Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Plant Genome Resources (PGR) - In most industrialized countries, crop varieties arc subject to intellectual property rights in the form of PBR (Plant Breeder's Rights). However, the present intellectual property right (IPR) systems do not promote, nor were they designed to promote, the protection of diversity of whole ecosystems or unmodified plants.

However, the evaluation, use and maintenance of plants may be encouraged indirectly by he patent system, when a constituent of the plant has a commercial value.

At present, we do not understand fully the implications of the extension of intellectual property righs (IPR) to plant genetic materials and crop varieties. This may have far reaching impact on maintenance and preservation of plant genetic resources, because the current IPR systems reinforce the tendency of plant breeders to decrease genetic diversity. In view of this, the impact of extending IPR to plant genetic material is being studied, and discussed at the international level.