Luigi Guarino

February 1, 2009February 2, 2009

The Tale of the Bizzarria

I totally agree with the Evil Fruit Lord that the story of the periclinal citrus chimera known as Bizzarria is both fascinating and very well told over at Home Citrus Growers. I know what I’ll be doing the next time I’m in Florence.

February 1, 2009February 1, 2009

Nibbles: Vanilla, Bhutan, Oca, Satoyama

Vanilla domestication 101.
Bhutan ponders biodiversity database. We say: Don’t forget the crops, people.
“Crap crops of the Incas.” One man’s on-off relationship with oca.

Satoyama: Japan’s Secret Water Garden. A different approach to rice.

January 30, 2009January 31, 2009

Confusion at New Scientist

The New Scientist’s blogger manages to confuse the Svalbard Global Seed Vault with the Millennium Seed Bank. I guess it was inevitable.

LATER: No, it wasn’t me that left that first, rude comment! And I’m offended that you think it might have been.

January 30, 2009

Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website Award

Don’t forget to vote!

January 30, 2009

Call for info

Got any information on the effect of climate change on heritage apples? Barbara Tremain-Howard over at Fruit Forum would like to hear from you.

Fresh Nibbles

Why the modern food system prizes uniformity even though resilience depends on diversity. Spoiler alert: follow the money.
Historic crop varieties are finding renewed relevance as farmers contend with more volatile weather, emerging pests and changing markets. Let’s hope there’s money to conserve them.
India’s traditional wheat varieties contain diversity that could help breeders develop crops better able to withstand heat and drought. Let’s hope there’s money to conserve them.
India announces significant progress in conserving its wild rice genetic resources. Great that there was money to conserve them.
Community seed banks across Kenya are calling for formal recognition and sustained support, arguing that locally managed collections strengthen seed sovereignty, preserve traditional varieties and help farming communities adapt to climate change. Yes, but are they enough without national genebanks?
Researchers are racing to conserve wild coffee species whose genetic diversity may provide the resistance and resilience needed to secure tomorrow’s morning cup. Is the industry contributing, though ?
New history of the macadamia traces its remarkable journey from Australia’s native forests to a global crop, while underscoring why conserving the remaining wild populations is essential for the crop’s long-term future.
Researchers at the University of the South Pacific investigate how taro can withstand climate change, combining research with conservation to help protect one of the region’s most culturally and nutritionally important staple crops.
Chester Zoo collects seeds from highly threatened cacti, because why not?

Published on July 14, 2026