Faced with widespread and devastating loss of biodiversity in wild habitats, scientists have developed innovative strategies for studying and protecting targeted plant and animal species in "off-site" facilities such as botanic gardens and zoos. Such ex situ work is an increasingly important component of conservation and restoration efforts. Ex Situ Plant Conservation, edited by Edward O. Guerrant Jr., Kayri Havens, and Mike Maunder, is the first book to address integrated plant conservation strategies and to examine the scientific, technical, and strategic bases of the ex situ approach. The book examines where and how ex situ investment can best support in situ conservation. Ex Situ Plant Conservation outlines the role, value, and limits of ex situ conservation as well as updating best management practices for the field, and is an invaluable resource for plant conservation practitioners at botanic gardens, zoos, and other conservation organizations; students and faculty in conservation biology and related fields; managers of protected areas and other public and private lands; and policymakers and members of the international community concerned with species conservation.

The main objective of these guidelines is to demonstrate the degree of difficulty involved in translocations and to minimise inappropriate occurrence; highlight the expensiveness of the process; to help in correct decision-making; provide guidance for successful outcomes; to encourage better communication with interested parties.

This collection starts by reviewing key issues such as valuing, identifying and monitoring plant genetic diversity. The book goes on to assess advances in in-situ and on-farm strategies for protecting crop wild relatives and landraces. Chapters cover topics such as local strategies for preserving crop genetic resources, in-situ management of wild plant populations, monitoring genetic diversity and collecting wild varieties. The book also discusses community-based conservation strategies, participatory plant breeding programmes and seed systems to ensure farmer access to improved varieties. Part 4 reviews key challenges facing ex-situ collections such as genebanks, including improved storage and conservation techniques. Parts 5 and 6 assesses improvements in characterising and evaluating plant genetic resources such as DNA-based screening and phenotyping, as well as ways of improving the quality and exchange of information and germplasm for use in breeding improved varieties.

Preservation of plant germplasm resources is vitally important for mankind to supply food and product security in the globalization and technological advances of the 21st century. Mankind preserved a wealth of available genetic resources of many plant species worldwide. One of the such worldwide plant germplasm resources is available for cotton, a unique natural fiber producing cash crop for mankind. Worldwide cotton germplasm collections exist in Australia, Brazil, China, India, France, Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, United States of America, and Uzbekistan. The objective of World Cotton Germplasm Resources book is to present readers with updated information on existing cotton germplasm resources, highlighting detailed inventory, description, storage conditions, characterization and utilization as well as challenges and perspectives. This book should be a comprehensive encyclopedic reading source for plant research community and students to gather important information on worldwide cotton germplasm resources.

This anchor volume to the series Managing Global Genetic Resources examines the structure that underlies efforts to preserve genetic material, including the worldwide network of genetic collections; the role of biotechnology; and a host of issues that surround management and use. Among the topics explored are in situ versus ex situ conservation, management of very large collections of genetic material, problems of quarantine, the controversy over ownership or copyright of genetic material, and more.