Collecting Vegetable Genetic Resources in India: Guidelines and Methods

Abstract

Collecting vegetable genetic resources (VGRs) is a cumbersome process hence requires specialised methods and knowledge on this group of crops. Successful collection of VGRs needs strategic approach in order to collect quality germplasm. To achieve the target, information on mode of propagation, plant part to be conserved and post-harvest processing of germplasm are pre-requisite to reduce mortality during transit. The international or national guidelines are available in public domain that do not much focus on collecting VGRs in general and crops of Indian origin in particular. Absence of which collecting bulky and perishable material is diffi cult for the explorers. It is therefore an attempt to put together the knowledge resources to guide the amateur collectors, PGR workers, and researchers. This manuscript provides maturity indices of major vegetable crops and specifi cations for some selected taxa having vegetative mode of propagation and future researchable aspects. Besides, methods of preparation of herbarium specimens of VGRs and their photographs are provided to support wild relatives and less-known vegetable taxa.