Dr Mike Jackson is retired now, after a long and very impactful career in plant genetic resources conservation. But he writes about that career, and a lot more besides, on his blog. And now there’s also a nice conversation with him on the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, focusing on his work on potato and rice.
Nibbles: Yeast, Asian veggies, Ancient malt, AYB
- Researchers manipulate biodiversity to reduce the amount of alcohol in wine. For some reason.
- Promoting the cultivation of traditional Asian vegetables in the US. That’s more like it.
- Reproducing ancient malting. Now you’re talking.
- Giving African yam bean a helping hand. Faith in researchers duly restored.
Nibbles: Food/feed, Saving collards, Intoxicant history, Watermelon origins
- Livestock not so bad after all.
- Especially with collards.
- I’ll drink (or take another intoxicant) to that.
- Maybe cleanse the palate with a nice fresh watermelon.
Tom Payne on a career conserving and using wheat diversity
It’s really transition time at the CIMMYT genebank. Denise Costich retired, and Terry Molnar took over her role running the maize part of the operation. And very soon Tom Payne will also retire, from leading the wheat genebank. Check out this nice Q&A with Tom, and join me in wishing him all the best on the next chapter of his life.
LATER: Oops, I forgot this other Q&A on conservation of agrobiodiversity with a CIMMYT staff member. Courtesy of Simran Sethi.
Nibbles: Cryo genebanks, In situ network, Biodiversity fund, Swiss grape, Coffee history, Wild plant use, Plant breeding impact
- Panel discussion on cryopreservation in genebanks on 25 June, save the date!
- Forget cryo, what about a network of European network for the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources, in cultivation and in the wild? See who is interested. And express interest yourself.
- Germans launch Legacy Landscape Fund for biodiversity hotspots. European in situ PGR conservation network unavailable for comment. Let alone cryo genebanks.
- I wonder if that European on-farm conservation network will include the Completer grape, ideally in a monastery.
- Decolonizing coffee. Somebody want to write about religion and crops?
- Using wild plants in south and southeast Asia. Maybe they need a network too.
- Plant breeders say plant breeding is really important.