- Second generation sequencing on the one hand. First generation methylation mapping on the other. What’s a poor bitechnologist to do?
- Site of the birth of MesoAmerican agriculture pinpointed.
- Meta-analysis says mating system does not affect magnitude of local adaptation. Ok, I really need to understand this one, because it’s kinda counter-intuitive..
- Boffins produce longer-lasting tomato. Which, however, still tastes like water. Those pesky biotechnologists are all over this.
- A tale of two brews. And here’s why I prefer beer. Well, one reason. Meanwhile, a hero probes how the amber nectar comes to be.
- Another slightly dubious use for soy. Aren’t you glad its genome has been sequenced? Thanks, Jacob.
- Evidence for cultivated carrot from medieval Poland. I’m sure this is REALLY important.
- CIMMYT video of seed processing.
- Pandanus photo for all my Pacific friends.
- Yams to have their day? I hope so, but we have been here before. Repeatedly.
- Salicornia the new hope for saline regions? I hope so, but we have been here before. Repeatedly.
- FAO manages wild biodiversity to manage pollinators.
Nibbles: Freakeh, Communication, CBD, konjac
- Freekeh, the New Quinoa? Mebbe. Meh.
- Biodiversity loss matters, and communication is crucial. Uh’huh.
- “We’re all gardeners in some way or another, so we can play a role.” Convention on Biological Diversity gets it?
- Got konjac? The Toad’s has flowered.
Nibbles: Orissa, Salatin, Economic impact, Olives, Food security, Lettuce, Chayote
- Koraput, in Orissa state, India, is about to be recognized as a globally important agriculture heritage system, which is nice.
- Chemical-free farmer has enough.
- How much is that drought-tolerant maize really worth?
- UK now has home-grown olives, seven varieties. Luigi says: “And so it begins …”
- Food security for the faint of heart. A book for people, not policy-makers.
- What was the cultural significance of the iceberg salad? Answers win a great book.
- CIAT touts its chayote success story in Vietnam. Nice film.
Nibbles: Biofuels, No-till corn, BBTV, Coffee pest, Air potato, Neolithic, Turkish roses, Cowpea conference
- Science: Biodiversity is good even for biofuels.
- Science: Lack of annual diversity is bad for no-till maize (corn).
- Science: “Dead” bananas can still transmit banana bunchy top virus BBTV.
- Science: Potential biological control identified for coffee berry borer. (Eeeyew warning.)
- Art: Biological control (Lilioceris near impressa) of air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera). (Gorgeousness warning.)
- Science: Farmers brought farming to Britain.
- Science and art: A rose is a rose is a rose.
- Science: Black-eyed peas in Dakar gig.
Keeping up to date with taxonomy made easier
Yesterday I was invited to submit one of my photos to the Flickr pool on Systematic Botany. Yes, I know. The media ought to be alerted. But I point this out less to draw attention to my photographic prowess than to highlight the fact that there is in fact a Flickr pool on Systematic Botany, and that it is a lot of fun. Exploring the discussion forum led me to an old news item about staff at the National Museum Cardiff and Kew naming a whole bunch of new Sorbus species, and not from some isolated corner of the world either, but England and Wales.
Some of these trees have probably developed recently and are examples of on-going evolution of new species. Others are older types which have been known for some time but are only now described as ‘species’ thanks to modern DNA methods.
Some Sorbus species have economic uses, and the taxonomy is made horrendously complicated by rampant hybridization and apomixis.
Coincidentally, IIALD had a piece on a new scheme “supporting and promoting the development of persistent and openly accessible digital taxonomic literature.” I wonder whether making photographs of plants available through Flickr or some other image sharing site might contribute to this worthy cause.