What are crop wild relatives and why are they important? Wild crop relatives are related to cultivated domestic plants, and some are thought to be ancestors of plants such as barley, wheat, rye, oats, quinoa and rice.
Many familiar vegetables such as asparagus,
squash,
carrots,
garlic
and spinach
also have wild relatives. In fact, most domestic plants have at least one wild
relative.
Crop wild relatives often don’t taste as good as domestic
crops, and they may not appear as appetizing. However, they have traits that
make them important. Let’s learn more about the usefulness of crop wild
relatives.
Importance of Crop Wild Relatives
Why are crop wild relatives important? Because they continue
to evolve in the wild, crop wild relatives are able to develop beneficial
traits such as hardiness, drought tolerance and pest resistance.
Crops wild relatives are important for maintaining a healthy
environment. They may be critical for maintaining or improving food security in
areas where agriculture is increasingly challenged by global climate change. Scientists
believe that crop wild relatives are hardy and more adaptable to higher
temperatures, floods, and droughts. They also provide a great deal of genetic
diversity.
Many of the plants, in their wild state, are valuable
sources of fruit, tubers and seeds. They are also grazed by wildlife and
livestock.
Additional Crop Wild Relative Info
Organizations such as the Crop Science Society of America
and Biodiversity International are dedicated to collecting and preserving
seeds, as many crop wild relatives are threatened by loss of cropland due to
population growth, overgrazing and deforestation.
The hope is that by storing
seeds in seed banks, crop wild relative plants will be maintained
well into the future. However, many are already extinct, or are nearing
extinction.
The seeds are also shared with growers who are interested in
participating in the program. Many will breed the plants with domestic plants
to produce stronger varieties. Others may grow the seeds near domestic plants
so they will cross via natural means.
What are crop wild relatives and why are they important? Wild crop relatives are related to cultivated domestic plants, and some are thought to be ancestors of plants such as barley, wheat, rye, oats, quinoa and rice.
Many familiar vegetables such as asparagus,
squash,
carrots,
garlic
and spinach
also have wild relatives. In fact, most domestic plants have at least one wild
relative.
Crop wild relatives often don’t taste as good as domestic
crops, and they may not appear as appetizing. However, they have traits that
make them important. Let’s learn more about the usefulness of crop wild
relatives.
Importance of Crop Wild Relatives
Why are crop wild relatives important? Because they continue
to evolve in the wild, crop wild relatives are able to develop beneficial
traits such as hardiness, drought tolerance and pest resistance.
Crops wild relatives are important for maintaining a healthy
environment. They may be critical for maintaining or improving food security in
areas where agriculture is increasingly challenged by global climate change. Scientists
believe that crop wild relatives are hardy and more adaptable to higher
temperatures, floods, and droughts. They also provide a great deal of genetic
diversity.
Many of the plants, in their wild state, are valuable
sources of fruit, tubers and seeds. They are also grazed by wildlife and
livestock.
Additional Crop Wild Relative Info
Organizations such as the Crop Science Society of America
and Biodiversity International are dedicated to collecting and preserving
seeds, as many crop wild relatives are threatened by loss of cropland due to
population growth, overgrazing and deforestation.
The hope is that by storing
seeds in seed banks, crop wild relative plants will be maintained
well into the future. However, many are already extinct, or are nearing
extinction.
The seeds are also shared with growers who are interested in
participating in the program. Many will breed the plants with domestic plants
to produce stronger varieties. Others may grow the seeds near domestic plants
so they will cross via natural means.