- Agricultural biotechnology for crop improvement in a variable climate: hope or hype? Your guess is as good as mine.
- Pollinator insects benefit from rotational fallows. They do indeed.
- Biological and productive characteristics of silkworm mulberry varieties of different ploidy and their use for raising silkworms in different seasons. Amazing; more silk faster from polyploid mulberries.
- Mapping quantitative trait loci conferring blast resistance in upland indica rice (Oryza sativa L.). They’re there.
- Food relocalization for environmental sustainability in Cumbria. Fair enough, but what, actually, are the locavores going to eat?
- Relationships among twelve genotypes of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) cultivated in western Mexico. Twelve genotypes split into two groups, could be important for breeding and production.
- Variation in qualitative and quantitative traits of cassava germplasm from selected national breeding programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. There is some, but not for everything.
- Global protected area impacts. There are some, but not everywhere.
- Diversity, geographical, and consumption patterns of traditional vegetables in sociolinguistic communities in Benin: Implications for domestication and utilization. 245 species, only 19% cultivated, with big differences among ethnic groups and geographical areas. Research and promotion needs identified.
- Observed trends in winegrape maturity in Australia. 1.7 days earlier per year for 1993–2009, 0.8 days earlier per year for 1985–2009.
- Still a lot of diversity out there, Europe edition: common bean in Sicily, melons near Madrid.
Nibbles: Plectranthus, Roads, Fast food, Dog food, Hybrid rice, Mapping climate change, Turf, Cassava, iPhone app, Zizania, Rice
- Livingstone potato (Plectranthus) on the menu in Burundi. Yeah but what does it taste like?
- The world’s roads mapped. About time too.
- The world’s convenience food made better. Maybe.
- Dog cooking pot from ancient China. Woof. Via.
- Hybrid rice backfires. Via.
- Mapping the impacts of climate change. Only country level though.
- Native lawns better. But are they greener?
- JSTOR does a cassava roundup despite hating tapioca.
- Biodiversity monitoring? There’s an app for that.
- Wild rice (not a wild relative of rice, mind, but sacred to the local Native Americans) vs the copper-nickel mining industry.
- Slideshow on rice (the real thing) in Vietnam.
Nibbles: FIGS, Anitmalarials, PhD, Pecans
- Australian magazine overdoses on FIGS (Focused Identification of Germplasm Strategy) h/t Dag.
- World Agroforestry Centre says malaria-cure trees are going extinct. World Malaria Day is on Monday 25th.
- New PhD programme on Biodiversity and Society. h/t CFTF, who say it covers diversification and neglected crops.
- China loves US pecans, giving Tom an opportunity for some strategic analysis.
Nibbles: Weeds, Maple, Striga, Wheat rust, Quinoa
- It’s that time again. National Public Radio eats weeds and other wild foods.
- It’s that time again. The complexity of Maple Syrups (but no mention of variety).
- It’s that time again. Mainstream media get hold of Striga control story.
- It’s that time again. Wheat fungus love from The New York Times to our friends at ICARDA.
- It’s that time again. Is quinoa kosher?
Nibbles: Wheat rust, Mill, Cassava
- A big-deal wheat rust conference started today at ICARDA in Aleppo, and there are various webby ways to keep in touch, like RSS (pointless?) and Twitter.
- Stop Press: Wheat rust presentations now on SlideShare.
- A windmill in south London. Jeremy says, “I hope it grinds slow, but exceeding fine.”
- Cassava!