Ch. 8 — The Application of Genetics to Plants • 155 
quence, cliffiiiilties arose during the V ietnam 
War when the new antimalarial drugs became 
less ett'ectix e on resistant sti ains of the j)arasite 
I and natural quinines were oitce again used. 
i 
I An inq)ortant ilistinction exists between pre- 
I ser\ ing genetic rt'sources in situ and presets ing 
germplasm stored in repositories. Although 
I genetic loss can occui' at each location, evolu- 
tion will continue only in natural ecosystems. 
I W ith better stoi’age tet'hni(iues. seed loss and 
genetic drift" can he kef)t to a minimum. .Nev er- 
theless, s})ecies extinction in situ will continue. 
The iXational Germplasm System 
I'SDA has been responsible for collecting and 
cataloging seed (mostly from agriculturally im- 
portant plants) since 1898. Vet it is important to 
realize that other Federal agencies also have 
responsibilities for gene resource management. 
(See table 27.) Over the past century, over 
440, 000 plant introductions from more than 150 
expeditions to centers of crop diversity have 
been cataloged. 
The expeditions were needed because the 
United States is gene poor. The economically im- 
Table 27.— Gene Resource Responsibilities of Federal Agencies 
Type of ecosystems 
under Federal 
Agency ownership/control 
i U.S. Department of Agriculture 
Animal & Plant Health Inspection 
Service — 
Forest Service Forestlands and 
rangelands (U.S. 
National Forest) 
Science & Education Administration .— 
! Soil Conservation Service — 
Department of Commerce 
National Oceanic & Atmospheric 
Administration Oceans — between 3 
I and 200 miles off 
the U.S. coasts 
Department of Energy — 
Department of Health & Human Services 
National Institutes of Health — 
Responsibilities 
Controls insect and disease problems of commercially 
valuable animals and plants. 
Manages forestland and rangeland living resources for 
production. 
Develops animal breeds, crop varieties, and microbial strains. 
Manages a system for conserving crop gene resources. 
Develops plant varieties suitable for reducing soil erosion and 
other problems. 
Manages marine fisheries. 
Develops new energy sources from biomass. 
Utilizes animals, plants, and micro-organisms in medical 
research. 
Department of the Interior 
Bureau of Land Management Forestlands, 
rangelands, and 
deserts 
Fish & Wildlife Service Broad range of 
habitats, including 
oceans up to 3 miles 
off U.S. coasts 
National Park Service Forestlands, 
rangelands, and 
deserts (U.S. 
National Parks) 
Department of State — 
(Agency for International Development . . — 
Environmental Protection Agency — 
National Science Foundation — 
SOURCE: David Kapton, National Association for Gene Resource Conservation. 
Manages forest, range, and desert living resources for 
production. 
Manages game animals, including fish, birds, and mammals. 
Conserves forestland, rangeland, and desert-living resources. 
Concerned with international relations regarding gene 
resources. 
Assists in the development of industries in other countries 
including their agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. 
Regulates and monitors pollution. 
Provides funding for genetic stock collections and for research 
related to gene resource conservation. 
