Category: Featured

Anastasia has a diverse point of view on drought-resistant maize:

To me, we must nurture as many solutions as possible because the exact solution(s) needed in each area will vary. We need breeding/engineering, we need crop diversity, we need creative methods… I don’t think there’s any conflict in embracing all of them.

Ramen to that.

Pablo Eyzaguirre is somewhat critical of the Gates Foundation in a comment to a specific bit of a non-Nibble:

At several stages people have tried to call the foundation’s attention to analyses calling for a broader perspective on crop improvement that includes crop and varietal diversity for food and nutrition. Yet the foundation still puts all its stakes on high gains through breeding of global staples.

But Jeremy sees that and raises him with a quote from a recent paper which makes reference to one of his reviews:

Biofortification of staple foods is the most promising strategy to alleviate micronutrient deficiency (Brinch-Pederson et al. 2007; Johns and Eyzaguirre 2007; Welch and Graham 2004).

Hearing about the Jack Hawkes Archive, Professor Adi Damania bemoans the fate of another giant’s papers:

Jack R. Harlan’s papers … are scattered between his students, sons, and admirers here at University of California, Davis. His papers have survived a boat sinking in New Orleans harbor and the Katrina floods. We are seeking funds to do a biography.

What will happen when someone’s papers are just bits? Will they be easier or harder to assemble?

Cary agrees on the need for caution in seed provision after disasters, and has some recommendations of his own.

In good times or bad, seed introductions by outside agencies must be done with care. There may be reason for genebanks to be more involved in the future in some cases (supplying materials if actually lost and still desired). Stronger connections between relief/development agencies and genebanks and other professionals (who might be able to GIS and other data to ascertain appropriateness of varietal candidates for introduction) would certainly be a good thing.

Paul Mitchell, of the haskap Canada website, clarifies:

Here is a link to the University of Saskatchewan’s fruit science program: http://www.fruit.usask.ca/haskap.html.

It was both Dr. Bob Bors from the U of S and Maxine Thompson from the University of Oregon who made the breeding advancements that led to the interest in these curious plants.

There actually was virtual international conference late last fall. It was held solely for researchers. Most of the material attendees were from Eastern Europe and Russia. I know that Dr. Bors had some involvement but I have not seen anything published as of yet.

That’s why we love the internet.