Category: Featured

Dirk Enneking takes Luigi to task:

What is wrong with repatriating germplasm? Isn’t your argument questioning the role of national genebanks and genetic sovereignty? Is Rome reviving its old rivalry with Carthage?

Let the games begin!

Jacob offers Luigi an explanation for Tunisia’s misplaced pride:

Seeds are being used as gifts to shape new social networks, the anthropologist in me guesses. Creating social capital, isn’t that worthy of praise?

Dave Wood reminisces about the old days:

In the “good old days” Kew Gardens had an interest in economic botany — mainly to support crops that could be add value to colonial agriculture. Ramie figures in the fascinating contents of the second volume of the Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew … As an economic botanist I admit to never having heard of some of these species. And this “Bulletin” became “Kew Bulletin” — fine for taxonomists but of little use for economic crop production.

BTW, he also has something to say about the Ethiopian genebank.

From Denise Young of La Vie Verte:

I was in Tunis, and had the privilege of speaking with Dr Worede. He is a living inspiration, and someone whose face, spirituality and presence I will never forget.

And read her report from Tunis.

Greenfruit fan (we know who you are) weighs in on Unripe for plucking:

Unripe fruits as food are common in many cultures, including South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific, the Americas and the Caribbean. For their refreshing tartness or light sweetness, or unusual flavor.

Jeremy’s English Lesson: “Don’t eat those blackberries. They’re red. That means they’re green.”