What are genetic resources? How can they be utilized?
Genetic resources is material of actual or potential value, which includes any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin containing functional units of heredity. Genetic resources are used in a variety of economic sectors. They are used for example, for the developments of new products and technologies in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, horticultural, forestry, fisheries and cosmetic sectors. Significant research is also being carried on by universities and research institutes to advance scientific knowledge for example through taxonomy. While genetic resources can be found within biological material that lives in nature (in situ), it can also be obtained through collections like seed and gene banks or botanical and zoological gardens. These are called ex situ collections.
