Assessment of Biodiversity and Strategies for Conservation of Genetic Resources in Mulberry (Morus spp.)

摘要

Mulberry (Morus spp.), an important tree cultivated in most Asian countries, is a vital component of the sericulture industry as the silk-producing insect Bombyx mori L. feeds only on its leaves. Mulberry is believed to have originated in the northernhemisphere and spread to the tropics of southern hemisphere. More than 150 species of mulberry have been reported, though their identities are still a matter of great debate. Since most of the cultivating varieties were developed from M. alba, other species were mostly neglected; as a result the gene pool of the cultivated mulberry has drastically reduced. As it is essential to protect all whole genetic resources comprising both cultivated and wild relatives, efforts have recently been initiated to assess the biodiversity of this crop in different countries, especially in south Asian countries. In this review, the genetic resources of mulberry available in different countries and the measures being taken for its conservation are discussed. Biodiversity analyses with both morphological and modern biotechnological methods along with the conservation strategies such as in-situ, ex-situ, field gene bank, on-farm participatory and cryopreservation are reviewed and discussed.