Luigi Guarino – Page 718 – Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

Featured: Green manure

Challenged to produce an agroforestry system that actually works, Ian Dawson shows no hesitation:

Sileshi et al. from the World Agroforestry Centre did a meta-analysis of the impacts of green fertilisers on maize production in Africa. It shows benefits.

Phew!

Nibbles: Deforestation, Adaptation

Poverty doesn’t drive deforestation. Discuss using examples from Kenya and China.
Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) position statement on “Crop Adaptation to Climate Change.” Genebanks mentioned. Crop wild relatives mentioned. Information systems mentioned. One’s cup runneth over.

June 16, 2011June 16, 2011

National Geographic does genebanks

This is the beguiling paradox of seeds. They are, for all their obvious significance, so readily dismissible, especially by those of us in the well-fed world, who have forgotten where our food even comes from.

Let us hope this National Geographic article helps to change things.

Children plant breadfruit in Honduras

Niños de la escuela el Musiquito, con sus plantones de masapan, marzo 2011

Extentionist Wilmer Garcia instructing SHI participants on care of breadfruit. This tree is approximately 2 years old. El Ocotal, Subirana, Honduras, March 2011

Field Trainer Wilmer Garcia distributing breadfruit sapling to Sra. Romelia in the community of La Soledad, Subirana, March 2011

Field Trainer Lenin explains the transplantation process.

Field trainer Lenin delivers breadfruit sapling to La Soledad, Subirana, Marzo 2011

Tec. Lenin entrega un arbol de masapan a la Sra. Dilcia Vanegas, Com. Ocotal, Subirana, marzo, 2011

Sr. Ramon Polanco receiving breadfruit in El Musiquito, marzo 2011

Sr. Concepcion Castro, feliz recibiendo su arbol de masapan, Com. La Soledad, Subirana, marzo, 2011

Sr. Braudilio Elias and his son with their breadfruit, Suntular

recibiendo su arbol de masapan

Breadfruit saplings.

Plantones de masapan

Niños de la escuela el Musiquito, con sus plantones de masapan, marzo 2011

Orellana family's breadfruit

Mercedes Alvarez junto al Sr. Elvin Carcamo con sus arboles de masapan, Com. Rio Abajo

Lenin entregando los arboles de masapan

Lenin entrega los plantones de masapan

Lenin con los estuadiantes de la escuela Musiquito, marzo, 2011

familias recibiendo sus plantones de Masapan, Comunidad Ocotal, Subirana

familias de las Com. El Musiquito y Suntular, reciben sus arboles de masapan, marzo 2011

familias de la Com. Musiquito, reciben sus arboles de masapan

Familias de la Com. Musiquito reciben sus plantones de masapan, marzo 2011

Com. Ocotal recibe plantones de Masapan

Belkis Matute muy feliz con su arbol de masapan, Comunidad Suntular, Subirana

Breadfruit Project, a set by Sustainable Harvest International on Flickr.

June 13, 2011June 13, 2011

Brainfood: Bean diversity, Rice domestication, Microbial interactions squared, Threat of extinction, Agroforestry, Species diversity

Population structure and genetic differentiation among the USDA common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) core collection. Subpopulations detected within usual Middle American and Andean genepools. The former was more diverse. Diversity was lower for domestication loci. One wonders whether game worth candle.
Artificial selection for a green revolution gene during japonica rice domestication. There’s nothing new under the sun. Fuller fills us in.
Positive plant microbial interactions in perennial ryegrass dairy pasture systems. Plant-microbe interactions can have significant positive impact on production of, and chemical inputs into and losses from, perennial ryegrass dairy pasture systems. Gotta love that agrobiodiversity.
Plant growth promoting potential of Pontibacter niistensis in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.). And another one. New bacterium from Western Ghats fertilizes soil and helps cowpea to grow.
Extinction risk and diversification are linked in a plant biodiversity hotspot. That would the Cape. Extinction threat (IUCN categories) is better explained by phylogeny than by human activity or plant traits. Go figure.
The framework tree species approach to conserve medicinal trees in Uganda. Sort of like artificial keystone species. Lots of other cool stuff in the same issue of Agroforestry Systems.
Use of topographic variability for assessing plant diversity in agricultural landscapes. By and large, more environmental variability means more plant diversity, in Switzerland. Maybe some crop wild relatives in there?