Conservation of wild relatives of cultivated plants refers to complementary strategies termed in situ and ex situ.
The implementation of in si tu conservation programmes for these species requires a range of technical and administrative interventions that can be grouped under four main points:
Collection and interpretation of data on the biology and the ecological requirements of the species coneemed.
Definition of the purpose of the conservation action, chosing between the following different methods:
I) maintain the species in the long run and abandon, if neccessary, the populations which are the most marginai and the most complex or the most expensive to preserve;
2) maintain particular populations that are representative of the genetic variability and, notably, tlìose that are representative of very typical, indeed even extreme situations; or
3) maintain a specific loeal population for local human uses.
• Implementation of measures for the protection and management of the habitat of the above mentioned species.
Evaluation of the cost of conservation.
To implement such effective programmes of in situ conservation, it is necessary to bring together partners (scientists, breeders area managers) who are not accustomed to working together. The existence or intermediate structurcs capablc to discuss with ali these partners Illay certainly help to initiate such projects and bring them to success.
In France, the National Botanical Conservatories (Conservatoircs botaniques nationaux) are structures created by the Ministry of the Environment to undertake this interface function. The strategies and methods used by these Conservatories are set out.