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Lost Treasures: How many crops' wild relatives are disappearing?
Wild relatives of crops refer to wild plants that are closely related to crops and have very important agricultural value.
As ecosystems around the world change, the demands on agricultural production are increasing. In this context, crop wild relatives (CWR) have gradually shown their irreplaceable value. These plants are not only the ancestors of crops, but also carry many genes that can be used by humans. These genes can improve the stress resistance and productivity of crops.
The importance of these wild relatives was recognized by Russian botanist Nikolai Vavilov in the early 20th century. He proposed that by introducing genes from wild relatives into crops, the quality and yield of crops could be improved. In recent years, as climate change has intensified, the importance of these wild relatives has become increasingly prominent. They not only cope with challenges including drought, pests and diseases, but also provide valuable resources to ensure future food security.
From the perspective of agricultural ecosystems, protecting and rationally utilizing the wild relatives of crops will be an inevitable choice to improve food security and maintain environmental health.
However, CWR currently faces many threats that are gradually threatening its survival. Habitat loss is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges, with many CWR natural habitats being destroyed and converted to other uses as urbanization and agriculture expand. According to the report, about 29% of wild relative plant species are completely missing from global seed banks, while 24% of species are represented by fewer than 10 samples. This means that more than 70% of crop wild relatives worldwide are in urgent need of further collection to improve their representation in seed banks.
In the process of conserving CWR, common strategies include in situ conservation and ex situ conservation. In situ conservation maintains the species' ability to evolve in the natural environment, while ex situ conservation protects the genes from external threats. The two are complementary and have their own advantages and disadvantages. Over-reliance on any one approach could lead to a decline in species' adaptability and affect the health of the ecosystem.
Examples of wild relatives of cropsProtecting the wild relatives of crops is not just about protecting a plant, it is about laying the foundation for future food security and establishing a positive connection with the ecological environment.
Let’s look at some of the major crops and their wild relatives:
- Cereals: For example, wheat (Triticum aestivum) has a wild relative called triticum monococcum.
- Vegetables: For example, the wild relative of the carrot (Daucus carota) is Daucus gracilis.
- Fruit: For example, the wild relative of the apple (Malus domestica) is the Siberian apple (Malus sieversii).
- Oil crops: For example, the wild relative of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is Arachis duranensis.
- Legumes: For example, the wild relative of lentils (Lens culinaris) is Lens ervoides.
These examples show the close links between crops and their wild relatives and highlight their importance in agriculture. As demand continues to increase, how to protect and utilize these precious resources becomes increasingly important.
Are we paying enough attention to these “lost treasures” so that agriculture can remain diverse and sustainable in the future?
