Crop Wild Relatives with Nan McCarry

Crop wild relatives are the wild plants that are genetically related to our cultivated crops. They act as a treasure trove of genetic diversity that breeders rely on to improve crops and make them more resilient to climate change, pests, and diseases. This week on the show, Dr. Quave speaks with Nan McCarry, ethnobotanist and crop wild relative enthusiast! They discuss the subtle relationship between food security and biodiversity, underscoring the need to conserve these wild relatives. Nan elaborates on her experiences collecting land races of potatoes in the Andes and sheds light on how these plants offer resilience to agricultural systems and help safeguard our food future.   #CropWildRelatives #Crops #Biodiversity #Food #Ethnobotany

Om Podcasten

Have you ever wondered where your food comes from? Not just where it’s grown today, but where it originally popped up in the world? Have you ever bit into a delicious ripe fruit and wondered, hey – why is it this color? What’s responsible for this amazing flavor? Is this good for my health? Could it even be medicinal? Foodie Pharmacology is a science podcast built for the food curious, the flavor connoisseurs, chefs, science geeks, plant lovers and adventurous taste experimenters out in the world! Join American ethnobotanist Dr. Cassandra Quave on this adventure through history, medicine, cuisine and molecules as we explore the amazing pharmacology of our foods.