- Japonica rice heads for the tropics for first time.
- Yet another Indian genebank opens its doors.
- And from somewhere else in India, we are alerted to the fact that today is International Seed Day.
- The biggest little olive farm in the world? Texas virgin on sale.
- Old endangered Norwegian cattle more efficient than modern breed. Genetics too.
- Foods, words, politics — a heady brew.
- Banana vs plantain. Jeremy says: Someone is wrong on the internet.
- Butterfly farming in Kenya under the spotlight. Again.
- Launch video of the expedition down the Congo river; agriculture only a pretty backdrop.
Recognizing World Malaria Day
As a victim, I am particularly happy to recognize World Malaria Day and hail the Cinchona tree, source of quinine. Artemisia is the new Chinchona, of course. I dread to think how many of the kids in this picture I took in the Solomons, where I picked up the disease, will get malaria, or have already had it. Thanks, Kew.
Evolution of a weedy rice
Need to get the whole paper, but this analysis of the relatedness of weedy red rice and cultivated rice in Arkansas suggests that the diversity of the wild, weedy typ is large because (?) it evolved “in a region devoid of other weedy and wild Oryza species.”
Nibbles: Amazonia, Potatoes, Seeds, Fodder, Sturgeon
- More insights into that early Amazonian agriculture.
- 24th Congress of the Latin America Association of Potato, Cusco, 23-28 May “will focus on the conservation and usage of potato’s genetic resources”.
- New book on seed trade and agricultural biodiversity. Tanzania not studied.
- Nice slide show on fodder shrubs for dairy farmers in Kenya.
- Wisconsin caviar?
Hairy pig hits limelight
They don’t say whether it is the famous Lincolnshire Curly Coat, but it looks like it might be. 1 Now, if only they could make them pocket-sized…
Thanks, Cary.
UPDATE (17 Fe. 2016): Well, “they” were the LA Times, and both the story and video to which we linked back in 2010 are no more. But the “sheep pig” in question probably was the Mangalitza, and the story of how it was rescued from oblivion is actually pretty cool.