Haryana Agricultural University in India has received a grant to build and study a collection of ber genetic resources. Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana) is a jujube tree that grows well in arid areas, has fruits rich in vitamin C, and also could be used for the production of biodiesel.
IITA cores its yams
A core collection has been identified for West African yams.
Agricultural biodiversity and desertification
Today’s much-reported UN University study on the threat of desertification sent me scurrying for information on a recent training course I had vaguely heard about on the role that genebanks could pay in combating desertification. It turned out to be called, ahem, “The Role of Genebanks in Using Agrobiodiversity to Combat Desertification.” But the search for more information was deeply frustrating. I found a few photos (scroll down a bit), but nothing else. Anyone out there know something about this workshop?
Microbial resources
FAO has a paper on agricultural microbial genetic resources.