- IFAD says we need diverse crops.
- KAUST says we need coloured rice.
- I hope it will go into Saudi Arabia’s new genebank.
- Genebank scientists says we need more collaboration.
- Goa thinks they need a new mango genebank.
- The USA already has an apple genebank.
- But will all these genebanks lead to a new Green Revolution…
- …or organic farming?
- Maybe both.
An apple a day…
Good question. The answer?
It’s all part of a very nice exhibit at the Museum Koenig in Bonn on biodiversity research.
Great to see agricultural research get a look-in.
But pity there was nothing on genebanks, and indeed no call to action. There’s a whole website in Germany about “edible landscapes” that offers ideas about what to do to help preserve fruit diversity. And also shops in and around Bonn that boast about selling lots of apple varieties, including less well known one.
Nibbles: Community seedbanks everywhere, USDA genebanks, Public sector plant breeding, Salinity tolerance, Food systems transformation
- Community seedbanks are so big in Zimbabwe that international NGOs are jumping on the bandwagon.
- More from the Cherokee Nation Seed Bank, very much a friend of the blog. International NGOs unavailable for comment.
- Community seedbanks are also in the news in Mexico.
- And in Peru, of course. Oh, here’s a nice video from Peru on Andean roots and tubers, courtesy of CIP, since we’re here.
- Indonesia too, you say? Yeah, why not.
- How to protect genebank collections from climate change, courtesy of USDA. Community seedbanks please take note.
- Who’s going to use all that diversity? Well public sector plant breeders of course.
- Yes, even plant breeders working on Salicornia.
- But how much of the 6 trillion dollars needed for food systems transformation is going to go to genebanks and plant breeding?
The Financial Times does crop diversity
Nicely done. But 75%? Really? Ok, fine, the FT gets a pass because it’s such a nice video. But just this time.
From farm to bar to genebank
Meet Tom Barse, a Maryland farmer and brewer:
We used to sell hops to local breweries until we opened Milkhouse Brewery at Stillpoint Farm, in 2013, where we now use all of the hops we grow. A few years back, at an agricultural conference at Linganore Wine Cellars, I met Dr. Ray Ediger, a retired veterinarian living in Utica in Frederick County. He told me about an old hop plant growing on his farm that had been there for years, and wanted to know if I was interested in checking it out.
Tom continues, “I went out to Ray’s farm and was amazed to see this enormous hop plant that had taken over his chicken coop, fence, and other farm buildings. Fellow hop growers Brad Humbert, Del Hayes, and I went out and picked some of the hops in early October – which is extremely late for a harvest in Maryland.
…
We thought we had something pretty cool, so working with Janna Howley and Kevin Atticks at Grow and Fortify we were able to get a USDA/MDA grant to research the hop and make beer. We donated the germplasm to the USDA plant bank and have received a USDA PI number (plant introduction).
That PI number is 700807, and you can see it right there on the beer bottles.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a genebank accession number quoted on a commercial product like that. Thanks to Dr Peter Bretting of USDA for the headsup.
LATER: Oh yes I have :)