From the Editor
Balancing Yield vs. Flavor
Luis Ayala
Back in the mid 1800’s, Johan Gregor Mendel, who is recognized today as the “father of genetics,” studied the segregation of parental genes in plants and their reappearance in their offspring. His work, which was not recognized or applied at that time, was later rediscovered by researchers. His mathematical patterns of inheritance are widely-known now as “Mendel’s Laws of Heredity”.
During the 20th century, the application of Mendel’s laws and Darwin’s theory of evolution provided the foundation for the successful development and propagation of numerous new varieties of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, many of which we enjoy to this day.
Increasing crop yields has become very important as the world’s population grows and the surface land available for agriculture is continuously decreased, along with the resources needed for cultivation. Researcher George Harrison Shull, for example, whose application of the above principles resulted in the creation of “Shull’s Corn,” managed to increase corn crop yields by 20%-50%, which was instrumental in feeding the world after the end of World War II.
Selecting genetic traits from parents to produce more desirable offspring -also known as hybridization- rarely focuses on flavor or aroma traits, as the bulk of the research done in this field is backed by financial interests wanting to see returns in the form of quantity and durability, rather than optimized taste.
In the world of sugarcane, for example, new varieties are constantly being developed, with higher insect tolerance, higher fiber content (more bagasse means more fuel for generators producing electricity) and better resistance to cold weather.
The world needs commercially-available hybrids to support our critical industries, but we also need to preserve original or native specimens that honor the plants’ own evolution paths. Not only can these “original” specimens help future hybridization efforts, they also represent organoleptic expressions of nature with flavors and aromas that exist for a reason. Finding the balance here, as in all areas, is the key to a better future.
Cheers!
Luis Ayala,
Editor and Publisher
http://www.linkedin.com/in/rumconsultant