Agricultural crop issues and policies

Genetic diversity is one of agriculture's first lines of defense against loss to biologic and environmental stresses. Yet, the world's genetic resources are continually threatened by these stresses and by human activities.

This anchor volume to the series Managing Global Genetic Resources examines the structure that underlies efforts to preserve genetic material, including the worldwide network of genetic collections, the role of biotechnology, and a host of scientific, institutional, legal, economic, and political issues that surround management and use.

Among the topics explored are in situ and ex situ conservation, management of very large collections of genetic material, problems of quarantine, the controversy over ownership or copyright of genetic material, the divergent interests of developing and developed countries, and more.