Relationship among genetic materials, biological materials, biological resources and genetic resources
An organism must contain genetic information, but genetic material is not entirely biological material. For example, the nucleic acid purified and separated from the leaves of Taxus chinensis in a test tube can be said to be genetic material, which is the genetic information for producing paclitaxel, but there is no biological material such as paclitaxel in the test tube. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between genetic resources and biological resources. For example, living plant materials exported abroad as flower materials are used as cut flowers, and biological materials are used. However, if someone takes seeds or analyzes their medicinal components, it is genetic resources. Similarly, when weeds are collected in the wild and eaten as herbs, biomaterials are used as medicines and sold. Although they are also biological materials, they may be used as genetic resources in the future if people are willing to buy them back for reproduction.