The October issue of USDA’s Agricultural Research Magazine has a number of pieces on “novelty crops,” which just seems to mean non-staples, although some of them are what is often referred to as neglected or underused species. Among the articles there’s one on how the National Plant Germplasm System is conserving the genetic diversity of these species.
Healthier farmers, better products
That’s the theme and title of the latest issue of LEISA Magazine, which explores “how human health is being improved through good natural resource management and maintenance of ecosystem health.” There are articles on neglected crops, traditional medicinal plants and organic agriculture, among other things — lots of agrobiodiversity related stuff. Thanks again to Danny for the headsup. Great reading.
Natura morta
From EurekAlert: “The American Society for Horticultural Science has published multimedia podcast files of 98 horticulture presentations from the 2007 Annual Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.” Check out, in particular, James Nienhuis of the University of Wisconsin, Dept. of Horticulture, talking about Renaissance art and agrobiodiversity, more specifically vegetable domestication. Wonderful stuff.
Root crops vs grains
Do we need more vegeculture? Via Tucsonivores.
Jack Hawkes: Obituary
It has been a bit of a wait, but worth it. London’s Daily telegraph carries a fine obituary of Jack Hawkes, who died a couple of weeks ago.
Hawkes recalled that Vavilov treated him “as an equal even though I was without a paper to my name. He inspired me with his extensive knowledge, friendship and boundless enthusiasm.” Tragically, Vavilov was to be executed on trumped-up charges in 1943 after falling foul of Trofim Lysenko, his successor as president of the Lenin Academy, a man whom Hawkes found to be “a dangerous, bigoted and wholly repellent person — a politician rather than a scientist, very able to ingratiate himself with Communist Moscow”.
And there you have, in a nutshell, much of the early history of plant genetic resources.
Hawkes met Vavilov just before setting out on the British Empire Potato Collecting Expedition to South America, covering 9000 miles and collecting more than 1100 acessions. The Indiana Jones meta-narrative lives on, of course, precisely because of men like Vavilov and Hawkes who made it their business to go out there and find the treasure. To their eternal credit, they shared the loot with all who asked.