ofConservation of
orthodox seeds underorthodox seeds under
cold storage at PGRRI,cold storage at PGRRI,
CRI, OPRI, UG, etcCRI, OPRI, UG, etc

22. EXEX--SITUSITU CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION
R&T CROPSR&T CROPS
YAM CASSAVA
COCOYAM

23. EXEX--SITUSITU CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION
•• InIn--Vitro conservation atVitro conservation at
CSIRCSIR--PGRRI , CRI,PGRRI , CRI,
CRIG, UG & FORIG.CRIG, UG & FORIG.

24. No. of accessions of R & TNo. of accessions of R & T
crops in incrops in in--vitro genebankvitro genebank
Crop Total Number in
the Gene bank
Number of
accessions in-
vitro
Cassava 334 140
Yam 393 138
Cocoyam 75 72
Sweet Potato 21 21
Frafra Potato 26 26
Colocasia 80 3
TOTAL( * 2011) 939 400

25. COLLABORATION NATIONALCOLLABORATION NATIONAL
PGRRI
BNARI
CSIR-ARI UG
UCC
CSIR-SARICSIR-FORIG
CSIR-OPRI
KNUST
CRI
FBOs

27. YAM GENETIC RESOURCESYAM GENETIC RESOURCES
D. bulbifera
D. cayenensis
D. esculenta
D. rotundata
D. alata
D. dumetorum

28. LEGUME GENETIC RESOURCES
UNDER CONSERVATION IN GHANA

29. GENETIC RESOURCE OF SOME SPICES IN GHANA
Piper nigrum Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Afromomum
Xylopea ethiopicum
Monodora
Tetrapleura tetraptera

30. ECOECO--TOURISMTOURISM

31. PLANTING MATERIALSPLANTING MATERIALS
PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

32. THANK YOU