A paradigm shift in the discipline of plant genetic resources

Since the beginning of the 90s, a paradigm shift has become evident in the case of plant genetic resources. This is the result of basic changes such as 1. the maintenance of material ( in situ instead of ex situ), 2. the inclusion of neglected or underutilized cultivated plants, 3. the methods of analyzing genetic diversity between different cultivated plant taxa, 4. the methods of analyzing genetic diversity among different cultivated plant taxa, 5. their evaluation and 6. their reproduction. These developments are of major and wide-reaching importance for the problem of biodiversity. In order to prepare gene banks for future responsibilities, the concept of "integrated gene banks'' will be introduced here. In order to set a broader framework for securing plant genetic resources, a new discipline, agrobiodiversity, will be delineated.