Phoebe Weston: Wild seed collectors turn Indiana Jones in the search for resilient crops
The seeds of more than
370 wild crop species have been collected as part of a six-year Indiana
Jones-style mission to widen the gene pool of staple crops and ensure future
global food security in increasingly unpredictable growing conditions.
A hundred scientists
from 25 countries travelled by horse, canoe and even elephant to reach remote
corners of the world in search of wild species of common agricultural crops
such as rice, barley, beans and potatoes that billions of people rely on for basic
nutrition. Domesticated crops are
generally selected for their high yield and nutritional value but this means
they have dangerously low genetic diversity. Their wild relatives - many of
which are at risk of extinction - are sturdier because they have evolved to
survive more challenging conditions.
Without adaptation,
the climate crisis could reduce agricultural production by up to 30% by
2050, according
to a report produced by the Global Commission on
Adaptation. Breeders want to create new crops that look and taste
like domesticated varieties but that are more resilient to drought, flooding
and temperature extremes.....
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/03/wild-seed-collectors-turn-indiana-jones-in-search-for-resilient-crops-aoe
