Principles of Plant Breeding

Gene Sanctuaries

• The genetic diversity is sometimes conserved under natural habitat. In other words, areas of great genetic diversity are protected from human interference. These protected areas in natural habitat are referred to as gene sanctuaries. Gene sanctuary is generally established in the centre of diversity or microcentre. Gene sanctuary is Also Known As Natural Park or biosphere reserve. India has setup its first gene sanctuary in the Garo Hills of Assam for wild relatives of citrus. Efforts are also being made to setup gene sanctuaries for banana, sugarcane, rice and Mango. In Ethiopia gene sanctuary for conservation of wild relatives of coffee was setup in 1984.

Gene sanctuaries have two main advantages.
1) It protects the loss of genetic diversity caused by human intervention.
2) It allows natural selection and evolution to operate.

Drawbacks
1) Entire variability of a crop species can not be conserved.
2) Its maintenance and establishment is a difficult task. It is a very good method of in situ conservation.

Exploration and collection: Exploration refers collection trips and collectto genetic diversity from various sources and assembling the same at one place.