Abstract
While crop genetic diversity supports ecological processes and food security, there have been few cross-cultural studies evaluating the influence of cultural and dietary factors on the conservation of genetic resources. This study examines genetic diversity patterns of tartary buckwheat in 18 smallholder farming communities across five regions of China (Yunnan Province, Tibet Autonomous Region and Sichuan Province) and Bhutan managed by Yi, Tibetan, and Bhutanese farmers using ethnobotanical surveys and DNA barcoding. Findings emphasize that high dietary dependence linked to a single crop may result in simplification of genetic diversity as well as agricultural systems and landscapes more broadly. We advocate for the diversification of crops in agricultural systems as well as diets through the integration of scientific research and farmers’ ecological knowledge and practices towards meeting global food security while supporting environmental well-being through biodiversity conservation.
Highlights
Crop genetic diversity is a key dimension of overall biodiversity, supporting multiple ecological processes at the population, community and ecosystem levels, including primary productivity, population recovery from disturbance, interspecific competition, community structure, and energy and nutrient fluxes [1]
This study examines the relationship between agricultural management, dietary dependence, geography, and morphological factors with buckwheat genetic diversity
This study demonstrates that ecological and cultural factors influence crop genetic diversity of a globally minor crop serving as a dietary staple in the Himalayas, tartary buckwheat
Summary
Crop genetic diversity is a key dimension of overall biodiversity, supporting multiple ecological processes at the population, community and ecosystem levels, including primary productivity, population recovery from disturbance, interspecific competition, community structure, and energy and nutrient fluxes [1]. Multiple mechanisms influence crop genetic diversity, such as genetic drift, natural selection, migration, and cultural and socioeconomic variables [5,6,7,8] including farmers’ ecological knowledge, management practices, seed exchange and selection [9]. Numerous studies highlight the role of traditional ecological knowledge and associated practices for supporting crop genetic diversity [11,12,13,14], such as selecting crop landraces with preferred nutrient profiles or those that are relatively more resilient to climate variability [15]. Neighborhood groups [9] and marriage exchanges are other social factors that shape crop diversity at local and regional levels [16,17,18,19]
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