In 1979, FAO's Forestry Department initiated a project on the conservation and better utilization of genetic resources of arboreal species for the improvement of rural living. Based on a list of species drawn up by the FAO Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources, and in accordance with the wishes expressed by the future cooperators, priority has been initially given to a few selected species mainly in the genera Acacia and Prosopis (see Forest Genetic Resources Information No. 10, pp.31–33; and p.32 of this issue).
As the species included in the project have not in the past received much attention, little information and experience are available on fundamentally important aspects such as taxonomy and seed collection, handling, storage and treatment. Where such information exists, it is often scattered and difficult to obtain. Yet, the species present a number of serious problems in these specific fields: their taxonomy is often confused and a number of inter-breeding species complexes are thought to exist, making proper identification difficult and predictability of perfomance in subsequent generations impossible; seed collection and handling are difficult because of the scattered, often remote stands in which the trees occur, irregularity of good seed years, difficulty of extraction and uncertainties on safe but efficient methods of breaking the seed dormancy. Last, but not least, there are the problems caused by insects in all stages of development and storage of the seeds.
In order to remedy at least in part these identified information gaps, it was decided to prepare a series of handbooks within the framework of the project, aimed mainly at professional staff involved in actual field operations. The handbooks have been published in English, French and Spanish, and are listed bellow:
Taxonomy of Acacia Species (Based on the work of J.P.M. Brenan, UK). 47 pp.
Taxonomy of Prosopis in Mexico, Peru and Chile (Based on the work of P.F. Ffolliott and J.L. Thames, Tucson/Arizona USA). 31 pp.
Seeds of Dry Zone Acacias (Based on the work of J.C. Doran, J.W. Turnbull, D.J. Boland and B.V. Gunn, CSIRO/Australia). 92 pp.
Collection, Handling, Storage and Pre-treatment of Prosopis seeds in Latin America (Based on the work of P.F. Ffolliott and J.L. Thames, Tucson/Arizona USA) 45 pp.
Seed Insects of Acacia species (Based on the work of B.J. Southgate, UK). 30 pp.
Seed Insects of Prosopis species (Based on the work of C.D. Johnson, Flagstaff/Arizona USA). 55 pp.
Copies of the above books are available from FAO's Forestry Department (Forest Resources Division, Forest Resources Management Branch), Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.
