Conservation of Landraces and Indigenous Breeds: An Investment for the Future

Abstract

Landraces and indigenous breeds are either animal or plant species developed at a specific location through natural and artificial selection processes over a long period. Due to the changing environment and mixing up with other genotypes, they exhibit an evolving trend. Both landraces and indigenous breeds represent highly resilient gene pools preserving unique features suitable for the specific conditions of their locality, including climate, pests, infections, and traditional practices. Extensive use of pure lines and hybrids with high yield and better quality derived from a small germplasm pool resulted in the loss of potential traits, reducing genetic variability nowadays. To cope with climate change and satisfy the demands of the current scenario, researchers and breeders are continually exploring new sources of genetic diversity.