Genetic Resources

• Published in: Biology of Hevea Rubber pp. 83 - 105
• Main Author: Priyadarshan, P. M
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Springer International Publishing AG 2017; Springer International Publishing
• Subjects: Botany & plant sciences; Chloroplast Genome; Cytoplasmic Male Sterility; Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques; Materials science; Quantitative Trait Locus; Rubber Tree; Wild Accession
• ISBN: 9783319545042; 3319545043
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-54506-6_6

Genetic diversity plays a crucial role in the stability of our ecological system. Every species fulfils a role in the earth’s biosphere and assures ecological survival. By this, biodiversity keeps the soil fertile, recycles all nutrients and cleans the air and water. The richer the genetic baggage, the higher shall be the capacity to fight different fungi, virus or bacteria. It is the diversity of genetic baggage that makes natural extinction so rare. Basically, biodiversity provides everything humans need to survive, like food, fresh air, clean water, clothing, medicine, wood and various raw materials for industrial uses. A rich ecological environment is indeed very complex and is impossible for humans to recreate. Genetic erosion is the loss of genetic diversity—often magnified or accelerated by human activities. Quite often, cultivation of a limited number of high-yielding genotypes can also lead to genetic erosion. Much of the diversity of the centre of origin of Hevea (Amazon basin, Brazil) is being lost due to extensive deforestation (see Chap. 10.1007/978-3-319-54506-6_2).