Fonio – Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

February 17, 2010February 17, 2010

Nibbles: Cassava, fonio, apples, Salicornia, aurochs, seeds

Nagib Nassar challenges the wisdom of GM cassava. Cultivate indigenous and wild varieties of the crop!
Or fonio (Digitaria exilis). New paper on its diversity.
And for dessert? Wild apple diversity?
Need salad? How about Salicornia then?
Nice aurochs steak to go with the salad?
Not too soon to start planning a future harvest, if you’re in Ireland and want seeds.

1. The COUSIN project aims to conserve (trans situ, no less) and use crop wild relatives in Europe.
2. That “use” part can be tough.
3. But that doesn’t stop the fine people at Aardaia. At least where aardaker (Lathyrus tuberosus) is concerned.
4. From alternative potatoes in the Netherlands to alternative beans in Indonesia. All in the cause of diversification.
5. No need to find an alternative to amaranth in the American SW. Not with devoted chefs on the job.
6. The Iraqi Seed Collective is taking seeds from American genebanks to that country’s diaspora in the US, and eventually back to Iraq itself. Maybe chefs will help.
7. Good thing there are genebank backups, eh?
Published on July 9, 2025