Towards a comprehensive documentation and use of Pistacia genetic diversity in Central and West Asia, North Africa and Europe: Report of the IPGRI Workshop, 14-17 December 1988, Irbid, Jordan

This publication presents scientific results of the work carried out by leading Pistacia experts from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Italy, Greece and Spain. The papers were presented at an international conference organized by IPGRI which was held in Irbid, Jordan, on 14-17 December 1998. The purpose of the Meeting was to assess the status of conservation and use of Pistacia genetic resources. Pistacia are key forest species able to withstand poor soil and severe drought conditions and thus are excellent species for recuperation of marginal and degraded land. Cultivated pistachio is a strategic horticultural crop for strengthening incomes in poor rural areas. The leit-motiv of all scientific contributions given at this Workshop was the recorded widespread genetic erosion observed in Pistacia across the whole CWANA and European countries: the abandon of local varieties due to the specialization of pistachio orchards on few commercial ones and the destruction of the natural habitats being the main causes for such reported loss of diversity. In addition to urgent calls for the better conservation of Pistacia, papers stressed the need for more taxonomic studies, greater attention on agro-morphological and molecular characterization of pistachio varieties and ecophysiological characterization of Pistacia growing areas aiming at the identification of best growing conditions for each variety within the region.