- Effect of various growth regulators on growth of yam (Dioscorea trifida L.) in vitro shoot tips. One small step for yam cryopreservation.
- The USDA Barley Core Collection: Genetic Diversity, Population Structure, and Potential for Genome-Wide Association Studies. 5 sub-populations: roughly, Mediterranean, W Europe, E Europe, Asia and Ethiopia. GWAS effective in locating important phenotypes.
- A first genetic map of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) reveals long-range genome structure conservation in the palms. Lots of synteny with oil palm and coconut despite differences in genome size. And we now (probably) know how sex determination works.
- Economic evaluation of ecosystem goods and services under different landscape management scenarios. Agriculture usually wins at the expense of more “ecological” land uses, unless income from C and biodiversity (and timber) go up, or discount rates go down.
- Oil in the Sahara: mapping anthropogenic threats to Saharan biodiversity from space. You can spot biodiversity threats from space. More examples along the same lines.
- Genetic and morphological diversity of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus [L.] Moench.) genotypes and their possible relationships, with particular reference to Greek landraces. Much phenotypic variation, less AFLP variation, but geographically structured. Germination characteristics vary with ecology.
- Genetic diversity revealed by EST-SSR markers in carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.). First time carbob has been genotyped using microsatellites. And that seems to be the only reason why this work was done.
- Investigation of the genetic diversity of domestic Capra hircus breeds reared within an early goat domestication area in Iran. Breeds are diverse but geographically distinct, the western ones especially. Unlike sheep, which are moved around a lot more. Some evidence of inbreeding, which can and should be counteracted.
- Diversity Assessment and Development of Sustainable Use of Mexican Genetic Resources: Prospects of a SATREPS Project. That would be Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development, between the Japanese and Mexican genebanks. Looks like a lot of genotyping and in vitro conservation research on lesser-known crops.
- Establishing the validity of domestication genes using DNA from ancient chickens. You really need ancient DNA to study domestication.
- Genetic diversity and population structure of Mongolian domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus). No breeds, no problem.
- Exploring Variability: New Brazilian Varieties SCS119 Rubi and SCS120 Onix for the Specialty Rices Market. Brazilian hipsters now have red and black rice.
Brainfood: Niche and range limits, Grassland diversity drivers, Pollinator research bias, Livestock systems, Seed longevity gene, Apple origins, Amaranthus in Mexico, Chinese medicinal orchids, Seed longevity, Fitness tradeoffs, Lentil evaluation
- Are species’ range limits simply niche limits writ large? A review of transplant experiments beyond the range. Meta-analysis shows dispersal constrains geographic distribution but extends altitudinal. Biotic interactions important at low elevations and latitudes.
- Herbivores and nutrients control grassland plant diversity via light limitation. Nutrients bad, herbivores good for grassland diversity.
- Economic and ecological implications of geographic bias in pollinator ecology in the light of pollinator declines. Half the data come from 5 countries. Nuff said.
- Integrated crop and livestock systems in Western Europe and South America: A review. Market logic has driven crops and livestock apart, but it should drive them back together again.
- ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA HOMEOBOX25 Uncovers a Role for Gibberellins in Seed Longevity. Seed longevity gene found. No word on whether giberellin treatment can prolong seed life in genebanks. Yet.
- Molecular-level and trait-level differentiation between the cultivated apple (Malus×domestica Borkh.) and its main progenitor Malus sieversii. Status of M. sieversii as main progenitor confirmed. Always good to have more data.
- Adaptation of Cultivated Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) and Their Wild Relatives in Mexico. One of the wild species could be a source of adaptation for the cultivated under climate change.
- Eat your orchid and have it too: a potentially new conservation formula for Chinese epiphytic medicinal orchids. Nature reserves and cultivation on farms not enough. What you need is “restoration-friendly cultivation.”
- A continental-scale study of seed lifespan in experimental storage examining seed, plant, and environmental traits associated with longevity. Australian seeds are somewhat longer-lived than those from other regions. But there’s plenty of variation, some of which can be explained by different features of the seeds, plants and the specific environment where they grow.
- Inclusive fitness in agriculture. Plants and their root symbionts can get along even better together, with a little help from human selection.
- Genetic diversity analysis for quantitative traits in lentil (Lens culinaris medik.) germplasm. NBPGR seem to be on an evaluation blitz. More power to them. Hope to see the data online soon.
Nibbles: Cowpea blogging, Rice vs wheat psychology, IRRI rice breeding, Wheat disease, African ag success, AGRA seed, Seed certification
- Omnibus edition of recent GCP blog posts on cowpea.
- Chinese rice farmers more sharing and caring than wheat farmers.
- Wonder if that will change with all these fancy new rice varieties coming through.
- Wonder if fusarium ear blight of wheat will change that.
- No such problems in Africa, no sirree.
- Not with all these AGRA-supported seed companies taking off.
- But there’s an international component to that which is being neglected.
Nibbles: Coffee rust, Wheat blast, Livestock yield gap, Livestock adaptation, Extension, Med diet, Organic < conventional, Douglas fir breeding, Best moustache in cryo, Fortifying rice
- Coffee rust is doing a number on livelihoods in Central America.
- Wheat blast could do the same in South America.
- ILRI DG on smallholder livestock producers: one-third don’t have the conditions in which to be viable, one-third can go either way and one–third can be successful. I suppose all of them are going to need adaptation options.
- Not to mention extension services.
- Meanwhile, bureaucrats busy protecting the Mediterranean diet.
- The inevitable productivity penalty of organic.”
- Douglas fir ready for its genomic closeup.
- Cryopreservation update, with video goodness.
- Lots of ways to skin the malnutrition cat: zinc and rice.
Giant White Cuzco Maize DOC
Peru has made further moves to protect a maize variety typical of Cuzco:
The Foreign Ministry reported that the designation of origin “Giant White Cuzco Maize” was protected by the Peruvian government in Chile, through its registration with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) of that country, which culminates a legal process started a few years ago and will adequately promote in the Chilean market one of our most representative agricultural products.
Four years ago the Peruvian government declared the variety part of the country’s cultural patrimony. It is being used by WIPO as a case study of the use of denomination of origin to revive communities. Giant White Cuzco Maize joins a whole series of other typical products “enjoying” denomination of origin protection in South America. 1 Though one does wonder to what extent this particular move was a reaction to the controversy between Peru and Chile over pisco.
Anyone willing to hazard a guess as to whether, and if so to what extent, this will affect exchange of germplasm of this maize variety for research and breeding? Will Amazon have to stop selling it?