- Special issue of Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences on food processing, “a critical variable in human economies and social and symbolic systems.” Looks like the editorial is open to all.
- Investigation of genetic diversity in Russian collections of raspberry and blue honeysuckle. Some of them are much richer than others.
- Solanum centrale, bush tucker: new microsatellites reveal diversity and polyploidy; and it benefits from arbuscular mycorrhiza, especially in low P soils.
- The Crop Intensification Program in Rwanda: a sustainability analysis. It isn’t.
- Wholesale replacement of lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) landraces over the last 30 years in northeastern Campeche, Mexico. There was.
- Certification of agroforestry tree germplasm in Southern Africa: opportunities and challenges. Need a scheme based on the FAOs Quality Declared Seed (QDS) with truth-in-labelling, with 3 germplasm categories (audit, select and genetically improved) as a start.
- And speaking of trees … Silver fir stand productivity is enhanced when mixed with Norway spruce: evidence based on large-scale inventory data and a generic modelling approach. Diversity good for silver firs, no effect on Norway spruce.
- Genotypic variation and relationships between quality traits and trace elements in traditional and improved rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes. Traditional varieties have more.
Isolated agrobiodiversity
Tristan da Cuha is the most remote inhabited island in the world. When I saw this photo from the island (used by permission from Maurits Heech, who has a lot more on his Flickr site) in a post earlier today I had to wonder whether there might possibly still be some interesting old(ish) agrobiodiversity lurking in the fields and gardens of the place. Would make a nice little project.
Nibbles: Yemen, Seed moisture, Irish fruits, Indian genetic erosion, Goji, Sustainable Ag, Green Revolution,
- Probably way more than you want to know about food security in Yemen, but stunning nonetheless.
- NordGen tells us how to measure seed moisture content. In Russian.
- The Irish have benefited from at least one bank. Alas, that bank is Pavlovsk.
- Indian farmers turning their back on traditional crops because of climate change. Hope NBPGR is on the case.
- Goji berries only as good as other fruit and veg, with “significant placebo effect”.
- [W]e are in the midst of shaping a new perspective on sustainable agriculture, it says here. Right.
- All you ever wanted to know about Green Revolution 2.0, thanks to Anastasia.
- Speaking of which .. sustainable ag under discussion.
Nibbles: FAO newsletters, Spanish fowl, Jamaican cattle, Food composition database
- New Plant Breeding News and Non-Wood Forest Products.
- Nice pix of Spanish chicks.
- Jamaican cattle in trouble, man.
- FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Database on Biodiversity will be published on 15 December 2010. Put out more flags.
Nibbles: Advice, Advice, Advice, IR8
- Americans advised to eat diversity, by USDA and others. Wot, no fortified staples?
- Webcast on Food Systems and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa. h/t The Agrobiodiversity Grapevine.
- French vegetables disappearing? Je ne le crois pas.
- The Scientist Gardener tackles declining yields of miracle rice, but what has he done to his colour scheme?