Category: Featured

Michael Bell on Frankia and Alnus:

I have started a truly wild project – developing alder as a grain crop! <snip> I would be very grateful for living material, cuttings or seeds. If the place where trees which meet my needs can be described, I can go and get it myself. The plan is to copy the “Open Source” ideas of Linux and similar computer systems. All those who contribute material will be offered the results of my work.

Send us updates!

From Jacob, on Gates speaks:

Has anyone ever quantified how geo-diverse Africa is? And compared it with, say, Latin America or Asia?

Well? Has anyone?

You see a comment like this one …

Your blog is a daily inspiration. Thanks.

… and your immediate reaction is to hit the Spam This button. But no, Bertie‘s comment on Living Labs videos online was genuine. That makes it even more welcome.

Thanks to you, Bertie, and LEISA.

Dirk on Lost in genebase databank hell:

There are a lot of data on plant genetic resources available. Collectors and curators have spent long hours to add detail to their records. Now, all these data appear to be buried in ever more fancy databases and it is getting near impossible to retrieve a complete record set.

Yolanda on rice pests:

[T]he real subsidy to biological control in irrigated rice comes from the water! The timing of all of it is also quite remarkable. The flooding cues the aquatic insects to molt into adults. This results in a outward migration of adults that emerge out of the water. The spiders use the rice plants as fishing places, trying to capture as much of the emerging aquatic insects.

Fascinating discussion.