History

January 6, 2010February 10, 2014

Nibbles: Indian buffalo, Indian local crops, CBD, AgricultureBridge, Kew, Geo-referencing, Cyprus, China and climate change, CC icons, Chinese AnGR, FAO information, Rose symbolism, Pacific ethnobotany, Grape history and genetics, Taraxacum

Hold on to your hats, this will make up for lost time. Hope you all had a nice break, Happy New Year!

Video on the “Night Queen of Chilika.” Not what you think: it’s a buffalo breed.
Indian jury calls for more work on local crops. Wait, a jury?
Indian NGO says “[n]ational sovereignty over genetic resources could undermine food security.” Wow.
AgricultureBridge “connect[s] practitioners to each other and to leading universities to help resolve some of the world’s most pressing questions in agriculture and conservation.” We’ll see.
Big year for Kew: many new species described, including CWRs; many blogs launched; much geo-referencing done.
Not agrobiodiversity, but speaking of geo-referencing and the like…
Cypriot no man’s land good for biodiversity. Including crop wild relatives? I think we should be told.
Chinese farmers struggle to adapt to climate change. Plenty more of this kind of thing out there, no doubt. Like this, for instance?
And yet list of “climate change icons” only includes one plant. Something should be done.
Chinese researchers talk about animal genetic resources conservation. If you’re frustrated at missing that, get ready for Europeans talking about the Mediterranean pig. But meanwhile, get to grips with the FAO Animal Genetic Resources Information Bulletin.
Speaking of FAO info bulletins, feast on the ones on non-wood forest products and plant breeding.
A rose is a rose is a rose. But for the Romans?
Carcinogenic bark of endemic Pohnpei cinnamon not bad for you after all. If you boil it.
“It is ironic that the despised grape Gouais blanc was not just a parent for several of the world’s best-known and most important varieties, such as Chardonnay and Gamay noir, it was the maternal parent, providing additional DNA and potentially determining important characteristics of the offspring.” Oh, so, so ironic.
Natural rubber from weird dandelion? No, really, all kinds of boffins are working on it.

November 30, 2009November 30, 2009

Nibbles: Ecosystem services, Breadfruit, Oneida corn, Teff

Map your own ecosystem services.
Diane’s Garden: the story of the world’s largest breadfruit collection.
Oneida people rediscover their traditional white corn varieties.
White folks discover Ethiopian grain. “Teff is tasty, cute, expensive, temperamental, and enigmatic.”

November 24, 2009November 24, 2009

Which came first, beer or bread?

Rachel Laudan tackles the perennial question that keeps food and agriculture nerds awake long into the night … by saying it’s a bad question and asking some better ones.

What problems did grains solve, what tools did humans have? Well, the problem they solved was one of fuel. Humans need fuel. Grains, if you can process them for fewer calories than you get out at the end, are great sources of fuel. Maybe you can even increase the calories by processing.

Blast! That’s another blog I’m going to have to subscribe to. h/t The Scientist Gardener.

November 23, 2009November 23, 2009

Nibbles: Satellites, Nutmeg, Thanksgiving food, Fungi, Moroccan wine

Farming from space.
(Part of) the history of nutmeg.
“Eat Like a Pilgrim.”
Biggest fungal collection in the world created.
Loss of indigenous grape varieties not holding Moroccan winemakers back.

November 17, 2009November 17, 2009

Silk Road on show in New York

The American Museum of Natural History has an exhibition on the Silk Road. It looks pretty good, and there even seems to be a bit on agrobiodiversity. I mean apart from the obvious, the silkworm and the camel. In particular, you get a look at the night markets of Turfan.

Surprisingly, visitors to markets along the ancient Silk Road—long before overnight shipping and refrigeration—could also choose from an array of foreign delicacies. As travelers moved along trade routes, they introduced their own ingredients and recipes to foreign lands. Over time, such exotic edibles became familiar features on local menus.

Check the video at the 2:18 mark. Not bad, I guess. But was it too much to ask for — having come so far — to include something about the role of this trade route in the spread of at least crops like the apple and wheat?