Cassava crops showcase impressive genetic diversity despite cloning techniques that would typically result in low diversity, all thanks to Indigenous myths and traditions.
According to a post on Phys.org, the University of Warwick, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, also known as EMBRAPA, published an eye-opening research paper in Science on this essential crop. Cassava, also known as yuca or manioc, is the source of tapioca. It's used as a thickening agent, food stabilizer, and texture enhancer in baked goods, sauces, soups, and noodles. It also has several industrial uses, such as the manufacturing of paper, textiles, and adhesives.
This crop feeds roughly one billion people around the world and is used to make over 275 products. Fact.MR reports that the global cassava market value is around $4.19 billion. The plant grows during droughts, in poor soil, and in spite of pests. It's amazingly resilient and versatile.
It's grown using stem cuttings, which results in exact clones. This farming method can stifle biodiversity, leading to plant disease vulnerability. However, the recent research showed astounding diversity for a cloned crop. Further research and interviews revealed that Indigenous farmers' beliefs and traditions bolstered this biodiversity.
To honor Kukurro, a caterpillar god, Brazilian farmers closely plant high-yield cassava in "Kukurro houses." This allowed for seed-based sexual reproduction, which resulted in genetic diversity.
The Brazilian Waurá people have a marital tradition of new brides bringing cassava cuttings to their husband's villages. This helps spread cassava variations, furthering crop diversity. Indigenous farmers across places like the Amazon and the Caribbean also reported trading crops.
These unique myths, farming methods, and traditions have made the mighty plant even stronger. Considering its incredible fortitude and adaptability, cassava could be an effective strategy to support food security threatened by the changing climate.
Furthermore, these surprising paths to biodiversity inform us of new ways to support genetic diversity and make farming more stable and sustainable. These insights could support farming on every level, from global agriculture to neighborhood home gardening communities.
Professor Robin Allaby of the University of Warwick explained, "This study really shows the importance of small-scale Indigenous farming to our global food security."
EMBRAPA researcher Dr. Fábio de Oliveira Freitas asserted the importance of these findings, "Stories and myths linked with crops are a strong part of Indigenous cultures. This kind of work shows how some myths can impact crop evolution, why it is so important to support those people and how much we still have to learn."
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