Genetic erosion: it’s complicated

From the CIAT blog:

Putting true numbers on diversity loss turns out to be a complicated and contested business, with no shortage of strong opinions. One big part of the problem is that there aren’t many good ways to count the diversity that existed before it disappeared. Researchers have done some work to assess the changes in diversity in crop varieties of Green Revolution cereals, and to some degree on the genetic diversity within those varieties. The results indicate that, although diversity on farms decreased when farmers first replaced traditional varieties with modern types, the more recent trends are not so simple to decipher.

My work here is done.

Nibbles: Rice in Trinidad, Sweet potatoes in Ethiopia, EU crop diversity double, Sir Peter on the ginkgo, Forages, Brazilian peanuts, Seed moisture, Phenotyping double, Svalbard deposit, CATIE data, Herbarium double, Seed #resistance, Father of the apple, Agave congress

Brainfood: Dope diversity, Potato chips, Conservation costing, Island breeding systems, Indus civilization cereals, Drone phenotyping, Wild rice in Asia, Wild rice & Native Americans, Pearl millet temperature, Climate change & fruit/veg

Brainfood: Tomato chemicals, Photoperiod, Grain phenotyping, Hawaiian ag, Domestication primer, Symbionts, Turkish wheat, Yam bean diversity, Crop health, Walnut diversity, Agrobiodiversity theorising, Sea pigs, NERICA impacts, Nutrient production

Nibbles: SSE, Chilli collection, Kelp & C, David Spooner, Heritage breeds, SE Asian agroforestry

  • The great Tim Johnson, (soon to be) formerly of the Seed Savers Exchange, on conserving heritage seeds.
  • “Peppy professor ponders a peck of pepper possibilities.”
  • Kelp will save us.
  • David Spooner: “Ever since I could remember all I ever wanted to be was a botanist.” From potatoes to carrots…
  • Veterans help save livestock breeds.
  • Agroforestry is a big hit in Vietnam.