# 24. Electronic collection of agricultural crops, their wild-growing rel atives and pest organisms within the Former Soviet Union

S. L. Greene1, A. N. Afonin2, A. N. Frolov3, N. I. Dzyubenko4, M. M. Levitin3, I. Y. A. Grichanov3, N. N. Luneva3 & M. I. Saulich3

1 USDA, ARS National Temperate Forage Legume Germplasm Unit, Prosser, WA 99350, USA

2 Saint-Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg

3 All-Russian Institute of Plant Protection, St. Petersburg

4 All-Russian Institute of Plant Industry, St. Petersburg

Modern geographic information system (GIS) tools allow spatially explicit data on living beings to be assembled, digitized, georeferenced and placed into a framework that can be accessed by a wide audience. As a result of international cooperation, the first version of the interactive Agricultural Atlas of the former USSR territories is now nearing completion. It will consist of maps and associated metadata, biological descriptions, including photographs, and GIS exploratory software. The Atlas presents 562 maps reflecting the distribution of major and minor crops, the incidence of diseases, pests, and weeds, distribution of wild crop relatives, as well as agroecological maps of major climatic parameters that influence agricultural production. The maps are based on an extensive review of literature, as well as original analysis of plant germplasm and zoological collections and herbaria. A demonstration of some of the maps can be reviewed at http://www.agroatlas.spb.ru/. Parallel to the web-version, a CD ROM version is also being prepared. The GIS exploratory software, which is included on the CD-ROM, allows users to carry out simple GIS functions. Each object (whether cultivated plant, pest, disease, weed, or cultivated relative) is represented by a number of standard files. The Map file is composed of 2-5 layers reflecting the geographical spread of the species. Pest, disease and weed distribution zones reflect levels of severity, usually high, moderate and low. The Description file includes Taxonomic Position, Morphology and Biology, Distribution, Ecology, Economic Importance, and a Reference List. There is also an image, either a photograph or drawing illustrating the crop, wild species or pest. The Metadata file includes Scale, Accuracy, Projection, Content, Accuracy of Qualifier, Method of Map Construction and Sources of Data. This project is the first attempt to construct a single bilingual information and decision support system regarding the distribution of crops, their enemies, and indigenous genetic resources across the territories that comprise the Former Soviet Union.

The work is supported by a grant no.2625p from the USDA, ARS Former Soviet Union Cooperative Program, managed by the ARS Office of International Research Programs, U.S. State Department Non-Proliferation/Proliferation Threat Reduction, and the International Science and Technology Center.