Information

May 2, 2010May 1, 2010

CABI suggests global database of plant health

CABI will create a comprehensive global database of plant health, underpinned by CABI’s ever-growing collection of the world’s most extensive and trusted agricultural content. This currently comprises eight million records in CAB Abstracts, 30,000 pest datasheets from the Crop Protection Compendium, thousands of images, and almost 2,000 distribution maps. These will be augmented with research project findings, book content, sanitary and phytosanitary legislative standards, and open access data from authoritative partners. These include the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Plant Protection Convention, and various national plant protection organizations.

A great starting point for the assessment of future breeding needs as well genetic erosion threats? Attentive readers will remember we’ve blogged about CABI’s pest/disease distribution maps before.

April 29, 2010April 29, 2010

Nibbles: Trees, More trees, Crops and trade, Pollination info, Anthocyanins

Another day, another tree disease threatens the British landscape.
Some Swedish trees are not doing too well either.
Seeds of Trade. A virtual book at the NHM. Lots of info on the history of crops.
What are the pollination needs of a particular crop? FAO will tell you if you ask nicely.
Purple tea in Kenya. Luigi’s mother-in-law not impressed.

April 28, 2010

Taro on Facebook

The very Web 2.0 savvy John Cho is at it again. He’s got more great historical pictures of Hawaii and its taro culture on his personal Facebook page. And he’s started to post about his breeding work on a separate Facebook page dedicated to Colocasia esculenta. ¹ If you’re into taro in any way, you need to become John’s friend.

April 28, 2010April 28, 2010

Nibbles: Microlivestock, Urban ag, Ag info, School meals in Peru, Agrobiodiversity indicators, Nature special supplement, Extension, Breeding organic, Forgetting fish in China, Deforestation, Russian potatoes, Fijian traditional knowledge, Megaprogrammes

FAO slideshow on Egyptian rabbits.
Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development calls for papers on urban agriculture. Will some look at the intersection with art?
And IAALD re-launches its journal.
“…students receiving online encouragement from the national soccer star reported going to bed at night looking forward to receiving their iron supplements the following morning.” Great, of course. But why not iron-rich foods?
Speaking of which, there’s a new FAO publication on “Foods counting for the Nutritional Indicators Biodiversity.” No, I don’t quite understand it myself. Something to do with what foods count towards CBD biodiversity targets. Well, it’s the International Year of Biodiversity, after all.
Indeed it is. And Nature makes the most of it. See what I did there? No agriculture though, natch.
Extension gets a forum?
Biotech can be useful in organic farming? Say it ain’t so!
More evidence of shifting baselines in people’s perceptions of biodiversity. How quickly they forget.
Will they forget what forests look like?
The Vavilov Institute potato collection needs a thorough going over. Taxonomically, that is.
Making salt in mangrove ponds in Fiji. Nice video. Not agrobiodiversity, but it’s my blog and I like seeing Fiji on it.
CGIAR abandons agrobiodiversity? Say it ain’t so. Anyone?
Speaking of megaprogrammes, there’s going to be one on agricultural adaptation to climate change, right?
“So, how does huitlacoche taste? Does it matter?? LOOK AT IT! I guess it would be fair to say it doesn’t taste as truly horrible as it looks. The flavor is elusive and difficult to describe, but I’ll try: ‘Kinda yucky.'” Don’t believe him! And read the rest.

April 26, 2010April 26, 2010

Carnival Time: Science for the People No. 27

Yes indeedy, the latest edition of Scientia Pro Publica — science for the people — the blog that celebrates good science blogging is up at Melliferax. As usual, there’s a load of interesting stuff there, though not much of it is specifically agricultural. We should note, however, that Melliferax is herself a bee-keeper, and where would we be without bees? That said, two pieces caught my eye. In Always eat fruits before a meal?? the science behind false claims, Akshat Rati dissects the ludicrosity of an email that is apparently doing the rounds but that has so far had the good sense to leave me alone. And in Evolution: watching speciation occur Christie Wilcox gives not one but two examples of evolution in action, one from a neglected and absolutely delicious and beautiful crop, salsify, and one from a crop pest, the apple maggot fly.