Integrating Ex Situ and On-Farm Conservation Approaches in the Management of Local Vegetable Diversity in Austria

Traditional on-farm management of plant genetic resources (PGR) has almost disappeared in developed countries. PGR of local origin are limited to gene banks. In rare cases relicts of landraces have persisted on-farm. The Austrian NGO "Arche Noah" pursues both ex situ and on-farm conservation strategies. 360 accessions from the Arche Noah Gene Bank have been identified as PGR of particular relevance for Austria. Ex situ conservation strives to maintain a maximum of original genotypic diversity in these accessions. Long-term storage and technical minimum standards form a well established framework for regeneration in gene banks. A current project aims to establish gene bank accessions in gardens and on farms to allow for further adaptation and diversification. This project is based on a Seed Network of approximately 400 people, comprising both farmers and amateur gardeners. 151 gene bank accessions were selected for potential on-farm management based on a set of criteria (regionality, usability, status of conservation). The selection can be expanded by network participants on the basis of the selection criteria. By the end of 2007, 52 people were cooperating on the project, which currently encompasses 89 different vegetable varieties.