Plant genetic resources of Ethiopia / edited by J.M.M. Engels, J.G. Hawkes, Melaku Worede.

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

An Ethiopian perspective on conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources / Melaku Worede (18 p.). -- Ethiopian gene centre and its genetic diversity / J.M.M Engels (19 p.). -- Crops with wild relatives found in Ethiopia / Sue B Edwards (33 p.). -- Diversity of the Ethiopian flora / Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher (7 p.). -- Forest genetic resources of Ethiopia / J. de Vletter (19 p.). -- Plants as a primary source of drugs in the traditional health practices of Ethiopia / Dawit Abebe (13 p.). -- Traditional aromatic and perfume plants in central Ethiopia (a botanical and ethno-historical survey) / E Goettsch (9 p.). -- Spice germplasm in Ethiopia / E Goettsch (8 p.). -- Diversity study in Ethiopian barley / J.M.M Engels (9 p.).

Sorghum history in relation to Ethiopia / H Doggett (20 p.). -- Prehistoric Ethiopia and India : contacts through sorghum and millet genetic resources / K.L Mehra (9 p.). -- Konso agriculture and its plant genetic resources / J.M.M Engels (18 p.). -- Theory and practice of collecting germplasm in a centre of diversity / J.G Hawkes (13 p.). -- A decade of germplasm exploration and collecting activities by the Plant Genetic Resources Centre/Ethiopia / Abebe Demissie (16 p.). -- Collection of Ethiopian forage germplasm at the International Livestock Centre for Africa / Jean Hanson (8 p.). -- Germplasm conservation at PGRC/E / Regassa Feyissa (9 p.). -- Documentation at PGRC/E / Enyat Sendek (10 p.).

Germplasm evaluation with special reference to the role of taxonomy in genebanks / J.G Hawkes (11 p.). -- Crop germplasm multiplication, characterization, evaluation and utilization at PGRC/E / Hailu Mekbib (10 p.). -- Evaluation methods and utilization of germplasm of annual crop species / J.B Smithson (10 p.). -- Evaluation and utilization of Ethiopian forage species / John R Lazier (10 p.). -- Improvement of indigenous durum wheat landraces in Ethiopia / Tesfaye Tesema (8 p.). -- Use of germplasm resources in breeding wheat for disease resistance / Hailu Gebre-Mariam (7 p.). -- Indigenous barley germplasm in the Ethiopian breeding programme / Hailu Gebre (12 p.). -- The role of Ethiopian sorghum germplasm resources in the national breeding programme / Yilma Kebede (8 p.). -- Germplasm evaluation and breeding work on teff (Eragrostis tef) in Ethiopia / Seyfu Ketema (6 p.). -- Pulse crops of Ethiopia : genetic resources and their utilization / Hailu Mekbib (15 p.). -- Oil crop germplasm : a vital resource for the plant breeder / Hiruy Belayneh (10 p.). -- Significance of Ethiopian coffee genetic resources to coffee improvement / Mesfin Ameha (6 p.). -- Use of Ethiopian germplasm in national and international programmes / J.G Hawkes (9 p.).

One of the world centres of crop evolution and origin, Ethiopia has long been recognized as an important area of diversity for several major and various minor crops. Based on an international conference held in Addis Ababa, this book describes how this genetic diversity is of vital importance in breeding varieties of crops with desirable characteristics such as increased resistance to pests and diseases and greater adaptation to heat and drought. The three main sections in the book consider the Ethiopian centre of diversity, germplasm collection and conservation in Ethiopia and the evaluation and utilization of Ethiopian genetic resources. A broad range of food and feed crops and plants of medicinal and industrial importance are discussed, both at a national and international level. A brief account of those conservation strategies and genebank problems unique to Ethiopia is also given. The importance of Ethiopia's plant genetic resources to world agriculture has been demonstrated on more than one occasion.