- Broad-scale adaptive genetic variation in alpine plants is driven by temperature and precipitation. AFLP variation linked to precipitation and temperature across 13 Alpine species.
- Current state of knowledge on indigenous chicken genetic resources of the tropics: domestication, distribution and documentation of information on the genetic resources. There are three relevant databases on chickens, and yet…
- Genetic diversity and parentage in farmer varieties of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) from Honduras and Nicaragua as revealed by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. 70 SNPs enough to confirm 5 morphological groups, but also pick up the odd synonym.
- Molecular diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Pistacia vera, Pistacia atlantica subsp. mutica and Pistacia khinjuk using SRAP markers. The species are pretty good.
- Biofortified, selenium enriched, fruit and cladode from three Opuntia Cactus pear cultivars grown on agricultural drainage sediment for use in nutraceutical foods. It pays to grow prickly pear on crappy soil.
- Hotspots of diversity of wild Australian soybean relatives and their conservation in situ. Looks like it’s Kimberley.
- Community-based alternative breeding plans for indigenous sheep breeds in four agro-ecological zones of Ethiopia. They’re ok, but you do have to keep good records.
- Diverse genetic basis of field-evolved resistance to Bt cotton in cotton bollworm from China. Gene jockeys need to go back to drawing board. No, wait.
- Bioactive compounds and nutritional significance of virgin argan oil–an edible oil with potential as a functional food. Jolly high in just about everything that’s good for you, more research needed, yada yada yada.
Nibbles: CWR video, Super barley, Banana fermentation, Cerrado, Indian genebank sell-off farrago, Pistacia, Potato disease
- Al Jazeera discovers wild relatives.
- The Scotsman discovers the laws of heredity.
- Diana uncovers banana beer.
- Rio +20 hacks discover the cerrado.
- Indian genebank discovers the market?
- JSTOR uncovers the pistachio.
- Scottish potato farmers discover new nemesis.
Nibbles: ITPGRFA, Samoan coconuts, Ancient Amazon, Moringa
- CGIAR pushes ITPGRFA into Rio +20 limelight. ITPGRFA unavailable for comment.
- Recession or no recession, Samoan women’s group in Body Shop coconut oil deal.
- Pre-Columbian Amazon not densely inhabited after all. Just wake me up when they sort this out.
- Ok, where do I get my hands on some Moringa leaves?
Nibbles: Pests & Diseases, Cichorium, Agroforestry etc, Heritage oranges, Shepherds, ITPGRFA news
- Diversity protects against pests and diseases, especially when it is needed most.
- Amateur enthusiast cracks chicory biodiversity.
- Conservation Agriculture With Trees; it’s the new big thing in Africa.
- Saving the last orange grove in Orange County from destruction.
- Shepherds of the world; a slideshow from The Guardian.
- And — Oh Boy! — you can jump through some hoops to get a newsletter on the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Reso0urces for Food and Agriculture.
Nibbles: Aquatic mapping, Biofortified millet, Indian agriculture, African agriculture, Restoration, Online flora, Farm Bill, Right to Food, Elk farming, Forestry fellowship, Breadfruit, Foods and climate change
- OBIS maps marine organisms. But does it include this data from China?
- Private sector delivers biofortified millet. But will it make it to the wiki for Indian agriculture?
- New paper by APRODEV and PELUM on why CAADP should follow IAASTD. Glossary not included. And more on African agriculture from Gates. Not like this, though.
- Millennium Seed Bank in ecosystem restoration. And a study on ecosystems that are actually going to require less restoration than others.
- Monsanto supports online world flora. What could possibly go wrong? Meanwhile, in the public sector…
- Olivier de Schutter’s recent Right to Food shpiel for IFPRI. LOTS of words. I guess you had to be there.
- Small-scale elk farming primer. Not as crazy as it sounds, but pretty crazy.
- And if you’re a young scientist, from sub-Saharan Africa, and interested in forest genetic resources, well, here’s a fine forestry fellowship opportunity.
- The Bounty Redux. The whole bringing-breadfruit-to-the Caribbean thing seems to be going more smoothly this time.
- Huffington slideshow on the world’s endangered foods.