Luigi Guarino

November 10, 2015November 11, 2015

National Genetic Resources Advisory Council discusses birds and bees and diversity

Speaking of meetings…

The National Genetic Resources Advisory Council (NGRAC), a sub-committee of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is holding a meeting November 9-10, 2015, in Baton Rouge, LA. The meeting will focus on the conservation and utilization of livestock, aquatic and honeybee genetics; a discussion on genetic diversity and genetic vulnerability; and cross cutting issues related to genetic resources and Tribes.

All NGRAC meetings are open to the public, and Matthew Dillon of Seed Matters, who is a “general public member” according to the NGRAC website, has been posting about it all over social media. There is, for example, a photograph of bee insemination that those of our readers who are on Facebook might find irresistible. I for one found this Instagram offering interesting:

Robust discussion today. Diversity is complex, of course. #seed #genetics #agriculture

A photo posted by Seed Matters (@seed_matters) on Nov 9, 2015 at 3:17pm PST

I wish I’d been there to fight the corner of “number of varieties” as a way of measuring genetic diversity and vulnerability. Problematic, sure, but useless? That seems harsh. If nothing else, the hunt for lost (or maybe lost) heirloom varieties has great resonance with the public.

November 10, 2015November 10, 2015

Answering the big genebank questions

A couple of important conferences are coming up and, as readers know, we like to keep on top of such things. So if you’re going, and would like to blog for us, or are thinking of tweeting the proceedings, let us know. Some big questions are being pondered, so it should be fun.

First on the agenda is the Tri-Societies meeting, this year in Minneapolis, on 15-18 November. ¹ With that, the conoscenti will know, goes the award of the Frank N. Meyer Medal for Plant Genetic Resources, which on this occasion will be presented to Dr Paul Gepts, who I believe is an occasional reader of our blog. Congratulations to Paul, who will deliver a lecture entitled A More Intensive Use of Crop Genetic Resources? Hopeful Future or Business As Usual? The answer seems, perhaps not surprisingly, to depend on more and better data.

Then in January there is PAG XXIV in San Diego and its Genomics of Genebanks workshop. Particularly intriguing is a talk from our friends at the International Potato Center, who ask Are you getting what you ordered from your genebank? The answer to that question seems to be: not always, but we’re working on it. Somebody mention better data?

November 10, 2015November 11, 2015

Nibbles: Apple duo, Biofortified lentil, Wild sweet potatoes, African supermarkets, Trees on farms, Botanic gardens history, Funny honey, Spice trade, Byzantine bread, Seed longevity, Edible wilds

In remembrance of apples past.
What makes for an “outstanding lentil“?
Sweet potatoes finally get a taste of the wild.
A tree for every season: ICRAF pushing trees both local and exotic.
Can Zambian supermarkets support local farmers AND make money? Should get some of those tree products in there.
Touring the oldest botanical gardens would make for a great round-the-world trip.
Though I’d probably want to add a quick diversion to taste hallucinogenic honey in Nepal.
‘Twas pepper built Venice. That and bread.
Defence-related genes important in seed longevity.
What the heck are microgreens? And will they be discussed at the International Symposium on Biodiversity and Edible Wild Species in Turkey next November?