Economic value diversity of forage germplasm resourcesin the centre pool of China

The centre pool of state forage germplasm resources centre collected 9593 shares of forage germplasm resources from 1998 to 2006，and these shares belonged to 67 families, 411 genera, and 1000 species. According to their economic value, these materials were classified into feeding, food, medical, industrial and environmental plants. In the centre pool, excellent forages, good forages, fair forages, low forages and poor forages were 199, 156, 183,23 and 4 species, and they occupied 19.9%, 15.6%, 18.3%, 2.3% and 0.4% of total species, respectively. 22 species are poisonous plants and 10 species are harmful plants. 114 species belonging to 73 genera and 29 families were food plants, occupying 42.38% of total families, 17.76% of total genera, 11.4% of total species, respectively. 310 species belonging to 207 genera and 57 families are medical plants, and they occupied 85.07% of total families, 50.36% of total genera, and 31% total species, respectively. Industrial plants included fiber, resin and rubber. Among environmental plants, fixing sand plants, soil erosion plant, green manure plants, lawn plants and ornamental plants were 28, 28, 38, 64, and 53 species, respectively.