The second issue of the e-newsletter of the Germplasm Resources Unit of the John Innes Centre (JIC), for Spring 2011, is out. It comes with a nice name-check for the Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog, for which we are very grateful. Always happy to spread news about genebanks.
On this occasion, I was particularly taken with the piece on the demonstration plot for heritage wheats, including landraces. This on the left, for example, is Blue Cone, “an old wheat cultivated often in the 17th Century through to the 1930’s.” The piece struck me because as I read it I had just finished writing yesterday’s post about things that can be done to promote the on-farm management of landraces such as Blue Cone. One of those things, according to the paper I summarized in the post, is to re-introduce materials from ex situ collections. Clearly, the demonstration plots at John Innes are part of such an effort:
As previously, the plots will be available for viewing by prior appointment either as individual or group visits. In addition, an open day will be organised where interested parties will have the opportunity to view the plots with a view to identifying any material of potential interest that they might care to grow and evaluate for themselves. This initiative will be publicised in the farming and local press. Anyone interested is encouraged to contact us to arrange viewing and inspection of the material with a view to requesting small quantities for their own evaluation following harvesting and processing.
Hi Luigi
we also have heritage wheat trials – I think around 90 accessions growing on two allotments and other locations in South London + farm South from London – though around 25 of these are samples of three specific UK origin pre-19th C wheats (Red Lammas, Old Hoary aka Kent wooly eared aka Ble a Duvet and Old Kent Red) collected form JIC and other European gene banks. We also have some material including a larger quantity of Blue Cone Rivet than has been in UK for many years (centuries?) from French farmer/wheat breeder and collector Florent Mercier.
Planning to have an open day for viewing of these trials on Rosendale Allotments on July 17th. To stay in touch with arrangements for this probably easiest to join Brockwell Bake as member (its free).
yours
Andy Forbes
Secretary, BBA
ps
you may also like to check our anticipated heritage wheat programme for next few years here.
Dear Luigi
just in process of carrying out crop review: these have been watered! – hope to cover those on (bio-dynamic) farm before end of week which obviously can’t be watered but have heard they are looking better than modern crops.
I hope before end of year that will put up an online database of heritage cereals, starting with those BBA holds (quantities of most of which will be available on request on SMTA terms hopefully slightly bigger than normally available from JIC). Database I hope will give as much or more information than typical genebank entries but intended to be cultivator facing (rather than fellow genebank and conventional breeders) and to include usage information where available. Also hope we can make it so cultivators (at whatever level, schools, community gardens as well as farmers) can add comments and if they want keep crop diaries – hopefully encouraging a level of participatory crop development to emerge.
Will be putting up an online form for farmers to register interest in participating in crop trials for winter 2011 sowing on website soon.
I should have mentioned before that BBA is indebted to Oxford Bread Group founder and archaeobotanist John Letts for getting us into heritage wheat growing and supplying our first seed last season.
yours
Andy Forbes