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Chickpeas, faba beans and lentils are important pulse crops in the Mediterranean regi on and Mi ddl e East, where thei r hi gh protei n seed nutritionally complement cereal grain in the human diet. The by-products of these crops serve as a valuable feed for animals. Thanks to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, the inclusion of these crops in the cropping system helps in the maintenance of the productivity of the soil and reduces the dependence of the farmer on fertilizer nitrogen to realise good yields. Being the site of original domestication of these legumes, the Fertile Crescent is bel ieved to possess their vast genetic diversity. In order to prevent the erosion of this genetic di'/ersity and to preserve it for posterity, it is necessary that a major effort is made for its expeditious collection, evaluation, documentation and safe storage. The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) being located in the Fertile Crescent has, within its mandate, the responsibility to act as a world centre for the work on the genetic resources of kabuli chickpeas, faba beans and lentils. The International Board of Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) has been strongly supporting ICARDA in this important activity.
List of contents
Collection and Maintenance of Food Legume Genetic Resources.- 1. Collection and initial processing of food legume germplasm.- 2. Seed storage, viability and rejuvenation.- 3. Seed drying and the design and costs of cold storage facilities.- 4. Documentation of germplasm collections by computer.- 5. Collection, isolation and maintenance of food legume Rhizobia.- 6. Quarantine and seed health of food legumes.- Utilization of Food Legume Genetic Resources.- 7. Utilization of wild relatives and primitive forms of food legumes.- 8. Genetic resources in a national food legume program.- Chickpea.- 9. Taxonomy, distribution and evolution of the chickpea and its wild relatives.- 10. Collection and evaluation of chickpea genetic resources.- 11. Exploitation of chickpea genetic resources.- Faba Bean.- 12. Taxonomy, distribution and evolution of the faba bean and its wild relatives.- 13. Genetic resources of faba beans.- 14. Strategies for exploiting the faba bean gene pool.- 15. Evaluation and utilization of faba bean germplasm in an international breeding program.- Lentil.- 16. Taxonomy, distribution and evolution of the lentil and its wild relatives.- 17. Genetic resources of lentils.- 18. Evaluation and utilization of lentil germplasm in an international breeding program.
