Evening star., 1947-09-03
Stars, Men and Atoms
World Gene Reservoirs
Proposed by U. N. Unit
Agriculture Experts Hope to Save
Primitive Plants From Extinction
By Thomas X. Henry

Establishment all over the world Of great
gene reservoirs" is major project In the
proposed program of the United Nations Ed
ucational, Scientific and Cultural organiza-
tion
In these regions it is planned to preserve
from extinction the primitive plants and ami
mails which are the ancestors of the improved
stocks which provide mans food supply. Most
OF the latter are the products of thousands Of
generations of close inbreeding. Their produc-
tivty has been increased but often their virility
and resistance to disease have fallen to a low
level
From the gene reservoirs it will be pos
sible to introduce new blood and start new
strains with qualities which have been lost in
the domestic species. For many years. for
example. the United States Department of
Agriculture has had plant explorers ali over
the world seeking wild varieties of wheat corn.
used in breeding experiments at the research
stations.
Origins Often Unknown
Often it is very difficult to find anything
even reasonably close to the original wild
stock The origin of corn, for example, still
is mystery. 1t Is known only that it was
derived from some variety of grass, probably
in some part of Central America, long before
the first voyage of Columbus, and already was
highly developed when the first white men
came to the New World. The same is true with
wheat for which extensive searches have been
made in Central Asia.
The wild varieties probably have become
extinct before the advance of man. Some of
them could not stand competition with even
the most primitive agriculture. Others, how
ever, still survive in their full vigor, but may
be doomed in the next few generations.
Only the geneticist realizes the value of wild
stocks AS cultivated crops they are usually.
per Sc, useless. But wild potato variety with
tubers no larger than walnuts may carry in Its
genetic constitution resistance to some epidemic
which threatens to ruin the crop of the world.
Millions of dollars recently was saved for the
American tomato growers by discovery Of
disease resistant wild variety in Peru whose
fruit was no larger than a gooseberry and
entirely inedible.
With Domestic Animals.
Much the same Is true with domestic animals
They have lost some Of the most essential
genes units Of the transmission of hereditary
qualities which may still persist In their wild
ancestors. Every race, including man. probably
needs TRANSMISSION of wild blood now and then.
Proposals for the gene reservoirs have been
approved unanimously by the American Unesco
commission and they are almost certain to meet
favor with the commissions of all the United
Nations members. The project would not neces-
sarily involve keeping large areas in q wild
state. 1t would require scientific studies and
close vigilance to see that desirable stocks
were not subjected to such competition as to
put them in danger of extinction.
During the past two or three generations
with the increased accessibility of most parts
of the world, the extinction rate has notably
increased. Some of the most valuable genes
developed by nature through the process OF
evolution may have been reduced to the point
where they never can be recovered