AUSTRALIA—GERMANY WORKSHOP ON BIODIVERSITY
The Shine Dome, 13-17 March 2006
Diversification and evolution of perennial Glycine (Leguminosae), Australian wild relatives of soybean
by Dr Anthony Brown, Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, CSIRO Plant Industry
Australia harbours a rich and unique flora, which includes indigenous species of the genera of major crops, such as Glycine (soybean) and Gossypium (cotton). Better management of native biodiversity depends on understanding patterns of diversity, adaptation and evolution of such genera. Our program has assembled a substantial resource (seed collection, genetic analysis, distributional data) for research to unravel the evolutionary history of Glycine. The research has greatly increased the number of recognised species and uncovered a large, diverse allopolyploidy complex. The current foci of our research range from polyploidy genome evolution and spatial distribution patterns to seed bank management.
