Nibbles – Page 502 – Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

May 28, 2007May 28, 2007

Position of the American Dietetic Association

Position of the American Dietetic Association: We can conserve natural resources and support sustainability.

May 28, 2007March 4, 2026

Monsanto buys up seed producers

Monsanto proudly announces the formation of a group to buy up seed companies.

May 28, 2007March 4, 2026

Indonesia disrupts WHO system

IPR concerns threaten ‘flu vaccine system as

May 27, 2007May 27, 2007

New natural anti-oxidant source

The seed extract of the South American SapindaceaeÂ berry guarana (Paullinia cupana) has been found to have high levels of anti-oxidant activity.

May 27, 2007March 3, 2026

Another deadly disease

Tomato leaf curl virus has appeared in California, threatening the entire US tomato crop.

1. Ancient farmers didn’t have to wait for the genetic diversity that made domestication possible. They selected from variation already present in wild plants, including the ancestors of rice and maize. Domestication was as much about spotting (or happening upon) useful differences as creating new ones.
2. English colonists in America called Indigenous dogs “wolves,” revealing as much about colonial perceptions as about the animals themselves. This history of Indigenous dogs shows how unfamiliar animals were classified through peculiarly European ideas about wildness.
3. Austria is bringing forgotten apple varieties back to life. Saving old varieties in genebanks is one thing: getting people to grow, sell and eat them is another, but it can be done. Or at least tried.
4. Jordan’s olive-oil heritage centres on traditional varieties such as Nabali and ancient Rumi trees, but most production is consumed locally, leaving exports limited and making provenance, cultivar and harvest date important indicators for buyers. Compare and contrast with Austrian apples.
5. Small island developing states have distinctive food cultures and ingredients, but face particular challenges in building sustainable and resilient food systems. FAO’s A Taste of SIDS explores the connections between island food, biodiversity and culinary heritage. Nice to see diversity within crops considered, though a few local variety names would have been nice.
Published on October 21, 2026