Genetic diversity

March 10, 2020March 10, 2020

Panic in the air

Wide variety within the #Panicum collection held at #FutureSeeds, the new #genebank of the @BiovIntCIAT_eng. We are testing these materials (130 out of 400+) under several projects and programs #Red_de_Forrajes @SomosAGROSAVIA @Livestock_CGIAR #Grasstocash @giz_gmbh pic.twitter.com/WCRhuLvoVX

— Juan Andres Cardoso (@grass_scientist) March 10, 2020

500-odd accessions in the genebank in Cali, Colombia, according to Genesys, but alas only about 20 geo-referenced. Nice drone shot, though.

March 9, 2020March 11, 2020

Brainfood: Squash diversity, Cryo, Wild wheat, Maize evolution, Yak genome, Flagships, Nutrient production, Bhutanese quinoa, USDA Sweetpotato, European GIAHS, Pulses, Apulian onions

Phylogeographic and population genetic analyses of Cucurbita moschata reveal divergence of two mitochondrial lineages linked to an elevational gradient. And nuclear genes show there’s a distinct population in Yucatan.
Advances in cryopreservation of in vitro-derived propagules: technologies and explant sources. Beyond shoot tips.
Characterization of two leaf rust-resistant Aegilops tauschii accessions for the synthetic wheat development. Hyper-resistant, no less.
The Genomic Basis for Short-Term Evolution of Environmental Adaptation in Maize. Adaptation of the phenology of tropical types to temperate conditions can happen quickly. So bring in those exotics, they’ll cope soon enough.
The sequence and de novo assembly of the wild yak genome. Let the intensive yak production systems proliferate.
Conservation prioritization can resolve the flagship species conundrum. Focusing on 500-odd charismatic mammals, birds and reptiles can account for 80-90% of the species that can be covered in an optimization not constrained by such flagships. But how many CWR? Or, looking at it from the other side, what if CWR were the flagships? Yeah, right, right?
Spatiotemporal trends in adequacy of dietary nutrient production and food sources. Global production can provide everyone with all nutrients except vitamin A, but 120 countries are not self-sufficient. Another way we’re all interdependent. But at least we have trade. Right?
First adaptation of quinoa in the Bhutanese mountain agriculture systems. Someone mention interdependence?
Phenotypic Variation in Leaf Morphology of the USDA, ARS Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) Germplasm Collection. Everything is Normal.
Characterization of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) in Europe. They’re ok but there could be more.
Evaluation of pulse crops’ functional diversity supporting food production. Three groups of pulses: producers (biomass and seeds), competitors (against weeds) and fixers (N).
Assessment of Genetic Diversity of the “Acquaviva Red Onion” (Allium cepa L.) Apulian Landrace. It’s a well-defined variety that is noticeably sweeter than others.

March 3, 2020March 9, 2020

Nibbles: Seed systems, Rice landraces, Amazonian seeds, Pathogens, Domestication, Vavilovian mimicry, Mexican maize

The Resilient Seed Systems Shared Action Framework is out.
15 rice varieties are protected through Geographic Indication in India.
Kids’ book about native seeds.
Hacking the arms race between crops and pathogens.
Domestication entailed a change in adaptation from megafauna to people as dispersal agents. Here’s the correct link to the study.
Weed of rice became more rice-like due to hand weeding.
Maize is being abandoned in its heartland. And yet there are calls for a milpa in every home.

March 2, 2020February 21, 2020

Brainfood: Cropland map, Wild spinach collecting, CC double, Cacao diversity, Oilpalm footprint, Algal genebanks, Potatoes & gas, S African livestock, Silk Road cereals, Pests & CC

Global synergy cropland map. Yes, another one.
Acquisition and regeneration of Spinacia turkestanica Iljin and S. tetrandra Steven ex M. Bieb. to improve a spinach gene bank collection. CGN plugs some gaps.
Recent responses to climate change reveal the drivers of species extinction and survival. Niche shifts more important than dispersal in avoiding extinction.
Climate change responses benefit from a global food system approach. Well I never.
Morphological characterisation and evaluation of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Trinidad to facilitate utilisation of Trinitario cacao globally. Some combine large seeds with high seed numbers.
The environmental impacts of palm oil and its alternatives. Not as bad as you may think.
Macroalgal germplasm banking for conservation, food security, and industry. Liquid cultures in dormancy is the way to do it, apparently.
Simple Sequence Repeat-Based Genetic Diversity and Analysis of Molecular Variance among on-Farm Native Potato Landraces from the Influence Zone of Camisea Gas Project, Northern Ayacucho, Peru. So what will be done about it?
Livelihood, Food and Nutrition Security in Southern Africa: What Role Do Indigenous Cattle Genetic Resources Play? A big role which in in danger and could in fact be bigger.
5,200-year-old cereal grains from the eastern Altai Mountains redate the trans-Eurasian crop exchange. Wheat and barley in the Altai one thousand years before we thought.
Complex responses of global insect pests to climate warming. 41% of 31 globally important phytophagous insect pests will increase in severity, jury out on what will happen with the others.

February 25, 2020February 24, 2020

Nibbles: Columella, Thomas Bowrey, Dreamtime, Oz seedbank, Kenya sweetpotato, Dalla Ragione, Apple hunter, Cydonia, Caribbean nutmeg, Wheat synthetics, ICARDA forages, Land cover map

Recreating Roman wine. It’s the tar, stupid.
Decolonizing weed.
Ancient Aboriginal foraging and cooking was quite something.
The National Seed Bank at the Australian National Botanic Garden makes the news. See what I did there?
So does sweetpotato in Kenya.
Turning to art to find lost fruit varieties in Italy.
Remembering Lee Calhoun of North American Fruit Explorers.
Bringing back the quince. That’s the fruit trifecta.
Might as well bring nutmeg back too.
CIMMYT’s synthetic hexaploid wheat programme explained in a PowerPoint.
Report on screening ICARDA’s wild forages.
Nerd out with cool land cover map in Google Earth Engine. Mash up with above, for example?