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Mesoamerica, where several important crops such as maize, beans, squash, chilli peppers and vanilla originated, is witnessing a decline in their wild relatives, according to a study published recently.
Details
- The potato is the third most important food crop in the world after rice and wheat in terms of human consumption. More than a billion people worldwide eat potato, and global total crop production exceeds 300 million metric tonnes.
- Some 224 plants closely related to maize, potato, beans, squash, chilli pepper, vanilla, avocado, husk tomato and cotton were analysed by the researchers who conducted the study.
- They found that 35 per cent of these wild species were threatened with extinction, according to a press statement by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Reason behind extinction
- The reasons for the decline included conversion of wild habitats into farms, the shift from traditional to mechanised agriculture and the use of pesticides and insecticides.
- Other threats include invasive species, contamination from genetically-modified crops, over-collection and logging.
Outcome of the study
- The wild plant groups at highest risk of extinction are Vanilla with all eight species in the region listed as ‘endangered’ or ‘critically endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- It is followed by cotton (Gossypium) — 92 per cent of its species are at risk and avocado (Persea) — 60 per cent of its species are threatened.
- Two groups related to maize, Zea and Tripsacum, are 44 per cent and 33 per cent threatened respectively.
- Thirty-one per cent of bean species, one out of four chilli pepper species, 23 per cent of potato species, 12 per cent of husk tomato species and nine per cent of squash species are further threatened with extinction.
- The study noted that at least 16 wild crops included in it, had been used to breed food crops that were more resilient to the changing climate, extreme weather and other threats.
Source: DTE
