DNA – Page 70 – Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

Nibbles: Fertilizer tree, Indo-European, Human diversity, European pollinators, DNA data quality, Biodiversity maps, Organizzzzzz, Plantain

Faidherbia albida gets another push. To quote from the recent Crops for the Future dissection of neglected/underutilized species: if it’s so good, how come it’s not used more?
The Indo-European roots of names for pulse crops. Not nearly as boring as it sounds. Oh, and since we’re on the subject…
Human biodiversity files: athleticism, foodism.
Huge EU project monitors pollinators. What could possibly go wrong?
Cleaning up DNA Sequence Database Hell.
Nice biodiversity hotspot maps. No plants. Definitely no agrobiodiversity.
A philosopher’s take on that organic agriculture meta-analysis.
Not Musa, but still edible.

Honeybees create a buzz in Nepal.
Gene for silly equine walks.
Men and Women Farming Together Can Eradicate Hunger. Headline says it all, really.
We’re not the only ones wondering what’s going on at the 2nd global conference on agriculture, food security and climate change, which started yesterday.

If you’re interested in the history, traditions and cuisine of Kerala, this is the website for you.
How about some whizz-bang technology to improve neglected and orphan crops?
A blogger Tedtalks about participatory plant breeding in Wageningen.
And get this: There’s big money in quasi-public sector plant breeding.
“In the Coella and Combeima watersheds (Tolima, Colombia) the narrative of managing the commons is taking … a participatory shape.”
The Scientist Gardener explores engineered drought-resistant maize and meets with Darwinian approval.

“Most people are not aware of the fact that 84% of the European crops are partially or entirely dependent on insect pollination.” Right. I could have sworn it was 82%.
That’s not their main concern in Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve in India, where Honey is Life.
I had no idea yardlong bean was really a cowpea. The genes say so.
Crop Wild Relatives & Climate Change, a new website from the Global Crop Diversity Trust, with just the right number of RSS feeds.
And if it’s conference information you’re after, previews from the ASA, CSSA and SSSA Annual meetings:

As ever, if you’re there and want an outlet, we’re here.

Exploring the genetic diversity of Ethiopian grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) using EST-SSR markers. They’re variable, especially in Gonder, and future collecting missions need to give “due attention to underrepresented regions”.
Green leafy porridges: how good are they in controlling glycaemic response?. Pretty good, but the leafy greens may not be what you’re expecting.
iDArTs: increasing the value of genomic resources at no cost. No cost for genotyping, that is; the analysis probably does cost.
A versatile PCR marker for pungency in Capsicum spp. Beats having to taste each progeny plant, I suppose.
Earth Ovens (Píib) in the Maya Lowlands: Ethnobotanical Data Supporting Early Use. The food preparation method is as old as the food itself; 3400-3000 bce.
Patterns and processes in crop domestication: an historical review and quantitative analysis of 203 global food crops. Terrific, broad survey, worth more of a write-up.
Changes in Avian and Plant Communities of Aspen Woodlands over 12 Years after Livestock Removal in the Northwestern Great Basin. Removing livestock leads to “recovery of biological integrity”. Because livestock are not integral to anything.
Historical genomics of North American maize. Fascinating analysis indicates selection based on a limited set of ancestor lines, and “decreased diversity in the ancestry of individual lines”.