- Berry-go-Round No. 35 is up (and has been for weeks) with Christmas tree goodness and The Vegetable Orchestra.
- Today’s overinflated genome claim is for strawberries.
- Wheat (breeders) can weather climate change, say scientists.
- “Is Malawi’s ‘green revolution’ a model for Africa?” asks BBC News. “Maybe, maybe not,” answers Luigi.
- Grist’s millers recommend books about food and agriculture.
Nibbles: Yemen, Seed moisture, Irish fruits, Indian genetic erosion, Goji, Sustainable Ag, Green Revolution,
- Probably way more than you want to know about food security in Yemen, but stunning nonetheless.
- NordGen tells us how to measure seed moisture content. In Russian.
- The Irish have benefited from at least one bank. Alas, that bank is Pavlovsk.
- Indian farmers turning their back on traditional crops because of climate change. Hope NBPGR is on the case.
- Goji berries only as good as other fruit and veg, with “significant placebo effect”.
- [W]e are in the midst of shaping a new perspective on sustainable agriculture, it says here. Right.
- All you ever wanted to know about Green Revolution 2.0, thanks to Anastasia.
- Speaking of which .. sustainable ag under discussion.
The ITPGRFA explained, at last
Developments in international and national law and policy over the past 15 years have significantly changed the working environment for those who make decisions about plant genetic resources. For example, activities such as collecting samples now require an understanding of access legislation, while plant genetic resources research cannot be undertaken without considering relevant intellectual property rights.
One of the most important of these developments is the adoption of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and its Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA), the focus of a new online learning module published today by Bioversity International.
And very welcome it is too.
Nibbles: Pacific PGR, Millet, Fruits
- Nth regional meeting on Pacific crop genetic resources under way.
- ICRISAT has climate-ready crops. Well, I find that reassuring.
- England has a new fruit genebank. Wait, what? I thought it was having trouble holding on to the old fruit genebank. Rational national system, anyone?
Nibbles: Australia, China, Turkey, Slovenia, Soybeans, Grapes, Consultation
- Australian breeders discover the joys of participatory breeding — for Oz farmers too.
- Chinese biodiversity symposium a huge success.
- Weird, and weirdly broken, GEF Small Grants Programme reports on a Turkish landrace project. Why here? Why now?
- “Biodiversity: why should we care?” Slovenia’s answers.
- Soybean ability to use iron affects its ability to use nitrogen. Full paper here.
- Missouri grapes to save the world. Show me!
- First ever Regional Consultation for the Strengthening, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in the Pacific Island Countries kicked off yesterday. Where are our people on the spot?