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Title: Ensuring the genetic diversity of maize and its wild relatives

Author
item SMITH, J. STEPHEN - Iowa State University
item Gardner, Candice
item COSTITCH, DENISE - International Maize & Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/25/2017
Publication Date: 6/9/2017
Citation: Smith, J., Gardner, C.A., Costitch, D.E. 2017. Ensuring the genetic diversity of maize and its wild relatives. In: Watson, D., editor. Achieving Sustainable Cultivation of Maize. Volume 1: From Improved Varieties to Local Applications. Cambridge, England: Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited. p. 3-50.

Interpretive Summary: Maize is the number one crop in terms of production and farm gate value. It is a food staple for hundreds of millions of people in the developing world, feed for billions of livestock, and raw material for industrial and biofuels use. As such, it is fundamental to global food and economic security, and of immense historical and current cultural value. This book chapter reflects the historical development and current status of maize genetic diversity, trends in global production, utilization of maize genetic resources, and the status of genebank collections of maize and its wild relatives. It discusses the role these genetic resources will play in providing genes and traits important for increasing food production while adapting to climate change. It discusses the importance of safeguarding these genetic resources, the challenges to access, and critical issues facing maize germplasm curators today and in the near future. Progress in achieving the sustained and increasingly beneficial use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture is essential to the well-being of humankind and the furtherance of civilization.

Technical Abstract: Maize is the number one crop in terms of production and farm gate value. It is a food staple for hundreds of millions of people in the developing world, feed for billions of livestock, and raw material for industrial and biofuels use. As such, it is fundamental to global food and economic security, and of immense historical and current cultural value. This book chapter reflects the historical development and current status of maize genetic diversity, trends in global production, utilization of maize genetic resources, and the status of genebank collections of maize and its wild relatives. It discusses the role these genetic resources will play in providing genes and traits important for increasing food production while adapting to climate change. It discusses the importance of safeguarding these genetic resources, the challenges to access, and critical issues facing maize germplasm curators today and in the near future. Progress in achieving the sustained and increasingly beneficial use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture is essential to the well-being of humankind and the furtherance of civilization.