Lathyrus diversity: available resources with relevance to crop improvement – progress reviews and relationship with AEGIS (EUGrainLeg)

Abstract

The ECPGR (European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources) Grain legumes working group cover a range of species, which have enormous benefits for environment, food security and as well as the breeding material. However, despite its huge potential lots of species, including Lathyrus sp., are not well represented in European collection and enough exploited for different purposes. As starting point of EUGrainLeg project the activities act in two directions: i) AEGIS progress and improved data on European grain legumes plant genetic resources, and ii) improvement of group strategy work – in view of subgroup establishment based on species interest, in order to facilitate experience and knowledge exchange. The task of establishing the European grain legume collection needs updates and improvements, taking in account the large number of species managed inside the group. The significant diversity of Lathyrus sp. exist, but there are difficulties/gaps in order to identify accessions as AEGIS accessions, recording to registered data.