Introduction Flashcards
Why is an ‘Alternative Crop’ relevant?
Increase sustainability of our agricultural system
Increase sustainability of such systems anywhere else in the world
Be more healthy for us or our livestock
Allow new forms of agriculture
Be used also for other purposes than food (such as feeding, clothing, energy production)
Why do we need alternative crops?
WFS relies mostly on very few species
Problems:
Reducing genetic diversity
Increasing number of diseases
Climate change
Malnutrition
We need to widen the diversity of our food
THree species provide ca. 50% of all our calories
there are ca. 20’000 edible plants, 3000 have been cultivated, only few dozen cultivated widely
Examples of groups and crops
P. 11
Why are certain crops not more widely used?
Crop is originating from the tropics, where only little research and agronomic promotion is done to advance crop science
Cultural bias: certain crops are considered ‘poor man’s food’ (e.g. in former times peanuts or potatoes)
Religious or ethical motivation: spanish conquistadors banned Amaranth since it was used in ceremonies
Bad luck: Crops simply have been overlooked or forgotten
What are prerequisites / key questions for success of an alternative crop?
Is there an existing market need or at least a potential for success? Are there customers who want the crop?
Which person or organization will push the process?
For how long do you need to push the crop?
Which crop or which process is eventually to be replaced by the alternative crop?
Which implications would this replacement have?
Does it fit into existing cropping systems?
Continental Blockade & Sugar example
P. 22 - 24
Example Soybean
Soybean, a pulse grown for 1000s of years in eastern Asia, gained importance in the US from 1920 on
reasons: Revitalizing US soils degraded in ‘dust bowl’ years (increasing N)
High quality technical oil for colors and plastic (WW 2: No palm oil reached the US)
Feed cattle & other livestock
Increasing importance of soybean
Roundup-ready soybean (herbicide tolerant) was among the first transgenic crops on the US market and later on in South America
Soybean today is very important as feed protein
Breeding for cold tolerant varieties also in Switzerland since 1970 (independence of protein imports)
Example healthy oil from reapeseed
Conventional Breeding: Oil of rapeseed decreased in glucosinolates (bitterness) and eruca acid (health problems) - today it is better for human nutrition
Content in polyunsaturated acid increased (more healthy); higher share of oleic acid: oil can be heated
Alos: Decade-long increase as fuel (biodiesel) and feed
Example Monoecious hemp with special, technically interesitng fibres
Hemp fibres are stable and light
Traditional uses: Ropes, colthes, paper, oil (seeds)
From 2000 on: Increasingly used in composite plastics (BMW i3) insulation material and as biofuel
Example: Buckwheat as a source for carbohydrates and proteins for humans?
Buckwheat & other pseudocereals could increase diversity in crop rotations
High carbohydrate content, valuable protein / amino acid composition, nutritious dishes (e.g. french galettes)
Only little breeding successes / attempts
Example: Aronia - the superhealthy berry for tomorrow?
Aronia contains lots of phenolic compounds with antioxidative properties
Crop is well established in eastern Europe
‘Interessengemeinschaft Aronia’ in Thurgau is currently trying to push Aronia into the CH market
