- Bioversity reports on a meeting to plan research on agroecology in Cuba.
- “Global food production is increasing steadily, and the global food supply is becoming more stable”. Nothing to see, move along.
- Greeks just wild about saffron.
- And rice researchers crazy about wild rice as source of salt tolerance.
- On the road with Kew photographer, seeking clues to climate change and coffee. (p.s. I’m pretty certain the “magnificent wild banana tree” is a magnificent wild enset herb) (p.p.s. There are actually lots of silly little mistakes in the piece. Buck up, Kew.)
Nibbles: Artichokes and bracts, Colour, DsG and experts, Fish, Genetics, Horseradish, Improved nutrition, Kenyan sorghum, Plant Press
- A is for artichoke, B is for bract. A botanist in the kitchen explains.
- C is for colour and color, both of which affect the nutritional value of rice.
- D is for Directorate of the EU, three of which are at a standstill as an expert is apparently blocking all attempts to loosen EU seed laws.
- F is for fish, which smart farmers are helping to survive low water in rice paddies.
- G is for the genes tweaked by scientists to deliver seeds without sex.
- H is for horseradish, whose root problems can now be solved. In other H-related news, horseradish has root problems.
- I is for improvements in child nutrition and less stunting is many countries.
- J is for Jeremy, who must have some time on his hands.
- K is for Kenya, where clever scientists have created Striga-resistant sorghum. Again.
- L is for Lodoicea, and other botanical treasures.
Nibbles: Sesame, ABS, Symposium, Yield sensitivity, NUS Symposium proceedings, Food Fest, Typha pollen, Arepas
- Texan farmers have solved the problem of open sesame – with non-shattering varieties.
- They’re protected by patents, of course. No need then for handy dandy guidelines to access and benefit sharing in research projects.
- But you just know that ABS will be a hot topic when they round up the usual suspects for the International Symposium on Agrobiodiversity for Sustainable Development.
- As will the question of whether yields are becoming more or less sensitive to temperature.
- I wonder how quickly the proceedings of that shindig will become available. It took the 2nd International Symposium on Underutilised Species less than two years! Course, they’re still not open access …
- No free access to the IncrEdibles festival at Kew either. And why should there be?
- I’m willing to guarantee that cat-tail pollen will not be featured at Kew.
- Arepas, on the other hand…
Brainfood: Wild pepper, Lettuce gene, Qat genetic structure, Date oases, Raised fields, Waxy sorghum, Striga resistant cowpea, Wild soybean, Kenaf diversity
- Domestication, Conservation, and Livelihoods: A Case Study of Piper peepuloides Roxb. — An Important Nontimber Forest Product in South Meghalaya, Northeast India. Managed crop wild relative manages to turn a profit for Indian forest dwellers.
- Expression of 9-cis-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE4 Is Essential for Thermoinhibition of Lettuce Seed Germination but Not for Seed Development or Stress Tolerance. Managed crop wild relative gene could eventually turn a profit for commercial lettuce growers.
- Evaluation of microsatellites of Catha edulis (qat; Celastraceae) identified using pyrosequencing. Can be used to trace origin. The Man exults.
- Date palm as a keystone species in Baja California peninsula, Mexico oases. Jesuit-introduced exotics can be keystone species too. The Pope exults.
- Ancient human agricultural practices can promote activities of contemporary non-human soil ecosystem engineers: A case study in coastal savannas of French Guiana. Formerly managed landscape now managed by soil organisms.
- A novel waxy allele in sorghum landraces in East Asia. Out of East Asia…
- Identification of new sources of resistance to Striga gesnerioides in cowpea germplasm. As ever, they are not the ones farmers actually like.
- Development of EST-SSR markers for diversity and breeding studies in opium poppy. And, they work on the related species! Afghans exult.
- Kunitz trypsin inhibitor polymorphism in the Korean wild soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. & Zucc.). In other news, there is wild soybean in Korea.
- Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) accessions evaluated by SRAP and ISSR. Originated in Kenya-Tanzania area.
Nibbles: Biofuels, Edible soybeans, Food policy, Nutrition rules, Seed course, TEK index, Doubled haploids, Pigeon fanciers, Gum arabic, Livestock goods & bads, Spanish genebank, SADC seed law, Heirloom tomatoes
- Big Oil vs Big Corn. The Economist says End the ethanol tax.
- Grow edamame, young farmer.
- Agri experts call for a comprehensive food policy in Pakistan. Not gonna happen. There or anywhere else.
- But is this where it would start?
- Utterly confused by second-hand sources, I’m sending you straight to the horse’s mouth for information on Plant genetic resources and seeds: Community resilience in the face of change, a three week course in November 2013.
- Yeah, but will they teach you about Terralingua’s Vitality Index of Traditional Environmental Knowledge?
- CIMMYT doubles its haploids centrally now, at least in Africa.
- He coulda been a contender, but instead he breeds pigeons. Which is just as good, in my estimation.
- Photo essay on Sudan’s gum arabic industry.
- ILRI spell out the pros and cons of livestock. Always good to have the data.
- Who needs a national seed bank when you can have local ones like this one in Spain?
- Remember that draft SADC seed law RAFI didn’t like yesterday? Well, they’re not alone.
- Remember that Syngenta tomato that won that award yesterday? Well, now try these.