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Crop wild relative
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A crop wild relative (CWR) is the wild variety of a domesticated food crop.
wild relatives of crop plants or crop wild relatives, which include the progenitors of crops as well as other species more or less closely related to them, constitute an increasingly important resource for improving agricultural production and for maintaining sustainable agro-ecosystems. With the advent of climate change and greater ecosystem instability CWR are likely to prove a critical resource in ensuring food security for the new millennium.
It was Nikolai Vavilov, a Russian Botanist who first realized the importance of crop wild relatives in the early 20th century.
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A crop wild relative (CWR) is the wild variety of a domesticated food crop.
Overview
The wild relatives of crop plants or crop wild relatives, which include the progenitors of crops as well as other species more or less closely related to them, constitute an increasingly important resource for improving agricultural production and for maintaining sustainable agro-ecosystems. With the advent of climate change and greater ecosystem instability CWR are likely to prove a critical resource in ensuring food security for the new millennium.
It was Nikolai Vavilov, a Russian Botanist who first realized the importance of crop wild relatives in the early 20th century. Genetic material from CWR has been utilized by humans for thousands of years to improve the quality and yield of crops. Farmers have used traditional breeding methods for millennia and in Mexico, for example, wild maize (Zea mexicana) is routinely grown alongside maize to promote natural crossing and improve yields. More recently, plant breeders have utilised CWR genes to improve a wide range of crops like rice (Oryza sativa), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and grain legumes.
CWR have contributed many useful genes to crop plants, and modern varieties of most major crops now contain genes from their wild relatives.
Therefore CWR are wild plants related to socio-economically important species including food, fodder and forage crops, medicinal plants, condiments, ornamental, and forestry species, as well as plants used for industrial purposes, such as oils and fibres, and to which they can contribute beneficial traits.
CWR can be defined as "A crop wild relative is a wild plant taxon that has an indirect use derived from its relatively close genetic relationship to a crop…”
Conservation of crop wild relatives
CWR are essential components of natural and agricultural ecosystems and hence are indispensable for maintaining ecosystem health. Their conservation and sustainable use is very important for improving agricultural production, increasing food security, and maintaining a healthy environment.
The natural populations of many CWR are increasingly at risk. They are threatened by habitat loss through the destruction and degradation of natural environment or their conversion to other uses. Deforestation is leading to the loss of many populations of important wild relatives of fruit, nut, and industrial crops. Populations of wild relatives of cereal crops that occur in arid or semi-arid lands are being severely reduced by over grazing and resulting desertification. The growing industrialization of agriculture is drastically reducing the occurrence of CWR within the traditional agro-ecosystems. The wise conservation and use of CWR are essential elements for increasing food security, eliminating poverty, and maintaining the environment.
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