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FAO WHEAT EXPLORATION MISSION IN GREECE

Greece. Harvested wheat stack

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FAO WHEAT EXPLORATION MISSION IN GREECE

Exact date unknown. In July 1969, Erna Bennett, Genetic Conservation and Information
Specialist from the Crop Ecology and Genetic Resources Branch of the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), carried out a
mission in Greece searching for and collecting primitive wheat varieties
native to the mountains and valleys of that country. These primitive wheat
races are one of the world's richest storehouses of the genetic characteristics
that plant breeders require. They will build desirable characteristics from
crops as old as agricultural man, like building blocks, into new highyielding
varieties. But old races are being swamped by the spread of modern
varieties, and in certain areas - and in the case of certain crops -
emergency measures are necessary to collect these old races be~ore they
disappear completely. FAO and other leading international orop improvement
organizations are increasingly concerned with the conservation of primitive
crop races, in whose amazing diversity hides the promise of better crops
to come. Miss Bennett collects wheat samples from the growing crop. Sampling is done by randomly selecting 200 to 500 spikes from the growing crop or from gathered stacks. Details concerning the samples are hoted in field books. The Vardhousia Ori mountains can be seen in the background.


01/01/1969

File size 577.11 KB

Unique ID UF12NLP

FAO. Editorial use only. Photo credit must be given.