Bal Krishna Joshi¹*, Puspa Raj Poudel², Deepa Singh Shrestha¹, Umesh Kumar Acharya³, Tek Prasad
Gotame⁴, Ram Prasad Mainali¹ and Ram Chandra Poudel^5
1National Genebank, NARC, Khumaltar, Kathmandu, ²IAAS, Paklihawa Campus, Rupandehi
³National Citrus Research Program, NARC, Paripatle, Dhankuta
⁴NARC, Kathmandu ⁵NAST, Kathmandu
*Corresponding author’s email: joshibalak@yahoo.com
*ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7848-5824

Abstract

Horticultural biodiversity includes fruits, vegetables, spices and condiments, ornamental, medicinal and herbal,
pesticidal, green manuring and beverages and narcotics plants. These species are either domesticated, semi-
domesticated, wild relatives, or wild economical species. Among the total 320,000 plant species in the world,
70,000 are under cultivation. The species richness of vegetables, fruits and ornamental plants are 1097, 2000 and
30,000 respectively. In Nepal, a total 1012 species are reported as horticultural plants. In farming areas, the majority
of the varieties are exotic and uniform. Many different horticultural practices and climate changes have eroded
native and local horticultural genetic resources (HGRs). About 50% of the genetic diversity of horticultural
biodiversity had been lost from Nepal. HGRs are being conserved through more than 70 good practices and
approaches which fall under four strategies, ex-situ, on-farm, in-situ and breeding. Some of them are seed banks,
tissue banks, DNA banks, field genebank, school field genebank, potato parks, community genebank and agro gene
sanctuaries, etc. Genesys database has 301123 accessions of vegetables and 51291 accessions of fruits. Ten
international genebanks have conserved 99552 accessions of vegetables and 7276 accessions of fruit species. The
strategy of conserving genetic diversity in building and growing static varieties in the fields is not climate-smart
technology. Advanced technologies, e.g. DNA markers, sequencing, anti-sense RNA technology, gene editing and
genetic engineering have also been extensively used on HGRs. Major policy frameworks for HGRs are CBD,
Cartagena Protocol, Nagoya Protocol, ITPGRFA, WIPO and UPOV. The multilateral system of ITPGRFA has
135110 accessions of vegetables and 27426 accessions of fruit species. Policy for favoring a broad genetic base in
the field should be promoted along with focusing on developing site-specific varieties and treating landraces as
private good. Agroecosystem-based HGRs should be genetically enhanced and promoted for food, nutrition,
business, health and the environment.