MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR CONSERVATION OF FYNBOS IN THE ARC GENEBANK

The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has since 1970 been involved in the commercialization of South African Proteaceae through a breeding and research program, with the emphasis on Protea, Leucospermum and Leucadendron. An integral part of this program is the Fynbos Genebank, especially for use in the breeding program.
The uniqueness of the ARC Fynbos Genebank lies in its aim to conserve the genetic diversity of fynbos plants with floriculture potential and is, therefore, considered a national asset.
The fynbos is a unique ecosystem found only within the world’s smallest floral kingdom, the Flora Capensis.
At present the Fynbos Genebank is hosted in plantations at ‘Elsenburg’, an experimental farm of Department of Agriculture Western Cape and at ‘Nietvoorbij’, an experimental farm of the ARC. Elsenburg also hosts a potted plant back-up system under nursery conditions to reduce the risk of losing valuable accessions.
The advantages and disadvantages in the management of the plantation collection versus a potted collection are being discussed.
The two collections co-exist to form the management strategy of conserving the Fynbos Genebank.

IX International Protea Research Symposium

T. Matlhako, G.C. van den Berg, L. Blomerus

field genebank, Leucadendron, Leucospermum, potted plants, Protea, Proteaceae

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.869.14