Seeds of variety

摘要

Well done on highlighting the importance of the many varieties of banana as a food crop. You stated that the fruit is the fourth most important food crop internationally, following wheat, rice and maize (20 April, p 38). This got me thinking about the importance of diversity in our edible plants. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations suggests there are 50,000 such species. There are those who suggest the world will need to look beyond the 15 or so species grown in industrial agriculture to ensure diversity and hence stable food supply in the face of threats like disease and climate change.