Barry Carter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >Please note that the IPCC projections mentioned below DO NOT take into >account the possibility that the earth's climate can transition abruptly >into one of many "states". This is, increasingly, being viewed as a real >possibility given what we now know about the planet's climatic past. >
I have been wondering how this may affect efforts to maintain and develop open-pollinated seeds - can our varieties keep up with the pace of climate change? The article in the last issue of Biodynamics "Saving Seed Makes Sense" by Brett Grosgahl described how it can take years of dedicated selection to get a variety well adapted to your individual growing conditions. If those conditions are swinging from extreme to extreme .... I don't know if genetic engineering will offer any solution - maybe if we move into periods of consistent drought or sub-normal temperatures, but can the labs breed seeds that will grow through the unpredictable and rapid changes? It underlines the ever-pressing need for o-p seed trials, to find those varieties which somehow manage to grow regardless of what nature may throw at them - and/or the need to plant multiple varieties in anticipation of all conditions. Go through the SSE Yearbook and look for the 100 year olds, the "Never Fails", the "Champions", the "Wonders" as a starting point. Biodynamics began with a need to revigorate seed stocks, and we still face that need today. Just wondering what the future may bring as I clean the last of the 2002 seed crops. Will these seeds make it through next year's conditions? Will they still be growing here 10 years from now? Nancy G. __________________________________________________________________ The NEW Netscape 7.0 browser is now available. Upgrade now! http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/
